Touch A Plea to Kobo

[filmo]

After I finished reading a book on micro SD card I decided to use short list menu to delete book. Then I turned KT off and started KT. After checking database KT pops up restore to original factory state or cancel. Tried another off and restart then removed SD card another off and restart. Each time KT wanted to return to original factory state or cancel. Plugged KT without SD card into computer running Ubuntu Linux and Calibre. Used Calibre to removed Trial Books from KT then emptied trash. Put micro SD card into KT and started from Off. Now KT doesn't want restore to factory state.

Maybe this post will have my KT pining for factor state again.

[Lesley2]

Originally Posted by tea2

And not all of us can use it after the error. I can't do anything--no reading of books, no browsing of them. I just get a repeated prompt to go to kobosetup. I can't cancel. And Calibre has never seen either of my machines.

After my last factory reset, I migrated everything over to mac and haven't had the problem since. It's a good thing I have a mac, or I'd have gone back to my Kindle long ago. If by some mischance I get it again, I'm definitely giving up.

I use a Mac; my KT has never seen any other system. But I still get the error. I thought it was after downloading ADE books, but people say it isn't that. Luckily, I discovered the ignoring it option, so I can still read my Kobo.

[molman]

Hmmm... well the cases in which people are getting this error seem to be all over the place.

Hopefully Kobo can get this sorted ASAP. I agree with Peter it isn't a good look for what has otherwise been a fairly nice product, in an already competitive market. I personally (& my wife) have had a great experience, but I know I wouldn't want to recommend it (Kobo Touch) to people while this error still abounds and dominate brand alternatives are easily had.

[therealjoeblow]

Originally Posted by Pistos

@therealjoeblow : I think it would be helpful if you could tell everyone where to get that one book that caused/triggered your problem. Maybe put it up for download, if possible (assuming it's not already available on another site). If I were a Kobo dev, I'd be really really interested to get my hands on that file, because it embodies a single data point related to the issue(s). As opposed to someone loading 30 books, and eventually finding the problem some time later.

The particular book is irrelevant.

After the reset, I added back all of my books in blocks as described, including the one that I added last before the error. I added the *exact* same files, no edits or changes in between. No error on that particular file this time, it loaded and reads just fine.

So it had nothing to do with the particular file I was adding.

And BTW, I had the same damned error again tonight when adding 6 files.

After a reset and an hour adding back all of my files, including those 6, again no errors.

This piece of crap is just flakey, plain and simple.

The REAL Joe

[molman]

Originally Posted by therealjoeblow

The particular book is irrelevant.

After the reset, I added back all of my books in blocks as described, including the one that I added last before the error. I added the *exact* same files, no edits or changes in between. No error on that particular file this time, it loaded and reads just fine.

So it had nothing to do with the particular file I was adding.

And BTW, I had the same damned error again tonight when adding 6 files.

After a reset and an hour adding back all of my files, including those 6, again no errors.

This piece of crap is just flakey, plain and simple.

The REAL Joe

Are you using Calibre (adding 6 files)? If you factory reset the device and just us the Kobo and/or Adobe software do you get said error? I know it sucks, but if using Calibre is aggravating the issue whilst in Kobo's best interest to resolve, it is out of their support scope.

Having said all that I have heard (second-hand) that some people are getting the error having never touched Calibre.

[danskmacabre]

For me I was getting it regularly when using Calibre and the Kobo desktop program.
Once I stopped using the Kobo Desktop program, it hasn't happened since.

I'm guessing if I exclusively used the Kobo desktop program it would probably stop erroring like that.

I think the Kobo Desktop and Calibre program don't like working together in my case.

I also ensure I disconnect the device from within Calibre before physically disconnecting it.

I also noticed when using windows explorer (I.E. loading it straight to the SDCARD as a drive letter) as opposed to Calibre or the Kobo desktop to load ebooks to my SB card that often the error would happen.

I think the file system breaks easily. But as long as I disconnect properly and ONLY use Calibre to load books I'm fine.

[tea2]

Originally Posted by Lesley2

I use a Mac; my KT has never seen any other system. But I still get the error. I thought it was after downloading ADE books, but people say it isn't that. Luckily, I discovered the ignoring it option, so I can still read my Kobo.

Hmmm...well then. I dunno.

[therealjoeblow]

Originally Posted by molman

Are you using Calibre (adding 6 files)? If you factory reset the device and just us the Kobo and/or Adobe software do you get said error? I know it sucks, but if using Calibre is aggravating the issue whilst in Kobo's best interest to resolve, it is out of their support scope.

Having said all that I have heard (second-hand) that some people are getting the error having never touched Calibre.

No, if you read my original post, I'm simply dragging and dropping the files from one explorer window to another, the same way you'd treat *any* other USB flash drive that *never* gets corrupted like the Kobo.

And with all due respect to Kobo on behalf of Calibre users, when the device gets corrupted for any reason, it *IS* in Kobo's scope. What's become apparent is that the Kobo's OS and database are so poorly designed that it's laughable. The device is simply not ready for the open market in this state.

The database and file system should have been designed with redundancy and error recovery like any proper database is. If it senses something's amis, simply restore yourself to the last known good set of database records, and refuse to add the one that's causing the problem - then report to the user that "file xyz cannot be added to the database due to an error" so they get some constructive feedback on what's causing the problem so it can be fixed without requiring a factory reset.

That's simple database programming that anyone learns in 1st year computer class.

Can you imagine if Kobo's main business database got corrupted 2x a week and required their servers to be wiped and factory reset and everything restored by hand??? I'm pretty sure the idiots who programmed that system would be fired the first time that happened...

The REAL Joe

[molman]

I really wish people would stop CAPITALISING, bolding, underlining, and now *asterisking*, parts of their posts as if they can't achieve clarity without it. A total pet peeve.

@therealjoeblow: If it is happening when just using windows file explorer then yes this is an issue and something Kobo definitely need to fix. I disagree re: Calibre. It's a third party programs that Kobo need not make any assurances regarding its operation (though as I said previously it would be in their best interest due to its popularity). Hopefully Kobo can get this sorted soon. I just personally hope the issues aren't an artefact of some hardware issues and truly are something that can be addressed in software.

As to your assertions I and my wife (using two Kobo Touches) haven't had any issues using Calibre, ADE and the Kobo desktop software with our devices. As I said earlier in this thread I've never seen this error (had to actually ask what it looked like), so your summation isn't entirely fair as there seems to be some variable that is leading to this happen for some (but by no means all) users. Appreciate the frustration but I don’t think I would be generalising as to the quality of their software without more insight.

[SameerH]

Posted in another thread, but will repeat here:

Hi everyone,

We're about to issue an upgrade that will alleviate this issue. Thanks for bearing with us and helping us by providing your feedback. In the mean time, you should be able to cancel the error message and continue using the device.

Thanks,
Sameer.

[molman]

Originally Posted by SameerH

Posted in another thread, but will repeat here:

Hi everyone,

We're about to issue an upgrade that will alleviate this issue. Thanks for bearing with us and helping us by providing your feedback. In the mean time, you should be able to cancel the error message and continue using the device.

Thanks,
Sameer.

Sameer, to scratch my curiosity can you speak to what was causing this issue?.. specifically why some of us weren't getting it, while others were?

Also maybe covered in the other post, is there an ETA for this fix/upgrade?

[Pistos]

Originally Posted by molman

Sameer, to scratch my curiosity can you speak to what was causing this issue?.. specifically why some of us weren't getting it, while others were?

Also maybe covered in the other post, is there an ETA for this fix/upgrade?

+1 I'm also curious to know some details. Even if it's on some Kobo Developer blog, or even in a private email to me/us.