Kobo Sage gets killed by certain files

kinomoto · 11-18-2024, 01:52 PM

Moving files onto my Kobo Sage is like playing Russian Roulette. Sometimes, they make it crash-loop forever, and the only fix is to factory reset the device. It is Such. A. Pain.

More specifically, lately I've found one culprit. I compressed a series of manga pages (JPGs) into a .CBZ, and after I move it onto the device and eject, my Sage takes about 5 seconds before the screen flashes, the three dots show, and then it repeats, forever. Of course, I would just remove the file causing it, but the crash happens too fast for the device to send the signal to allow the PC to access the storage.
The only solution is to delete everything on my device via a hard reset...

Does anyone know why this happens, or how I can prevent it? My device doesn't seem to have issues with other CBZ files, except the few it refuses to acknowledge are in the storage at all, but it also ignores the EPUBs from that manga too...

PeterT · 11-18-2024, 02:21 PM

How large are the images in these files? Are you maybe triggering an out-of-memory condition?

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PeterT · 11-18-2024, 02:22 PM

Additionally I remember from years ago, that ZIP files named CBR or RAR files named CBZ could cause issues

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kinomoto · 11-18-2024, 03:24 PM

The individual images tend to be 200-400kb, which come together to make a CBZ of around 60mb.

rashkae · 11-18-2024, 05:02 PM

As a purely mental exercise, I was trying to think of how these devices could be improved to avoid this *type* of situation, (without addressing whatever the prloblem with this particular file.) I think e-readers should have an 'intake' folder, where files are scanned, (then moved to storage folder when the device has finished indexing/scanning/whatever.). The intake folder itself can be deleted during the boot process, so any books that the device can *not* ingest will not be left hanging around.

kinomoto · 11-18-2024, 05:32 PM

That would be great. It seems quite unprofessional to me that you would have to hard reset a device because the software can't cope with a single file. Especially when the e-reader costs the same price as a mid-range Android tablet at 300 dollars...

PeterT · 11-18-2024, 06:20 PM

Any chance of your sharing one of the files that causes the reboot and / or one that doesn't appear in the menu?

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kinomoto · 11-19-2024, 03:07 PM

Here is the file that causes the reboot loop:
https://files.catbox.moe/jz89cv.cbz
I guess it could be to do with the fact that it's in Japanese, but I have my e-reader in Japanese and it's no problem.

kinomoto · 11-19-2024, 03:15 PM

I should also mention that the file that my Sage refuses to acknowledge exists (it doesn't even do the importing/loading screen after moving the file to the Sage and ejecting) IS "viewable" in the KoReader file manager, but can't be opened by KoReader either.
Not only that, but I also got an EPUB of that manga from the publisher, and the EPUB has the exact same issue. For that manga, it doesn't even matter which volume I pick (so they are literally completely different books), what I name the file, anything - my Sage refuses to acknowledge any of it. The only thing they have in common is the series it's from.
Unfortunately I can't share it here because it's pornographic.

PeterT · 11-19-2024, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinomoto

Here is the file that causes the reboot loop:
https://files.catbox.moe/jz89cv.cbz
I guess it could be to do with the fact that it's in Japanese, but I have my e-reader in Japanese and it's no problem.

No issues when I load that to my Libra Colour (although it's possible we're loading content differently). I simply copied it via a file-manager to the Kobo placing the file in the root of the eReader and leaving the name as you had it (jz89cv.cbz); so not via calibre or any other tool.

How are you transferring it?

kinomoto · 11-20-2024, 12:23 PM

I just copy-pasted it onto my Sage via my computer file manager.

PeterT · 11-20-2024, 01:27 PM

Same here.

Any mods in place on your Sage? My colour only has NickelMenu added

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DNSB · 11-20-2024, 06:24 PM

I tried the file on my Sage and KLC. Neither of them crashed.

Now if only the colour on the KLC's screen looks as good as it does in the screenshots...

DNSB · 11-20-2024, 08:05 PM

As an experiment, I converted the cbz file to an epub file using SVG to fit the image to the pages. I've attached a link to the epub to this message. Could you give it a try and let me know if it causes any issues?

<link deleted>

rashkae · 11-21-2024, 11:09 AM

If the crash is not reproducible on other devices with this particular file. I suspect that storage media might have some unreadable sectors. The crash you are experiencing might be due basic I/O errors, but due to the nature of the device, will be very hard to Test. The closest I can think of is, connect the sage to your pc, copy a a whole bunch of data do it, flush cache on the pc, and try reading all the data back.. (ideally, the read should actually be veryfing it, such as comparing md5 or crc32sums) If you can do this 1 or 2 times without without error, then my guess is probably wrong. I'm sorry that I can't provide more user friend detailed instructions on how to do the above.

11-18-2024, 01:52 PM	#1
kinomoto Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2024 Device: Kobo Sage	Kobo Sage gets killed by certain files Moving files onto my Kobo Sage is like playing Russian Roulette. Sometimes, they make it crash-loop forever, and the only fix is to factory reset the device. It is Such. A. Pain. More specifically, lately I've found one culprit. I compressed a series of manga pages (JPGs) into a .CBZ, and after I move it onto the device and eject, my Sage takes about 5 seconds before the screen flashes, the three dots show, and then it repeats, forever. Of course, I would just remove the file causing it, but the crash happens too fast for the device to send the signal to allow the PC to access the storage. The only solution is to delete everything on my device via a hard reset... Does anyone know why this happens, or how I can prevent it? My device doesn't seem to have issues with other CBZ files, except the few it refuses to acknowledge are in the storage at all, but it also ignores the EPUBs from that manga too...

11-20-2024, 06:24 PM	#13
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 41,152 Karma: 158160884 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	I tried the file on my Sage and KLC. Neither of them crashed. Now if only the colour on the KLC's screen looks as good as it does in the screenshots... Attached Thumbnails

11-20-2024, 08:05 PM	#14
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 41,152 Karma: 158160884 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	As an experiment, I converted the cbz file to an epub file using SVG to fit the image to the pages. I've attached a link to the epub to this message. Could you give it a try and let me know if it causes any issues? <link deleted> Last edited by DNSB; 11-21-2024 at 10:11 PM. Reason: Removed link to epub file.

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11-18-2024, 02:21 PM	#2
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,868 Karma: 75642378 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	How large are the images in these files? Are you maybe triggering an out-of-memory condition? Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

11-18-2024, 02:22 PM	#3
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,868 Karma: 75642378 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Additionally I remember from years ago, that ZIP files named CBR or RAR files named CBZ could cause issues Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

11-18-2024, 03:24 PM	#4
kinomoto Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2024 Device: Kobo Sage	The individual images tend to be 200-400kb, which come together to make a CBZ of around 60mb.

11-18-2024, 05:02 PM	#5
rashkae Wizard Posts: 1,239 Karma: 5372847 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo Aura HD	As a purely mental exercise, I was trying to think of how these devices could be improved to avoid this type of situation, (without addressing whatever the prloblem with this particular file.) I think e-readers should have an 'intake' folder, where files are scanned, (then moved to storage folder when the device has finished indexing/scanning/whatever.). The intake folder itself can be deleted during the boot process, so any books that the device can not ingest will not be left hanging around.

11-18-2024, 05:32 PM	#6
kinomoto Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2024 Device: Kobo Sage	That would be great. It seems quite unprofessional to me that you would have to hard reset a device because the software can't cope with a single file. Especially when the e-reader costs the same price as a mid-range Android tablet at 300 dollars...

11-18-2024, 06:20 PM	#7
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,868 Karma: 75642378 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Any chance of your sharing one of the files that causes the reboot and / or one that doesn't appear in the menu? Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

11-19-2024, 03:07 PM	#8
kinomoto Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2024 Device: Kobo Sage	Here is the file that causes the reboot loop: https://files.catbox.moe/jz89cv.cbz I guess it could be to do with the fact that it's in Japanese, but I have my e-reader in Japanese and it's no problem.

11-19-2024, 03:15 PM	#9
kinomoto Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2024 Device: Kobo Sage	I should also mention that the file that my Sage refuses to acknowledge exists (it doesn't even do the importing/loading screen after moving the file to the Sage and ejecting) IS "viewable" in the KoReader file manager, but can't be opened by KoReader either. Not only that, but I also got an EPUB of that manga from the publisher, and the EPUB has the exact same issue. For that manga, it doesn't even matter which volume I pick (so they are literally completely different books), what I name the file, anything - my Sage refuses to acknowledge any of it. The only thing they have in common is the series it's from. Unfortunately I can't share it here because it's pornographic.

11-20-2024, 12:23 PM	#11
kinomoto Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2024 Device: Kobo Sage	I just copy-pasted it onto my Sage via my computer file manager.

11-20-2024, 01:27 PM	#12
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,868 Karma: 75642378 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Same here. Any mods in place on your Sage? My colour only has NickelMenu added Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

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11-21-2024, 11:09 AM	#15
rashkae Wizard Posts: 1,239 Karma: 5372847 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo Aura HD	If the crash is not reproducible on other devices with this particular file. I suspect that storage media might have some unreadable sectors. The crash you are experiencing might be due basic I/O errors, but due to the nature of the device, will be very hard to Test. The closest I can think of is, connect the sage to your pc, copy a a whole bunch of data do it, flush cache on the pc, and try reading all the data back.. (ideally, the read should actually be veryfing it, such as comparing md5 or crc32sums) If you can do this 1 or 2 times without without error, then my guess is probably wrong. I'm sorry that I can't provide more user friend detailed instructions on how to do the above.