Clara Is occasional database corruption to be expected?

[JSWolf]

With 4.32, is the problem of connecting to Calibre while in the middle of a KePub eBook no longer a problem?

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

With 4.32, is the problem of connecting to Calibre while in the middle of a KePub eBook no longer a problem?

Why don't you just try it and let us know

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

With 4.32, is the problem of connecting to Calibre while in the middle of a KePub eBook no longer a problem?

It has not been a problem for me on 4.32 or any firmware besides 4.31, and I tend to connect my Clara a lot.

Your mileage may vary.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Why don't you just try it and let us know

From multiple previous posts, Jon does not believe in the experimental method.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by DNSB

From multiple previous posts, Jon does not believe in the experimental method.

He also doesn't bother reading the multiple posts that have said things are OK.

[wingmongyee]

Mine is not a Clara, but I've had the problem of corrupted databases with my Glo HD for a year more or less. It started going wrong out of the blue one day. Every second connection to Calibre, the database would be corrupted.

I got used to back up the database every time I could connect successfully to Calibre. I backed up the database by copying the KoboReader.sqlite file manually using file manager. Almost every time I transferred books to the device, the database would get corrupted after the first disconnection. Then once I had replaced the database with the backed up one, it would be fine until I transfered more books.

Anyway, I tried everything I could think of, and all suggestions I found on this forum, but nothing worked. I tried different USB cables but it didn't help. I thought maybe I had too many books on the device - over 1000 and the database, which was nearing 900 MB, was too big. I tried reducing the number of books. The database dropped to the 500MB mark but it didn't help. Finally, I thought the problem may have been with Calibre or with the Glo HD itself. I thought maybe the 32 GB SD card I had installed on the Glo HD years ago was damaged.

In any case, as soon as I installed Firmware 4.32.19501, the problem magically vanished. Immediately!

I haven't had a corrupted database once ever since. It's been almost a month and I connect to Calibre and transfer books almost every second day. So it appears the problem was never with the hardware or with Calibre or the manner of connecting. I assume the problem must have started after a firmware update a year or two ago but I didn't realize it at the time.

I never associated the corrupted database with a particular firmware, until the problem was fixed immediately following the latest firmware update. I kept reading the forum in the last month to see if anyone would mention an experience similar to mine but no one did as far as I could see although there's quite a few mentions of corrupted databases.

Please note that I always update manually to the latest firmware as soon as I find out on this forum that it's been released. So I don't know after which firmware the problem started but I can confirmed I installed all the updates, 4.26, 4.30, 4.31 as they were released and the problem disappeared only with 4.32.

So based on my experience, if someone has problems with corrupted databases, I highly recommend you install Firmware 4.32.19501.

After having had problems for so long and considering getting a new ereader, this new firmware which fixed the problem has given my Glo HD a new lease of life !!!

Also, I don't know if it matters but my books are in ePub format in my Calibre library and they get converted to KePub on the fly with the KoboTouchExtended driver when I transfer them to the device.

Hope sharing my experience helps. Cheers.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

From multiple previous posts, Jon does not believe in the experimental method.

When I asked, I was on vacation.

[the.Mtn.Man]

For what it's worth, I've never gotten a corrupted database error on any Kobo device I've used over the years (Touch, Aura, and now Clara HD), and I do nothing special to avoid it (such as the earlier suggestion to always return to the home screen before connecting to your computer), so I would not agree that it's to be expected.

[eink_enjoyer]

I'm using a Libra 2, and have had a corrupted database in the past.
Now, I'm using restic to make a full backup of the device.
But my question is the following: How exactly do I restore a database backup? What is the procedure?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by eink_enjoyer

I'm using a Libra 2, and have had a corrupted database in the past.
Now, I'm using restic to make a full backup of the device.
But my question is the following: How exactly do I restore a database backup? What is the procedure?

Restic is useless. If the database is corrupt, you'll backup a corrupt database. Then when you do finally find out that the database is corrupt, you'll end up restoring a corrupt database. So you can dump Restic.

What you can use is Calibre with Kobo Utilities (plugin) to backup the database as Kobo Utilities does check the database before backing it up.

To restore a database, plug the Kobo into the computer and copy the backup database over the existing database. Then eject the Kobo and then reboot your Kobo.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by eink_enjoyer

I'm using a Libra 2, and have had a corrupted database in the past.
Now, I'm using restic to make a full backup of the device.
But my question is the following: How exactly do I restore a database backup? What is the procedure?

It depends on what you want to do. On the rare times I need to do it, I just find the last good backup of the database and replace the corrupt database with it. After ejecting the device I restart it.

I occasionally backup everything. That is mainly when testing something so I can repeat it or get back to the starting point when I am finished. If I restore that, then I delete everything from the books partition and copy the backed up files to the device. And again, restart the device when it is ejected. I do that quickly to avoid it trying to import all the books.