Kindle PW2 inconsistencies: sideloaded ebooks issue [SOLVED - Thanks to MR members]

Dr. Drib · 12-22-2014, 04:39 PM

My PW2 is starting to act up.

When I put a sideloaded book on (any sideloaded book) using calibre, the ebook is not visible.

1) Using Search does not show the book
2) Calibre indicates the book is loaded
3) Checking the Collection on the PW2 indicates the book is on the Kindle, but not visible on the Kindle
4) Deleting the book - sometimes - will leave a 'vanilla' document cover on the kindle. Deleting the book (again) from the Kindle erases the vanilla cover.
5) A restart does not correct the issue
6) Loading the ebook again repeats the process: No ebook is visible.
7) I have bout 460 megs of space left
8) I'm using calibre 2.13

I'm thinking of doing a reset, since that will more than likely correct the issue. I'll then have a clean system in which to start over.

Any other suggestions before I do this?

Thanks.

DuckieTigger · 12-22-2014, 06:30 PM

Maybe a recent update of the FW? I heard they changed how cloud collections show up - they need to be added to the device before you see them. Are you sure you are seeing "all items"? I have only a PW1 which did not get 5.6.1 yet - still on 5.4.4.2 .

Edit: mhh, I just tried by changing what is visible on my PW1, and even though it doesn't show up on the home screen it will find everything with search. Is your PW indexing?

Dr. Drib · 12-22-2014, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Maybe a recent update of the FW? I heard they changed how cloud collections show up - they need to be added to the device before you see them. Are you sure you are seeing "all items"? I have only a PW1 which did not get 5.6.1 yet - still on 5.4.4.2 .

Edit: mhh, I just tried by changing what is visible on my PW1, and even though it doesn't show up on the home screen it will find everything with search. Is your PW indexing?

It's possible it's indexing, but I always thought one could actually see the ebook when loaded into calibre.

I'll do some further checking.

Thank you.

DSpider · 12-22-2014, 06:59 PM

Don't forget to back up the dictionaries, since they are erased if you perform a factory reset.

eschwartz · 12-22-2014, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

It's possible it's indexing, but I always thought one could actually see the ebook when loaded into calibre.

I'll do some further checking.

Thank you.

If it is stuck indexing, the book will not show up at all, however you can find it by doing a library search for a nonsense string.

Strether · 12-22-2014, 08:28 PM

I've had the same thing happen, but only with one author's books, and not all of them. Two of the first three of L.E. Modesitt's Imager books would appear and disappear on the Kindle. If you didn't see them, when you plugged the Kindle in and accessed Calibre, Calibre would show them on the Kindle, and when you unplugged the Kindle, there they were. But the next time you plugged in with Calibre running, the books would disappear. But they would appear again the next time you plugged the Kindle in and accessed Calibre. I finally just sideloaded them in the documents folder and they remain on the Kindle.

Jim

GoSharks · 12-23-2014, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If it is stuck indexing, the book will not show up at all, however you can find it by doing a library search for a nonsense string.

Be sure your search is set to 'All Text'...

GordonGekko · 12-23-2014, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSpider

Don't forget to back up the dictionaries, since they are erased if you perform a factory reset.

If you put the dictionaries in your Kindle Cloud Reader that will back it up sufficiently, correct?

Dr. Drib · 12-23-2014, 09:22 AM

If I simply do a reset after putting my selected sideloaded books in a separately created calibre Library ['Sideloaded Books' sounds like a good name to use when I create that from my master Library], then the reset will clean up the issues with the PW2.

Then I re-register the Kindle back to my Amazon Account.

I can then update the system to the current system (must it be done incrementally or update to the newest system all at once?)

And then, after that point, I can go to calibre - to the Library named 'Sideloaded Books' - and simply put them back onto the Kindle - right?

Is that correct for all the above?

If so, that seems like the best way to insure success; that is, to start with a clean system again.

HarryT · 12-23-2014, 09:43 AM

Sounds good, but note that doing a Factory Reset will have no effect on the PW's firmware version - it will stay at whatever version it's at now.

GoSharks · 12-23-2014, 09:51 AM

That would work....however it will do nothing if your problem is one of the book files you have sideloaded (via Calibre?) is corrupt. Once your kindle chokes on a corrupt book file it stalls and will not recognize other books that are added. This is one of the reasons it is recommended to only add a few books at a time.
What you will need to do if you can determine which book is the problem child, is to reconvert it to your preferred format in Calibre and then delete the 'Original format' copy and then resend to your kindle.
I have had many instances of which you describe, so far the problem has always been a corrupt book file.

Dr. Drib · 12-23-2014, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sounds good, but note that doing a Factory Reset will have no effect on the PW's firmware version - it will stay at whatever version it's at now.

Actually, that's good to know, since I won't have to fool around with doing any kind of updates.

Thanks, Harry, for that info.

Dr. Drib · 12-23-2014, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoSharks

That would work....however it will do nothing if your problem is one of the book files you have sideloaded (via Calibre?) is corrupt. Once your kindle chokes on a corrupt book file it stalls and will not recognize other books that are added. This is one of the reasons it is recommended to only add a few books at a time.
What you will need to do if you can determine which book is the problem child, is to reconvert it to your preferred format in Calibre and then delete the 'Original format' copy and then resend to your kindle.
I have had many instances of which you describe, so far the problem has always been a corrupt book file.

Basically, there are inconsistencies that seem to make no sense.

For example, I completely deleted about 60 books from one Collection, after having backed up the ebooks to a separate calibre library that I detailed in my earlier post.

Regarding the initial issue: One of the books that calibre indicated was on my Kindle - but not visible at all ON the Kindle - suddenly WAS visible on the Kindle after deleting all those books from that one Collection.

I understand what you're saying, though. What I may do is put them on in increments of 10 in order to find out if there is a bad file.

I did do a search with a nonsense string (as suggested earlier), but nothing came up. Nothing happened.

Robmonster · 12-23-2014, 10:42 AM

I have on occasion needed to restart the Kindle with the long-press on the power button when ding a lot of changes over the USB connection. Maybe try that.

GoSharks · 12-23-2014, 11:39 AM

@Dr. Drib-

Could you report back the cure when you find it? There seems to be an epidemic of this problem going on (your's is the third this week... the other two were corrupted files -- I wonder what is making kindle devices so touchy lately?)

12-22-2014, 04:39 PM	#1
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,432 Karma: 59504381 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	Kindle PW2 inconsistencies: sideloaded ebooks issue [SOLVED - Thanks to MR members] My PW2 is starting to act up. When I put a sideloaded book on (any sideloaded book) using calibre, the ebook is not visible. 1) Using Search does not show the book 2) Calibre indicates the book is loaded 3) Checking the Collection on the PW2 indicates the book is on the Kindle, but not visible on the Kindle 4) Deleting the book - sometimes - will leave a 'vanilla' document cover on the kindle. Deleting the book (again) from the Kindle erases the vanilla cover. 5) A restart does not correct the issue 6) Loading the ebook again repeats the process: No ebook is visible. 7) I have bout 460 megs of space left 8) I'm using calibre 2.13 I'm thinking of doing a reset, since that will more than likely correct the issue. I'll then have a clean system in which to start over. Any other suggestions before I do this? Thanks. Last edited by Dr. Drib; 12-25-2014 at 06:01 PM. Reason: Changed 'folder' to 'Collection'

12-22-2014, 06:30 PM	#2
DuckieTigger Wizard Posts: 4,763 Karma: 246906703 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Oasis 3, Oasis 2, PW3, PW1, KT	Maybe a recent update of the FW? I heard they changed how cloud collections show up - they need to be added to the device before you see them. Are you sure you are seeing "all items"? I have only a PW1 which did not get 5.6.1 yet - still on 5.4.4.2 . Edit: mhh, I just tried by changing what is visible on my PW1, and even though it doesn't show up on the home screen it will find everything with search. Is your PW indexing? Last edited by DuckieTigger; 12-22-2014 at 06:35 PM.

12-23-2014, 09:22 AM	#9
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,432 Karma: 59504381 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	If I simply do a reset after putting my selected sideloaded books in a separately created calibre Library ['Sideloaded Books' sounds like a good name to use when I create that from my master Library], then the reset will clean up the issues with the PW2. Then I re-register the Kindle back to my Amazon Account. I can then update the system to the current system (must it be done incrementally or update to the newest system all at once?) And then, after that point, I can go to calibre - to the Library named 'Sideloaded Books' - and simply put them back onto the Kindle - right? Is that correct for all the above? If so, that seems like the best way to insure success; that is, to start with a clean system again. Last edited by Dr. Drib; 12-23-2014 at 09:24 AM.

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12-22-2014, 06:59 PM	#4
DSpider Evangelist Posts: 450 Karma: 343115 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Romania Device: PW2 2014	Don't forget to back up the dictionaries, since they are erased if you perform a factory reset.

12-22-2014, 08:28 PM	#6
Strether Guru Posts: 765 Karma: 2825929 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fresno Device: Kindle 1; iPad Air; iPhone 7; Kobo Libra; Kindle Oasis 3	I've had the same thing happen, but only with one author's books, and not all of them. Two of the first three of L.E. Modesitt's Imager books would appear and disappear on the Kindle. If you didn't see them, when you plugged the Kindle in and accessed Calibre, Calibre would show them on the Kindle, and when you unplugged the Kindle, there they were. But the next time you plugged in with Calibre running, the books would disappear. But they would appear again the next time you plugged the Kindle in and accessed Calibre. I finally just sideloaded them in the documents folder and they remain on the Kindle. Jim

12-23-2014, 09:43 AM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Sounds good, but note that doing a Factory Reset will have no effect on the PW's firmware version - it will stay at whatever version it's at now.

12-23-2014, 09:51 AM	#11
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	That would work....however it will do nothing if your problem is one of the book files you have sideloaded (via Calibre?) is corrupt. Once your kindle chokes on a corrupt book file it stalls and will not recognize other books that are added. This is one of the reasons it is recommended to only add a few books at a time. What you will need to do if you can determine which book is the problem child, is to reconvert it to your preferred format in Calibre and then delete the 'Original format' copy and then resend to your kindle. I have had many instances of which you describe, so far the problem has always been a corrupt book file.

12-23-2014, 10:42 AM	#14
Robmonster Wizard! Posts: 250 Karma: 548228 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Paperwhite, Voyage + Oasis2	I have on occasion needed to restart the Kindle with the long-press on the power button when ding a lot of changes over the USB connection. Maybe try that.

12-23-2014, 11:39 AM	#15
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	@Dr. Drib- Could you report back the cure when you find it? There seems to be an epidemic of this problem going on (your's is the third this week... the other two were corrupted files -- I wonder what is making kindle devices so touchy lately?)

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