Ebooks Downloading as text file, no help from Amazon

jessicalynn · 11-09-2015, 07:08 AM

Has anyone else had this problem? And maybe find a solution to it?

The wi-fi on my kindle is broken, so I've been side loading my books. I've had a few books recently that would not download to my computer as as .azw, but instead stubbornly download as a text file. I've tried to get help from amazon customer service numerous times, but they always tell me some nonsense like if I put the text file on my kindle it will open (it does not), or to turn on my wifi and download it (I can't) or after a few minutes of back and forth, they suddenly are not able to access my account. I've been reading the books this has happened with on my iPad, but it is very annoying and it making me reconsider ever buying another kindle.

HarryT · 11-09-2015, 07:10 AM

How are you downloading the books to your computer?

Cinisajoy · 11-09-2015, 11:35 AM

What are you clicking/tapping/checking Under the deliver to:
Your choices will be
Any kindles you have registered
Any tablets you have registered
Kindle for PC if you have one

Transfer via computer

If you want to sideload without converting you need to choose transfer via computer, then on the next screen select the final device.

Hope this helps.

HarryT · 11-09-2015, 11:41 AM

It is a relatively common problem for a binary file to be displayed as text on a PC. The solution is, rather than clicking on the download link, instead right click, and select "Save Link As..." (or "Save Target As...", depending on your browser) and save the file that way.

rashkae · 11-12-2015, 01:31 AM

This has been a known problem with Amazon and a specific web browser for a very very long time. I forget what web browser exactly that causes the issue, (Safari or chrome?)... but whichever you normally use, try another one and download the e-book again. it should work.

HarryT · 11-12-2015, 04:23 AM

Some feedback from the OP as to whether or not the suggested remedies worked would be nice.

fogice · 07-31-2016, 09:38 AM

Not the OP, but throwing in my discoveries.

On a Mac (OS X 10.11.6) with current Safari (9.1.2), the files download as text files with no suffix. There is no "right click to download" option, as Amazon forces me to go through click buttons.

Switching to the current version of Chrome (52.0) on Mac gives me a file with the suffix azw3 which goes nicely into Calibre and then to the Kindle.

Since the file sizes from both methods are identical, I assume you could manually put the azw3 suffix on the file and it would work just fine, but I did not test that.

badgoodDeb · 08-01-2016, 02:13 PM

What about when you view the book on your "contents and devices" page, and then select "download and transfer via USB"? This should give a more correct AZW book than a right click option. This is what Cinisajoy is talking about.

fogice · 08-01-2016, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

What about when you view the book on your "contents and devices" page, and then select "download and transfer via USB"? This should give a more correct AZW book than a right click option. This is what Cinisajoy is talking about.

That is exactly where I was working as well. For my setup as described above, I receive a text file with no suffix.

ssholloway · 08-04-2016, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rashkae

This has been a known problem with Amazon and a specific web browser for a very very long time. I forget what web browser exactly that causes the issue, (Safari or chrome?)... but whichever you normally use, try another one and download the e-book again. it should work.

It's a Safari problem on the Mac. See https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=418

odamizu · 08-05-2016, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssholloway

It's a Safari problem on the Mac ...

Fortunately, it doesn't happen all the time. Safari is my primary browser, and it usually works. But every now and then I get the weird file, and then I switch browsers or use the Kindle for Mac app.

HarryT · 08-05-2016, 10:16 PM

Does simply renaming the "weird file" not work?

odamizu · 08-05-2016, 10:50 PM

Haven't tried renaming. I'll try it the next time I get a weird file (which is not often).

11-09-2015, 07:08 AM	#1
jessicalynn Zealot Posts: 131 Karma: 10099 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Nook First Gen (broken), iPad, Kindle Touch SO	Ebooks Downloading as text file, no help from Amazon Has anyone else had this problem? And maybe find a solution to it? The wi-fi on my kindle is broken, so I've been side loading my books. I've had a few books recently that would not download to my computer as as .azw, but instead stubbornly download as a text file. I've tried to get help from amazon customer service numerous times, but they always tell me some nonsense like if I put the text file on my kindle it will open (it does not), or to turn on my wifi and download it (I can't) or after a few minutes of back and forth, they suddenly are not able to access my account. I've been reading the books this has happened with on my iPad, but it is very annoying and it making me reconsider ever buying another kindle.

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11-09-2015, 07:10 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	How are you downloading the books to your computer?

11-09-2015, 11:35 AM	#3
Cinisajoy Just a Yellow Smiley. Posts: 19,161 Karma: 83862859 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Texas Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy	What are you clicking/tapping/checking Under the deliver to: Your choices will be Any kindles you have registered Any tablets you have registered Kindle for PC if you have one Transfer via computer If you want to sideload without converting you need to choose transfer via computer, then on the next screen select the final device. Hope this helps.

11-09-2015, 11:41 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It is a relatively common problem for a binary file to be displayed as text on a PC. The solution is, rather than clicking on the download link, instead right click, and select "Save Link As..." (or "Save Target As...", depending on your browser) and save the file that way.

11-12-2015, 01:31 AM	#5
rashkae Wizard Posts: 1,195 Karma: 5372239 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo Aura HD	This has been a known problem with Amazon and a specific web browser for a very very long time. I forget what web browser exactly that causes the issue, (Safari or chrome?)... but whichever you normally use, try another one and download the e-book again. it should work.

11-12-2015, 04:23 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Some feedback from the OP as to whether or not the suggested remedies worked would be nice.

07-31-2016, 09:38 AM	#7
fogice Groupie Posts: 161 Karma: 12092 Join Date: May 2014 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Not the OP, but throwing in my discoveries. On a Mac (OS X 10.11.6) with current Safari (9.1.2), the files download as text files with no suffix. There is no "right click to download" option, as Amazon forces me to go through click buttons. Switching to the current version of Chrome (52.0) on Mac gives me a file with the suffix azw3 which goes nicely into Calibre and then to the Kindle. Since the file sizes from both methods are identical, I assume you could manually put the azw3 suffix on the file and it would work just fine, but I did not test that.

08-01-2016, 02:13 PM	#8
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,503 Karma: 64095689 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	What about when you view the book on your "contents and devices" page, and then select "download and transfer via USB"? This should give a more correct AZW book than a right click option. This is what Cinisajoy is talking about.

08-05-2016, 10:16 PM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Does simply renaming the "weird file" not work?

08-05-2016, 10:50 PM	#13
odamizu just an egg Posts: 1,599 Karma: 4798866 Join Date: Mar 2015 Device: Kindle, iOS	Haven't tried renaming. I'll try it the next time I get a weird file (which is not often).

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