Glo Windows 10/Glo Connection errors - USB drivers?

[VirgoGirl]

Hello!

In the past 2 years, I've noticed an increase in the number of "card errors" Windows 10 is throwing up at me from my Kobo Glo micro USB card, and several times in the previous week I've had the computer actually drop the connection while attached to the computer - Calibre sends up a "Error in communicating with device" message and then the device "reloads" in Windows 10, causing a card error again.

I always use one of the two 3.0 USB slots on my computer, leaving the 2.0 one permanently for my wireless mouse adapter. Thinking that maybe all the recent updated to my USB drivers that both Dell and Microsoft have been sending me have outpaced my reader, I plugged my reader into the 2.0 slot and have had no problems so far - I've tried it three times, and by this point with the other slots I'd have had problems.

I'm wondering if the reader can't handle the USB upgrades as it's from 2014 (or earlier as who knows when it was built). The firmware running on it is 4.15.12920 (5/27/19), but I REALLY REALLY don't want to have to update the version as I found that when they "fix" one thing they break something else in the software. I'm used to the quirks of this one.

Has anyone else noticed issues with their previously stable USB/Kobo connection? Everything else I use in those ports is fine, not dropping the connection, only the Kobo.

[JSWolf]

Have you tried a different cable? Maybe try the USB 2 port. Is the cable lose in the USB port of the Kobo?

[VirgoGirl]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Have you tried a different cable? Maybe try the USB 2 port. Is the cable lose in the USB port of the Kobo?

I've tried 3 other cables, same issue. Those cables work fine in the USB 2.0 port, which really makes me think the Kobo hardware can't handle the new drivers, or the new drivers can't deal with the Kobo.

[DNSB]

For what it is worth, on my laptop, there are 4 USB ports, 2 USB 3 and 2 USB C/Thunderbolt 3. One of the USB 3 ports works with my ereaders directly connected but any of the 4 will work if I plug a USB 2 hub into the laptop port and the ereader into the hub. I bounced a couple of queries off the laptop manufacturer and there are timing differences between the two USB 3 ports (one is a power always on charging port while the other is a standard port) which may account for the differences.

[Ripplinger]

I always connect to the USB 2.0 ports with the readers, it's been much more reliable. Like you, I've had have issues using the USB 3.0 with the readers at times. Fortunately I have plenty of USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports on my PC, so I can avoid those issues without a hassle.

[VirgoGirl]

Thank you for the replies! It really is interesting to read that others have had sporadic issues like mine.

On my previous, older (2007) laptop - running windows 7 - I rarely had a problem unless there really was a physical issue with card corruption even with USB 3.0 ports.

This laptop (2017) with Windows 10 and it's monthly forced updates and now forced driver updates, the number of supposed card errors is frustrating. When I first had this laptop, I rarely had issues, but as I've been forced to update drivers... Ugh.

I only have one 2.0 usb port, which should be okay for now. Any new laptops that don't support 2.0 may be an issue.

I've already decided that when my Glo becomes unusable for whatever reason I'll switch to an Android tablet so I can have my Micro USB support (I hate the idea of only built in storage).

I'd remove the USB card from the glo and transfer files directly to it, but if I remember one of the firmware releases didn't show covers properly on sleep or power off mode unless it had been transferred through Calibre, so that's what I do now.

[VirgoGirl]

Originally Posted by DNSB

For what it is worth, on my laptop, there are 4 USB ports, 2 USB 3 and 2 USB C/Thunderbolt 3. One of the USB 3 ports works with my ereaders directly connected but any of the 4 will work if I plug a USB 2 hub into the laptop port and the ereader into the hub. I bounced a couple of queries off the laptop manufacturer and there are timing differences between the two USB 3 ports (one is a power always on charging port while the other is a standard port) which may account for the differences.

I have only the 3 ports, 2 USB 3.0 and one 2.0, and normally everything is fine with those ports, EXCEPT the Glo and occasionally my 2016 Samsung phone. Dell is cheap when it comes to USB ports, lol!

[PeterT]

I know it's been mentioned already but I want to reinforce the point.

A solution the community has seen work over the years is a USB 2 hub plugged into a USB 3 port, and the Kobo plugged into the hub.

[JSWolf]

Why not just use the USB 2 port and plug the mouse dongle in one of the USB 3 ports?

[VirgoGirl]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I know it's been mentioned already but I want to reinforce the point.

A solution the community has seen work over the years is a USB 2 hub plugged into a USB 3 port, and the Kobo plugged into the hub.

I think that's what I'll do. Hubs aren't expensive, and I'd rather have my reader on the side with the 3.0 hubs - it's a spatial issue on my desk. I'm right handed, which means my mouse is on the right of my computer, the 3.0 ports are on the left of my computer, the 2.0 on the right. I use all the limited space on the right of the laptop for mouse movement, the left is where I attach stuff so it doesn't get in the way. And when I write it all out it sound stupid, but it's just ease of use. Everything is awkward when I plug the reader into the right side of the laptop, like there just something wrong in my world. Can't explain, sounds stupid.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why not just use the USB 2 port and plug the mouse dongle in one of the USB 3 ports?

I'd do that, except I use the 3.0 ports for everything else, and they're located on my laptop in a better spot that the 2.0 port. Whomever designed the laptop must have been on the lower end of their graduating class in Industrial Design.

[VirgoGirl]

Well, this morning I plugged the Glo in the 2.0 port to add some books, and I got the same issue: Calibre said "Error In Communicating With Device", the reader disconnected then reconnected. I don't know if Calibre is causing the issue (I doubt it), the Glo or my laptop. It's still workable, just incredibly frustrating and does NOTHING to help my anxiety disorder.

[nAhu]

Hi,
I have a glo and windows 10.
No problem with USB2 or UBS3 connection.

Can your browse the reader with windows explorer without launching calibre ?
Can you do a window "disk check" on the reader ?
Do you have last firmware and last calibre ?
Did you "safe remove" the reader thru windows before unplug it ?

Because when I read "to add some books" I am more thinking about a corrupt file or filesystem on the glo that calibre can not handle (like its metadata.calibre).
If it was a windows things you can not even browse the device.

Calibre does not seem to "communicate" with the kobo, more reading/writing files on it.

Regards,
n`Ahu

[VirgoGirl]

Originally Posted by nAhu

Hi,
I have a glo and windows 10.
No problem with USB2 or UBS3 connection.

Can your browse the reader with windows explorer without launching calibre ?
Can you do a window "disk check" on the reader ?
Do you have last firmware and last calibre ?
Did you "safe remove" the reader thru windows before unplug it ?

Because when I read "to add some books" I am more thinking about a corrupt file or filesystem on the glo that calibre can not handle (like its metadata.calibre).
If it was a windows things you can not even browse the device.

Calibre does not seem to "communicate" with the kobo, more reading/writing files on it.

Regards,
n`Ahu

Yes, I can view the files through Windows Explorer with no problem, I've done the error checking on the reader's drive and the usb card when prompted and there are no errors found.

I have the Kobo firmware I mentioned above, but I'm not updating the firmware unless I'm forced to, past experience with firmware issues have burned me with updating on the regular. I have Calibre 4.21 (64 bit version), again I don't update unless I'm forced to. I love Calibre, but sometimes things don't work they way they did in previous versions.

Calibre communicates with the device to read the books on the card and the reader. It seems to break down somewhere in that "conversation", either on Calibre's side or the reader's side.

I updated the firmware when I bought a new 16G card sometime in the past year, and updated Calibre over the summer. BEFORE I updated to a new card I had the same problems withe "card errors" - which I why I switched cards, thinking it was a damaged sd card. I updated to this version of Calibre because I was having problems with the editor, and that was over the summer, I think. So everything except the computer and the physical reader is updated fairly recently.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by VirgoGirl

Yes, I can view the files through Windows Explorer with no problem, I've done the error checking on the reader's drive and the usb card when prompted and there are no errors found.

I have the Kobo firmware I mentioned above, but I'm not updating the firmware unless I'm forced to, past experience with firmware issues have burned me with updating on the regular. I have Calibre 4.21 (64 bit version), again I don't update unless I'm forced to. I love Calibre, but sometimes things don't work they way they did in previous versions.

Calibre communicates with the device to read the books on the card and the reader. It seems to break down somewhere in that "conversation", either on Calibre's side or the reader's side.

I updated the firmware when I bought a new 16G card sometime in the past year, and updated Calibre over the summer. BEFORE I updated to a new card I had the same problems withe "card errors" - which I why I switched cards, thinking it was a damaged sd card. I updated to this version of Calibre because I was having problems with the editor, and that was over the summer, I think. So everything except the computer and the physical reader is updated fairly recently.

To be honest, you really should update the firmware. The 4.25 firmware is that much better then the 4.21 firmware. I've run 4.21 and I am running 4.25 and I would go with 4.25 easily. 4.25 is better.

Anyway, if you have trouble with firmware updates, then something is wrong with the SD card or the Reader.

[VirgoGirl]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

To be honest, you really should update the firmware. The 4.25 firmware is that much better then the 4.21 firmware. I've run 4.21 and I am running 4.25 and I would go with 4.25 easily. 4.25 is better.

Anyway, if you have trouble with firmware updates, then something is wrong with the SD card or the Reader.

I know I'm sounding stupid right now - It's been a bad day so far and my head is not fully functional - but do you mean Calibre or the Kobo firmware?

The problems I have with Kobo updates isn't the ability to do them, it's the software they've altered, the bugs they've accidentally created, things like that. Amongst the quirks this past version has is added whitespace at the bottom of each page despite my .css settings of widows and orphans being set to 0.

The card is new in the past year, the same issues have occurred with the previous, older card so I doubt it's that. It *could* be the reader, but again it happened before I updated the firmware (the previous firmware couldn't read the card, so I had to do an update of the firmware).

It seems to be another one of those things that 99% of the people using a Glo never have happen.