Kindle Paperwhite Problem

Ranb · 30th November 2021, 01:12 PM

I have a Kindle Paperwhite purchased in 2018. I did a reset on it to purge various files that showed up on window explorer when connected to my laptop.

After the reset I downloaded books from Amazon that were previously purchased. So far so good. But when I downloaded other books from my laptop I noticed that when sorting for collections, the newly downloaded books did not appear on the page after the pages of collections.

Thinking this could be resolved with a software update, I did so and then I found that I could no longer sort by collections (grayed out), and my old collections were no longer visible. I found they still existed as attempting to re-create the collections told me that they already existed and I was required to pick a new name.

I created a new "test" collection and this allowed me to sort by collections once again, but it only showed my new test collection. When tapping on a book name to move it to a collection, it says the book is already in a collection, but the collection is not visible on the screen after moving or not moving the book. When moving a book to a new collection, it shows my existing collections, but after tapping on "done", the screen changes to the list of books on the Kindle and the one new collection I made with the old collections still invisible.

Searching the internet seems to show solutions that refer to older software version. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Ranb

Worm · 30th November 2021, 01:32 PM

I have nothing concrete to offer, other than to confirm that the Kindle software's handling of collections is, at best, awkward and obtuse.

I once had an issue with my really old standard Kindle (I still have just a Kindle, not a Paperwhite or anything newer) and there was a bit of software that could parse Collection files, but no doubt things have moved on from there.

Part of the problem will no doubt be that the Kindle will basically forget about any book that you didn't buy from Amazon, but there will still be ghost entries in the collections file, which will make it spit out the dummy and refuse to act in any kind of sensible way. I vaguely recall having to wipe the whole thing and start afresh. Which was a massive pain.

deadrose · 30th November 2021, 01:39 PM

This sounds like what I'm dealing with on my Kindle Fire. Amazon is making it very difficult to access side-loaded books. I can still find them if I open the full Kindle program, but they won't show up in my new books or front-page shortcuts. It started after a recent OS update.

It appears they're trying to make it as close to a closed system as they can legally.

Ranb · 30th November 2021, 02:33 PM

Even collections with books only from Amazon are affected also. The new software decided that I can't sort by or display collections from prior to the software update.

ETA; I went to my Amazon account and deleted the old collections. Making new collections on Amazon does not allow them to display on the Kindle; that sucks.

I was able to transfer my own work and that of other authors who have given me their e-books to the Kindle from Calibre without problems.

Wudang · 4th December 2021, 12:40 PM

I hate to sound like "turn it off and on again" but have you tried deregistering the device and reregistering it?

And yes collections need a lot of work.

Ranb · 4th December 2021, 04:42 PM

I settled for the factory reset and deleting my existing collections from the Amazon account. It is back to normal other than the software update that I'm still getting used to.

30th November 2021, 01:12 PM	#1
Ranb Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: WA USA Posts: 10,532	Kindle Paperwhite Problem I have a Kindle Paperwhite purchased in 2018. I did a reset on it to purge various files that showed up on window explorer when connected to my laptop. After the reset I downloaded books from Amazon that were previously purchased. So far so good. But when I downloaded other books from my laptop I noticed that when sorting for collections, the newly downloaded books did not appear on the page after the pages of collections. Thinking this could be resolved with a software update, I did so and then I found that I could no longer sort by collections (grayed out), and my old collections were no longer visible. I found they still existed as attempting to re-create the collections told me that they already existed and I was required to pick a new name. I created a new "test" collection and this allowed me to sort by collections once again, but it only showed my new test collection. When tapping on a book name to move it to a collection, it says the book is already in a collection, but the collection is not visible on the screen after moving or not moving the book. When moving a book to a new collection, it shows my existing collections, but after tapping on "done", the screen changes to the list of books on the Kindle and the one new collection I made with the old collections still invisible. Searching the internet seems to show solutions that refer to older software version. Any suggestions? Thanks. Ranb

30th November 2021, 01:32 PM	#2
Worm Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Dundee Posts: 3,409	I have nothing concrete to offer, other than to confirm that the Kindle software's handling of collections is, at best, awkward and obtuse. I once had an issue with my really old standard Kindle (I still have just a Kindle, not a Paperwhite or anything newer) and there was a bit of software that could parse Collection files, but no doubt things have moved on from there. Part of the problem will no doubt be that the Kindle will basically forget about any book that you didn't buy from Amazon, but there will still be ghost entries in the collections file, which will make it spit out the dummy and refuse to act in any kind of sensible way. I vaguely recall having to wipe the whole thing and start afresh. Which was a massive pain.
	__________________ "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent" Isaac Asimov Not all cults are bad - I've joined a cult of niceness

30th November 2021, 02:33 PM	#4
Ranb Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: WA USA Posts: 10,532	Even collections with books only from Amazon are affected also. The new software decided that I can't sort by or display collections from prior to the software update. ETA; I went to my Amazon account and deleted the old collections. Making new collections on Amazon does not allow them to display on the Kindle; that sucks. I was able to transfer my own work and that of other authors who have given me their e-books to the Kindle from Calibre without problems.
	Last edited by Ranb; 30th November 2021 at 03:22 PM.

4th December 2021, 12:40 PM	#5
Wudang BOFH Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: People's Republic of South Yorkshire Posts: 14,456	I hate to sound like "turn it off and on again" but have you tried deregistering the device and reregistering it? And yes collections need a lot of work.
	__________________ "Your deepest pools, like your deepest politicians and philosophers, often turn out more shallow than expected." Walter Scott.

30th November 2021, 01:39 PM	#3
deadrose Illuminator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: the wet side of the mountains Posts: 3,816	This sounds like what I'm dealing with on my Kindle Fire. Amazon is making it very difficult to access side-loaded books. I can still find them if I open the full Kindle program, but they won't show up in my new books or front-page shortcuts. It started after a recent OS update. It appears they're trying to make it as close to a closed system as they can legally.

4th December 2021, 04:42 PM	#6
Ranb Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: WA USA Posts: 10,532	I settled for the factory reset and deleting my existing collections from the Amazon account. It is back to normal other than the software update that I'm still getting used to.