Amazon removed books from my Kindle

[Lutraa]

Originally Posted by haertig

Simple. And it should have been obvious from my previous posts. I bought my Kindle quite a few years ago, before Amazon started doing these book deletions (either on purpose or because of buggy software). And it worked fine. Then as Amazon got more intrusive - reports of them uploading data from your Kindle regarding what you were reading, how you were reading, how fast you were reading, etc. - I thought "that doesn't sound so good". Additionally, they would update your Kindle's software when they wanted to, you had no choice in the matter.

So my Kindle was put into airplane mode permanently. And I changed/removed passwords so the Kindle cannot connect anywhere, even if I were to accidentally take it out of airplane mode. So I don't get automatic updates, and I don't have my books deleted. And my battery lasts longer. As a side benefit, my Kindle is now "ad free" without me having to pay for that. It ran out of ads to display long ago and can't get any more without a network connection.

I am not happy hearing what Amazon is doing now (or if indeed it is a bug, what they are NOT doing by not fixing the bug). But despite that, my Kindle still works fine for my uses while in permanent airplane mode. No need to run out and replace it as a protest against Amazon. Replacing it would not be a very useful protest because Amazon wouldn't even know they were being protested. I would just be spending money that I don't need to spend. Which is stupid. This is the main reason why I am still using a Kindle, since you asked about that.

Some points of clarification from my initial post about losing all my USB-loaded content from my PW:

1) included in the deleted documents were public domain PDFs that I did not acquire through Amazon, and some AZW3 content I created from my own writing using Calibre. So neither kind of files included any Amazon metadata. Even if they are deleting content "unintentionally" due to some device time drift between internet connections, they know this is happening and apparently have done nothing to fix it. Microsoft/Hewlett Packard do not delete files from my PC even if I alter the device time.

2) Amazon did not delete content I had purchased from them, downloaded to my PC, and then sideloaded to the PW.

3) The option to change or delete the device's WiFi login credentials is greyed out while it is in airplane mode. So, If I want to keep it off the internet permanently (which I do at this point, since I always download purchased content from Amazon to my PC and add the book to my Calibre library, so as to have a reliable local copy), I either have to endure the deletion of all the side-loaded content I re-added to the device a few weeks ago, all over again, or just remember never, ever, to take it out of airplane mode. Right now I prefer the latter, but if I ever do a device reset, I will delete its WiFi password then.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Lutraa

…
3) The option to change or delete the device's WiFi login credentials is greyed out while it is in airplane mode. So, If I want to keep it off the internet permanently (which I do at this point, since I always download purchased content from Amazon to my PC and add the book to my Calibre library, so as to have a reliable local copy), I either have to endure the deletion of all the side-loaded content I re-added to the device a few weeks ago, all over again, or just remember never, ever, to take it out of airplane mode. Right now I prefer the latter, but if I ever do a device reset, I will delete its WiFi password then.

Do it in a location too far away or temporarily turn off your WiFi or Internet.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Fbone

I found my Kindle Oasis and turned it on. It's been a long time since I last used it. Wifi off.

Time was off by 98 minutes. I have 19 books in its library.

After turning wifi on, it removed 15 of them.

Were the ones left ones that were being read?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by arturg

Makes me wonder why are you using a Kindle then? I came to terms with how Kindle works best and gave up on side loading because send-to-kindle works just fine. You might enjoy Kobo or Boox much better.

I just happen to enjoy my PW11 features such as:

- animated page turn
- 6.8" screen which is more similar to real book
- no led flooding from sides
- snappy processor and page turns
- no refresh every five pages and still no ghosting
- flush screen (I hate bezels because they cast shadow)
- good user interface
- feels like well made when holding
- option to get books on device without computer

You left out...
- Amazon deleting my side loaded eBooks

[Lutraa]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Do it in a location too far away or temporarily turn off your WiFi or Internet.

Um, if I try to delete the WiFi password (saved to Amazon's servers!), or to delete the WiFi connection saved to the PW, neither action appears to execute unless the device is connected to the internet. And I see no option to delete the device password from my Amazon account side of things (in my account in a browser).

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Lutraa

Um, if I try to delete the WiFi password (saved to Amazon's servers!), or to delete the WiFi connection saved to the PW, neither action appears to execute unless the device is connected to the internet. And I see no option to delete the device password from my Amazon account side of things (in my account in a browser).

That's a bit crazy.
How do you know Amazon has it and not just the ereader?

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You left out...
- Amazon deleting my side loaded eBooks

No, because they gave up direct sideloading and only use STK.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Were the ones left ones that were being read?

No, they were downloaded from Amazon.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Fbone

No, they were downloaded from Amazon.

Were you in the middle of reading any of the eBooks that were removed?

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Were you in the middle of reading any of the eBooks that were removed?

No. I haven't used the Oasis in a long time.

[Hittsy]

Originally Posted by Quoth

That's a bit crazy.
How do you know Amazon has it and not just the ereader?

When you set up an Amazon device, like a Fire TV, Kindle, Echo, or Fire tablet, you're given the option to "save your WiFi password to Amazon."

This is so if you buy a second Amazon device and ask them to pre-register it to your Amazon account, it can use a nearby "helper" device to (not ask it directly for your WiFi password), but connect to Amazon and query passwords for the account that the device should be pre-registered to.

A lot of my friends like their Echo devices, and it's a lot easier to setup than the old WiFi provisioning method.

You can delete passwords saved to Amazon by viewing the preferences tab on the MYCD page.

https://www.amazon.com/mycd

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Hittsy

When you set up an Amazon device, like a Fire TV, Kindle, Echo, or Fire tablet, you're given the option to "save your WiFi password to Amazon."

Then don't select that option.
I can't remember the last registration. I've registered or re-registered Kindles about 8+ times. ISharing WiFi password certainly an option I'd never pick on Amazon, Apple, Google, MS (I use local accounts) or anything else.

[JBaby]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can you try putting some calibre generated KF8 eBook on your Kindle and see if they get deleted or not? The KFX eBook you put on your Kindle are generated by Amazon software. What I'm trying to figure out is if eBooks converted by calibre are getting deleted where eBooks converted by Amazon software do not.

Then the ones who maintain the calibre code can have a look and see what's going on to fix it. In the morning, I'll convert a few eBooks with Kindlegen and split out the Mobi part and convert with calibre and then let my PW3 sit with the Wifi on and see what happens. I'm hoping the Kindlegen ones stay and the calibre ones go. Then the problem can be fixed eventually.

Sorry I never got around to doing this.

Originally Posted by neil_swann80

Exactly this. If you sideload and need to use WIFI regularly a Kindle doesn't seem like a good choice. Sideloaded books vanishing is the only argument needed to defend that position.

Why? I use KU, Overdrive, and sideload. Sideloaded content doesn’t disappear if you keep WiFi on. I haven’t lost any content.

Originally Posted by John F

Why? I thought the theory was if you use wifi regularly and sideloaded, books wouldn't be deleted (click would regularly be updated, so no problems).

This is just me spitballing. Personally I think this has to do with KU if it’s not an egregious bug. Whether you subscribe or not I don’t think it matters. Amazon has messed up this entire process IMO. See I think Amazon doesn’t like people subscribing and downloading their 20 books then turning on airplane mode. Authors get paid by pages read. Amazon can’t monitor that without the Kindle phoning home. This is their boneheaded way of fixing the problem. I mean it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve done something stupid. Then again I could be completely wrong.

[Lutraa]

Originally Posted by Quoth

That's a bit crazy.
How do you know Amazon has it and not just the ereader?

Because it says so in the setting menu on the Kindle!

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Lutraa

Because it says so in the setting menu on the Kindle!

But you don't have to share it?

I see the newer FW I have on a PW3 does have

Delete WiFi Passwords
Permanently delete all WiFi passwords saved to Amazon
from this device

That option hangs and then asks me to contact Amazon Customer service.
I never opted to save WiFi passwords. That's a crazy idea.