Changing device on already downloaded Kindle books

[Graham44]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post as I only discovered Calibre a few weeks a go.

The problem I face is that I spent days (or nearly a week) downloading and editing all of the metadata for my Kindle books. When I downloaded them from Amazon to an external hard drive Amazon asked me what device I was downloading them for - I chose Kindle Voyage as that was the kindle I was using at the time (and had been for many years)

As (bad) luck would have it that Kindle started to go wrong last week so I ordered a new Kindle (Paperwhite signature edition) last week. I have registered the device but I can not now load my books from Calibre to my paperwhite as it says they are DRM protected (they loaded to the voyage fine) Im guessing this is because I specified them as for my Voyage when downloading

Is there anyway I can auto change them to my new Paperwhite (if that makes sense?) or am I stuck downloading them all again and inputting all the extra metadata again?

I understand this is a problem caused by Amazon DRM not Calibre, but Im hoping there is a solution!

[Sirtel]

You'll need to remove the DRM. For this
you must install the deDRM plugin from here:
https://github.com/noDRM/DeDRM_tools...es/tag/v10.0.9
and customize it with the serial number of your Voyage.

Unfortunately the DRM is removed on import, so you'll need to remove the files from Calibre and import them again after the plugin has been installed. You can keep your metadata - just save the files outside Calibre using the Save to Disk feature (never do anything directly in the library folder - that will mess up the database), remove the formats from book entries (this leaves the metadata intact) and add the previously saved files again to the relevant book entries.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

You'll need to remove the DRM. For this
you must install the deDRM plugin from here:
https://github.com/noDRM/DeDRM_tools...es/tag/v10.0.9
and customize it with the serial number of your Voyage.

Unfortunately the DRM is removed on import, so you'll need to remove the files from Calibre and import them again after the plugin has been installed. You can keep your metadata - just save the files outside Calibre using the Save to Disk feature (never do anything directly in the library folder - that will mess up the database), remove the formats from book entries (this leaves the metadata intact) and add the previously saved files again to the relevant book entries.

Thanks for the reply Sirtel, I do have deDRM installed but I installed it after importing my books, so I will do as you say.
Could you just walk me through it a bit, Im a new user to both Linux and Calibre so its not second nature yet!
I have my book files in a folder called Calibre on an external drive - if I create a file on my desktop called something else (say temp books) I then go into Calibre use the save to Disk feature (does this bulk save all books or do you have to do them individually?) to save my books to this new folder
How do I then remove the format from book entries? and what do you mean add the previously saved files again to to relevant book entries? I understand you mean the books Ive saved outside of Calibre but is saving them to the relevant book entries just adding them back into Calibre using the add books button?
Sorry for the stupid questions

[Sirtel]

Yes, you can do Save to Disk in bulk - just select all the books.

Removing formats - again, select all your books, right-click (or its Linux equivalent - I use Windows) on the Remove icon and choose Remove all formats from selected books.

Adding the files back to their respective book entries - this can be done in several ways.
1. Dragging/dropping the file to the Book Details window, or
2. Going into Edit Metadata and adding the file to the formats box.

[Graham44]

Thanks for all the info Sirtel, I will try doing this tomorrow.

[Graham44]

I think I must have done something wrong - I did all this but DRM was still in place. I've decided just to do it the hard way - I've kept my current library as I still have the Voyage (although I doubt if I will use it) and I have created a new library for the Paperwhite and will just download the books again but for the paperwhite.

Its not the end of the world as I do quite enjoy cataloguing my books and customising the metadata

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Graham44

I think I must have done something wrong - I did all this but DRM was still in place. I've decided just to do it the hard way - I've kept my current library as I still have the Voyage (although I doubt if I will use it) and I have created a new library for the Paperwhite and will just download the books again but for the paperwhite.

Its not the end of the world as I do quite enjoy cataloguing my books and customising the metadata

Did you put the serial number of the Voyage in the plugin settings?

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Did you put the serial number of the Voyage in the plugin settings?

I did yes, thats why Im a bit mystified as to why it didn't work, but as I said Im quite happy to download and catalogue them all again

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Graham44

I did yes, thats why Im a bit mystified as to why it didn't work, but as I said Im quite happy to download and catalogue them all again

We're not allowed to give detailed DRM removal advice here, but I would urge you to ask for help over at noDRM's github repository.

https://github.com/noDRM/DeDRM_tools/discussions

It would seem a shame to waste all the work you've done on organising your books in calibre.

Getting it sorted out now will mean you won't have to do it again when your new ereader eventually dies, or you choose to try something other than a Kindle!

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

We're not allowed to give detailed DRM removal advice here, but I would urge you to ask for help over at noDRM's github repository.

https://github.com/noDRM/DeDRM_tools/discussions

It would seem a shame to waste all the work you've done on organising your books in calibre.

Getting it sorted out now will mean you won't have to do it again when your new ereader eventually dies, or you choose to try something other than a Kindle!

I can totally understand not being able to give advice on De-DRM as I guess it skirts legality.

I will say I've started to re-import my books for my paperwhite into a new library in Calibre, and I can read them on my computer now, I couldn't before

[ownedbycats]

Edit Metadata > Merge book records might come in useful here.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Edit Metadata > Merge book records might come in useful here.

I did wonder about that - but I was worried that by merging I may de-de-DRM the books I had already de-DRM'd (thats a mouthful lol) As importing this amount of books is a one time deal (once this is done I will be importing them as I buy them) I think I will stick to doing it like this as I know it works

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Graham44

I did wonder about that - but I was worried that by merging I may de-de-DRM the books I had already de-DRM'd (thats a mouthful lol) As importing this amount of books is a one time deal (once this is done I will be importing them as I buy them) I think I will stick to doing it like this as I know it works

Before merging, delete the formats from the DRM'd entries. This'll ensure you get the right files.