Stop Kindle for PC from Auto-Updating

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by jhowell

The main reason for running older Kindle for PC software is to avoid unbroken DRM which goes directly against this item in the Kindle Store Terms of Use:

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, but my read is this is orthogonal to running old software. That is, running an old version does not itself constitute an "attempt to bypass, modify, defeat, etc., etc."

And as Quoth wrote, not every term is legally enforceable.

[yoshi]

I came across information stating that the next version, specified as "ignoreVersion" in the registry path HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Amazon\Kindle\User Settings, will be an automatically updated version. This information was posted on a Japanese bulletin board, but I'm not entirely convinced of its reliability.

Currently, after performing a system restore on Windows, I'm using ver. 2.1.0. The value in my registry now shows "709804" (version 2.4.0).

Does anyone have knowledge about the purpose or significance of the "ignoreVersion" setting?

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by yoshi

Does anyone have knowledge about the purpose or significance of the "ignoreVersion" setting?

If I recall correctly when Kindle for PC starts up it checks with Amazon to see if an update is available. If so the update can be marked as optional or mandatory. Mandatory updates are downloaded and installed without any user interaction.

Optional updates generate a popup message allowing the user a choice to install or not. If the user chooses not to install then the build version number of the skipped update is saved in the registry so that the user will not be asked again unless a newer update becomes available.

I will add, in my experience optional updates are rare and mandatory updates are common.

[yoshi]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I've never heard of anyone being banned for removing the DRM.

As the Kindle for PC of most users is forced to version 2.4.1, Amazon can easily start checking the users who are downloading AZW/KFX files.

I believe the risk of the ban has significantly increased.

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by yoshi

As the Kindle for PC of most users is forced to version 2.4.1, Amazon can easily start checking the users who are downloading AZW/KFX files.

I believe the risk of the ban has significantly increased.

As noted previously,

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, but my read is this is orthogonal to running old software. That is, running an old version does not itself constitute an "attempt to bypass, modify, defeat, etc., etc."

Also as noted previously, Amazon can terminate an account on a whim. They don't need to invent suspicion to do it.

The actual risk remains unchanged regardless of the perceived risk.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Optional updates generate a popup message allowing the user a choice to install or not. If the user chooses not to install then the build version number of the skipped update is saved in the registry so that the user will not be asked again unless a newer update becomes available.

I will add, in my experience optional updates are rare and mandatory updates are common.

Purely anecdotal:

Today, on a whim, I decided it was time to download the books on a moribund Amazon account, a task that’s been hanging for literally years. I installed Kindle for PC 2.3xxx and it took me a couple of stabs to get my ducks in a row, but mission accomplished. In the interim, Amazon asked me if I wanted to upgrade to 2.5. No. But I suppose it’ll happen, willy-nilly. So of course now I’m wondering if it’s worth skimming the cream of my Amazon account while I can….