How Do You Work This Crazy Thing?

[ScribeGossett]

I own a hand-me-down eBookwise; my mother gave me hers when she bought a Nook several years ago. Recently, I’ve been wanting to use the thing to read the Oz series. But, I can’t for the life of me figure out how to get books on the thing? I’ve installed several things, and reset the reader. But whenever I plug the USB cable into my laptop, nothing happens. It doesn’t even give me an error code (neither the computer, nor the reader). I spent several hours pouring over my mom’s old files, hoping she left instructions, but found nothing. I know she used Calibre (which I downloaded) but it doesn’t seem to do anything. Help!

[Nate the great]

That is a device so old that it only complies with the hardware spec for USB, and not the software drivers spec.

It uses custom drivers which I think are only available bundled with the companion Windows app. FYI: Installing that app could bork some of the less important network protocols on your device.

I will go look for the install tool for the companion app. In the meantime, you might find it easier to get a storage card and a USB reader for the card, and use that to get ebooks on your eBookwise.

[Nate the great]

I think I found the app you need:
http://ebookwise-librarian.software.informer.com/

fine print: I do not vouch for that site or the install file. Use at your own peril.

[Nate the great]

Also, I seem to recall that the eBookwise required IMP ebook files.

If you have a bunch of ebooks you would like to transfer, you can save some time by converting them with calibre.

[Nate the great]

you would not believe the stuff I have on my hard disk.

Here's the quick start guide.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

That is a device so old that it only complies with the hardware spec for USB, and not the software drivers spec.

It uses custom drivers which I think are only available bundled with the companion Windows app. FYI: Installing that app could bork some of the less important network protocols on your device.

I have a few files saved that appear to be drivers for the USB:

• Win_eBookUSB_Installer.exe (2005)
• Win_eBookUSB_Installer_3.0.exe (2006)
• Win_eBookUSB_Installer_4.0.exe (2009)

I also have saved copies of the EBWLibrarian program, which is a rebranded version of GEBLibrarian (which was originally offered by Steve Breen at http://www.breeno.org/eBook/), plus various version of the ETI eBook Publisher program. If I remember correctly (and I admit the details are fuzzy), I think ETI bought the readers after Rocketbook stopped selling them.

They're executable files, so I don't know if I could upload them here if you'd want to try them. I did a Google search using the filename of the first USB installer, and it did come up on a couple of driver sites.

I thought I had some old notes about using these programs, but I'm not having luck finding them.

EDIT: FYI - I just noticed that the Breeno site linked above still offers a download of the USB drivers and instructions on how to use GEB librarian. On second glance, they link the really old Gemstar USB drivers and provide a no-longer-functioning link to the old ETI website for the USB drivers.

I'm willing to share what I have, if you're willing to trust my uploading EXE files (assuming I even can).

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I have a few files saved that appear to be drivers for the USB:

• Win_eBookUSB_Installer.exe (2005)
• Win_eBookUSB_Installer_3.0.exe (2006)
• Win_eBookUSB_Installer_4.0.exe (2009)

I also have saved copies of the EBWLibrarian program, which is a rebranded version of GEBLibrarian (which was originally offered by Steve Breen at http://www.breeno.org/eBook/), plus various version of the ETI eBook Publisher program. If I remember correctly (and I admit the details are fuzzy), I think ETI bought the readers after Rocketbook stopped selling them.

They're executable files, so I don't know if I could upload them here if you'd want to try them. I did a Google search using the filename of the first USB installer, and it did come up on a couple of driver sites.

I thought I had some old notes about using these programs, but I'm not having luck finding them.

EDIT: FYI - I just noticed that the Breeno site linked above still offers a download of the USB drivers and instructions on how to use GEB librarian. On second glance, they link the really old Gemstar USB drivers and provide a no-longer-functioning link to the old ETI website for the USB drivers.

I'm willing to share what I have, if you're willing to trust my uploading EXE files (assuming I even can).

The OP never returned, so let me say:

Thank you for posting those.

[FizzyWater]

You're welcome. I only wish I could have found my conversion notes.

I could have sworn I had pages copies from the ETI website with all kinds of useful info, but they're not in any place that it makes sense to me (today).

[ScribeGossett]

Let me start with I’m so very, very sorry that I’m just now getting back to this. Life’s been just a bit more complicated than I would like, lately. (And after everyone has been so very nice, too!) I can’t emphasize just how terrible I feel about letting this sit around.

At any rate, I used the MobileRead Wiki and downloaded (from here http://www.ebooksystem.net/support_download.htm) the USB Driver for ETI-2, but my computer still fails to even see the eBookwise. After realizing that the eBookwise takes a different format that I first thought, I also downloaded the eBook Publisher. No change. My laptop doesn’t even see something plugged into the USB drive. (Any drivers that would make the eBookwise recognizable to a computer would be highly appreciated.)

On a side note, my laptop is running Windows 8, but I do have access to a desk computer that’s running Windows 7. Would this make any difference?

[FizzyWater]

I probably haven't used mine since I was on Windows XP, so I can't say. Sorry.