DRM workaround: Kindle for Android - Page 4

j.p.s · 02-20-2023, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

My backup file is 222 MB. I don't know if it's supposed to be this big, but it worked.

Thanks.

I tried again. I had been thrown off by the message from adb:

Quote:

Now unlock your device and confirm the backup operation...

No unlocking was needed and the backup button was already active. I tapped it and instantly got exactly the same 41 byte file. I guess different devices / androd versions / K4A versions / adb versions behave differently.

j.p.s · 02-20-2023, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.p.s

got exactly the same 41 byte file.

I looked up how to convert the ab file to a tar file, which turned out to be completely empty.
(The tar file is 1024 bytes but contains no files.)

Maybe my android version and/or K4A is too old for the instructions work. (Key is someplace else?)

ownedbycats · 02-20-2023, 03:41 PM

My backup.ab was around 17 megabytes.

jhowell · 02-20-2023, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rantanplan

I did some time ago. I don't remember which guide I used. Maybe this?
https://www.xda-developers.com/how-t...on-windows-11/

I actually looked at those same directions. It includes instructions for running ADB but has no mention of using it to produce a backup. I tried Googling but was unable to find any references to using ADB backup in WSA.

My best guess is that because WSA only has windows tied to each running app instead of a single screen there is no place for the popup dialog to appear causing the backup to immediately fail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shamanNS

@jhowell Alternative to doing ADB backup and importing that resulting .ab file into DeDRM plugin config window would be having a rooted Android OS emulator (easily done when using BlueStacks (via https://bstweaker.tk ), but IIRC there are also custom Windows Subsystem for Android installer images that are pre-rooted and usually also come with Play Store and other Google apps included) and copy the /data/data/com.amazon.kindle/databases/map_data_storage.db (or whatever exactly was used at the time for that particular version of Kindle for Android app, I don't recall the details only that there used to be something before map_data_storage.db) and import that into DeDRM plugin config.

I was trying this as an experiment to see if WSA could be used as a simpler alternative to installing a separate Android emulator. Since it doesn't appear to work "out of the box" I am not planning to pursue the idea any further.

I don't have an actual need for this at the moment since owning Kindle devices gives me sufficient access to my purchased books, at least for now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Maybe my android version and/or K4A is too old for the instructions work. (Key is someplace else?)

More likely your Kindle for Android APK is too new. The last version of Kindle for Android that is capable of producing a backup file is 4.17 which was released in late 2015. Anything newer does not allow backups.

crane3 · 02-20-2023, 04:41 PM

Using the windows version of adb:
I get "WARNING: adb backup is deprecated and may be removed in a future release
adb.exe: backup either needs a list of packages or -all/-shared"

Using android Total Commander, doing a [B]copy[B] creates an apk of the copied file. However, when doing it on a paid app, there are 3 files & I haven't gotten/able to get how to install of the 2 sub files, e.g. moon+reader pro which has the main apk & 2 more files. The copied non-paid apk app does work as a normal apk which can then be installed with the wsa sideloader app on the windows store.

j.p.s · 02-20-2023, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhowell

More likely your Kindle for Android APK is too new. The last version of Kindle for Android that is capable of producing a backup file is 4.17 which was released in late 2015. Anything newer does not allow backups.

I tried

Code:

adb backup -all

and got the same essentially empty 41 byte file, So K4A is not a factor in this particular problem.

DuckieTigger · 02-20-2023, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.p.s

I tried

Code:

adb backup -all

and got the same essentially empty 41 byte file, So K4A is not a factor in this particular problem.

My Windows11 (version 22621.1265) didn't have Windows Subsystem for Android installed (???), so I got it by installing the Amazon Appstore. I could get adb to work. Installed the Kindle4.16APK through adb. But backups don't work (same issue as yours, no popup). There is a workaround to get notifications to work, but it sounds horribly complicated. It needs you to hack Google services into WSA. And even then I am not sure if the ADB popup would show up. Not going to mess with it anymore, already wasted more time on WSA than Bluestacks required to get it to work. Even with having to download yet another environment (Nougat instead of Android 11).

jhowell · 02-20-2023, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

But backups don't work (same issue as yours, no popup). There is a workaround to get notifications to work, but it sounds horribly complicated. It needs you to hack Google services into WSA. And even then I am not sure if the ADB popup would show up.

I used "adb logcat" to see what was happening during the backup attempt and it produced the message "bu : Can't obtain Backup Manager binder". Looking at the source code for Android it seems this happens if the backup service is not active. As far as I can tell it is just is not present in WSA and so allowing popups is not going to help with this problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Not going to mess with it anymore, already wasted more time on WSA than Bluestacks required to get it to work.

I agree.

pletterpet · 02-20-2023, 08:33 PM

Managed to get this working with my old phone, awesome trick.

crane3 · 02-20-2023, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhowell

I used "adb logcat" to see what was happening during the backup attempt and it produced the message "bu : Can't obtain Backup Manager binder". Looking at the source code for Android it seems this happens if the backup service is not active. As far as I can tell it is just is not present in WSA and so allowing popups is not going to help with this problem.

I have a question that is semantics: when you are saying "backup", do you mean a 'copy' that is also encrypted? or would a copy as an apk be the same as a 'backup'?

I just installed the 4.16 version & used total commander to make a copy the the the wsa android download directory; NO problem, very easy.

Total Commander is available on the wsa Amazon appstore; retrieved by entering total commander in the search (think this also applies to any other app not displayed).

I just right-click on the installed apps of TC & select Amazon Kindle & a context dialoge shows up with the selections that include 'copy/move/send'. selected the copy/move/send & directory for placement.

So what is reason for the insistence in using of adb to do a "backup"?
I mean I had used TC to make copy of Calibre Companion version prior to the mess made by the new owners. I have also used the apk copy to re-install CC when Google "updated" my CC to the 'latest' version & ignore the "do not update" on play store; happens when a big 'security' patch was done.

Using TC & the TC Lan plugin, I am able to pass files between windows and the WSA. Just need to create a "server" with the ip of windows & logon/password. x-plore app does the same thing but too many adverts.

ownedbycats · 02-20-2023, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

My backup file is 222 MB. I don't know if it's supposed to be this big, but it worked.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

My backup.ab was around 17 megabytes.

@Sirtel - how many books do you have in your account? I wonder that might be a factor.

jhowell · 02-20-2023, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crane3

I have a question that is semantics: when you are saying "backup", do you mean a 'copy' that is also encrypted? or would a copy as an apk be the same as a 'backup'?

The goal is to produce a copy of the files found under the /data/data/com.amazon.kindle folder of the emulated Android device. That is not the APK file. It is data created and used by the Kindle app.

Normally that folder is not accessible unless the Android device has been rooted. However if the app allows backup permission (as old versions of the Kindle app do) then performing a backup of the app will make a copy of that data. And that can be used by the DeDRM plugin to retrieve the secret key used to encrypt books.

Sirtel · 02-20-2023, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

@Sirtel - how many books do you have in your account? I wonder that might be a factor.

About 4,000

zabey · 02-22-2023, 09:42 AM

Thanks this worked for some books however one particular author im trying to use the books always come out as PRC files know any way around this?

Sirtel · 02-22-2023, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zabey

Thanks this worked for some books however one particular author im trying to use the books always come out as PRC files know any way around this?

Do they still have DRM?

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02-20-2023, 03:41 PM	#48
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 9,515 Karma: 64500171 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	My backup.ab was around 17 megabytes.

02-20-2023, 04:41 PM	#50
crane3 Guru Posts: 608 Karma: 5007204 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Calif Device: Fire hdx 8.9, Tab S2, Tab S5e, Aura ONE	Using the windows version of adb: I get "WARNING: adb backup is deprecated and may be removed in a future release adb.exe: backup either needs a list of packages or -all/-shared" Using android Total Commander, doing a [B]copy[B] creates an apk of the copied file. However, when doing it on a paid app, there are 3 files & I haven't gotten/able to get how to install of the 2 sub files, e.g. moon+reader pro which has the main apk & 2 more files. The copied non-paid apk app does work as a normal apk which can then be installed with the wsa sideloader app on the windows store.

02-20-2023, 08:33 PM	#54
pletterpet Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: none	Managed to get this working with my old phone, awesome trick.

02-22-2023, 09:42 AM	#59
zabey Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: Anrdroid	Thanks this worked for some books however one particular author im trying to use the books always come out as PRC files know any way around this?

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