[Kobo] Having database corruption issues?

[ownedbycats]

This keeps coming up again and again, so I'm making a thread for easy linking. If a moderator is inclined, feel free to sticky it.

The current Kobo firmware has an glitch in which it occasionally fails to close the database while connecting to PC, often resulting in database corruption. If you look at the .kobo folder in your file manager, you may see an sqlite write-ahead log - which indicates that it exported to USB while the sqlite database was open.

I've personally had it happen under two circumstances:

• connecting while a kepub is open.
• Using a NickelMenu option to reconnect immediately after importing a large amount (50+) of books.

However, other users have also had it happen under other circumstances, including "at random."

If you have Kobo Utilities installed in Calibre, you'll get an error about a malformed database. If you don't, you may notice if metadata fails to update or the reading position keeps resetting back to the same spot.

Ensuring that you're on the home screen before connecting often (not always) helps with preventing the issue, but rebooting before connection is the most reliable way to keep it from happening. This NickelMenu config will add an easy-access reboot button to the main menu:

menu_item : main : Reboot Device : power : reboot

If it happens, there's two main ways to fix it.

• Restore a database backup taken by Kobo Utilities. Extract the contents of the archived ZIP into the .kobo folder. This is preferred as you will not lose any reading positions or annotations.
  
• If you have not a backup, logging in and out of your Kobo account. This reinitializes the database to a fresh slate, and re-imports any sideloaded books. Unfortunately, this also results in the loss of the reading positions and annotations for those sideloaded books.
  
  Even if you don't have a database backup here, Kobo Utilities is still of assistance: it's possible to save the reading position to a custom column beforehand and then restore it back to device afterwards.

Amendments to this post welcome.

[rantanplan]

I have made the observation, that using the option to completely shut down the device after X minutes helps to prevent any database corruption. I set this to 60 minutes and I also make sure to shut down the device and only start the device after connecting it to my PC, and I haven't had any database corruption for months.

Even though this is anecdotal at best, other users also seem to have good experiences by shutting the device completely off before connecting to a PC.

EDIT
You've already made the suggestion to use a reboot option in Nickelmenu, good idea.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

I have made the observation, that using the option to completely shut down the device after X minutes helps to prevent any database corruption. I set this to 60 minutes and I also make sure to shut down the device and only start the device after connecting it to my PC, and I haven't had any database corruption for months.

Even though this is anecdotal at best, other users also seem to have good experiences by shutting the device completely off before connecting to a PC.

EDIT
You've already made the suggestion to use a reboot option in Nickelmenu, good idea.

No need to shut down when not being used. That actually uses more battery doing that then a reboot just before plugging into the USB.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

No need to shut down when not being used. That actually uses more battery doing that then a reboot just before plugging into the USB.

I have ready access to several power outlets in my home, so I don’t have to worry about that 😁

[ownedbycats]

Would a moderator consider pinning this? It's happened again.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Would a moderator consider pinning this? It's happened again.

It should be stickied in the Kobo forum so it will hopefully be seen before it becomes an issue.

[ownedbycats]

Then people who come to the Calibre forum are less likely to see it.

[theducks]

Forum Guidelines:
Threads are supposed ti be in the best place and not multi posted.

This is a Kobo specific issue
Hmm! I am having corruption with Brand X and not Brand Y

[ownedbycats]

By that logic, we should also move this thread and this one. After all, it only matters for Kindle books.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

By that logic, we should also move this thread and this one. After all, it only matters for Kindle books.

I agree about moving the threads about Kindle Books to the Kindle forum.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

By that logic, we should also move this thread and this one. After all, it only matters for Kindle books.

The difference being is that the Kobo database corruption issue has nothing to do with calibre since simply connecting your Kobo to a computer over USB could trigger the issue while the two threads you mention are connected to calibre importing Kindle format ebooks.

BTW, the latest 4.38.23038 firmware ( 4.39.23027 for the Libra Colour, Clara Colour and Clara BW ) do close the database before a USB connect so that source of database corruption has been fixed. It's still possible to corrupt that database by not safely ejecting, etc. but the major cause is no longer with us.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The difference being is that the Kobo database corruption issue has nothing to do with calibre since simply connecting your Kobo to a computer over USB could trigger the issue while the two threads you mention are connected to calibre importing Kindle format ebooks.

BTW, the latest 4.38.23038 firmware ( 4.39.23027 for the Libra Colour, Clara Colour and Clara BW ) do close the database before a USB connect so that source of database corruption has been fixed. It's still possible to corrupt that database by not safely ejecting, etc. but the major cause is no longer with us.

The overall problem is that when a problem arises such as the Kobo database corruption, the person with the problem who is reporting this problem does so where there thing it may be appropriate even though it's not.

Downloading Kindle eBooks and Kobo database corruption both have nothing to do with calibre. It's like someone posted epub questions in the Sigil forum because they are using Sigil even though it's not a Sigil issue.

I do think the staff should be more aware of this and move the threads to where they really belong and the age of the thread should not matter when moving the thread.

[ownedbycats]

Calibre reports the issue in an error dialog, so users come here to ask about it. If this thread is moved to the Kobo subforum, they won't see it.

[PeterT]

@JSWolf if you're so concerned about posts / threads, rather than complaining in the threads, report them to the moderators / admins, let them decide where a thread belongs. Once reported once, just forget about it and accept it for what it's worth.