Problem with opening Pocket Pro as removable drive in Windows 7 x64

[Acreo Aeneas]

I just got my PP but after about 6 attempts so far, I still cannot access the device's storage when I have it connected to my PC. Half the time Windows tells me it performed a "failed operation". Once it's told me it that the USB connection to the device failed. And every time I double-click the removable disk in My Computer, my system hangs as it tries to read from the device and then gives me the message "Please insert a disk". After like 10 minutes, it'll give me some fail message or I give up and yank the USB cable.

I assume this is not normal? Are there known issues with Windows 7 64 bit?

Edit: Great...now Windows tells me I need to format the device before I can use it. Starting to feel like one of my former bad USB flash drives.

Edit 2: Looks like it finally worked after 15 tries. I switched to the included cable (was using a old cable) and switch USB ports. *big sigh of relief*

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Acreo Aeneas

I just got my PP but after about 6 attempts so far, I still cannot access the device's storage when I have it connected to my PC. Half the time Windows tells me it performed a "failed operation". Once it's told me it that the USB connection to the device failed. And every time I double-click the removable disk in My Computer, my system hangs as it tries to read from the device and then gives me the message "Please insert a disk". After like 10 minutes, it'll give me some fail message or I give up and yank the USB cable.

I assume this is not normal? Are there known issues with Windows 7 64 bit?

Edit: Great...now Windows tells me I need to format the device before I can use it. Starting to feel like one of my former bad USB flash drives.

Does your computer have the Intel USB chipset?
I had to disable the USB 2.0 Enhanced feature in the Device Manager (This makes the USB behave as USB 1.x) on XP. So far I have had to do this with 3 different brands of mainboards, all used Intel USB.
Whatever the problem with Intel chipset is, it is Marginal. Sometimes it works or makes you think it is going to work. I have even used this work around to get a K2 that was having problems, to work.

Read the various threads (from October, onward) hear with USB2 in their subject.
My permanent solution was to put a USB 1.x board in my main computer (also has Calibre) so I could leave USB2.0 mode enabled.

[Acreo Aeneas]

Well I sort of solved it by switching to the included cable and switching USB ports. I usually only have a device hang my system was with defective USB drives. I'm thinking perhaps my old mini USB cable might be at fault or the USB port on the front of my case is perhaps dying. I'll experiment later this weekend. I just wanted to start reading without hassling over the device.

Thanks for the advice, though, theducks.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Acreo Aeneas

Well I sort of solved it by switching to the included cable and switching USB ports. I usually only have a device hang my system was with defective USB drives. I'm thinking perhaps my old mini USB cable might be at fault or the USB port on the front of my case is perhaps dying. I'll experiment later this weekend. I just wanted to start reading without hassling over the device.

Thanks for the advice, though, theducks.

Both steps you took, are the first ones recommended. .

[Acreo Aeneas]

Got another question about bookmarks.

Are they supposed to disappear when I navigate away from the book into another menu (or go to stop the music) then navigate back?

The ebook is on my SD card as well as the music if that makes any difference.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Acreo Aeneas

Got another question about bookmarks.

Are they supposed to disappear when I navigate away from the book into another menu (or go to stop the music) then navigate back?

The ebook is on my SD card as well as the music if that makes any difference.

Know problem if there are spaces in the books name:
Name_Your_Book_This_Way
Not This Way

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by theducks

Know problem if there are spaces in the books name:
Name_Your_Book_This_Way
Not This Way

Folder names too apparently

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by jusmee

Folder names too apparently

Actually I believe the problem is only with Folder names. File names with spaces work ok.

Dale

[Acreo Aeneas]

Both my folders AND files use spaces in their names. Is the space issue related to the kernel of Linux used or is it the problem with the proprietary distro used to operate the PP? Has it been suggested to Astak to have bookmarks work with folders and files with spaces in their names?

You know what, I'm still having issues with it connecting to my PC. It still takes a few retries before Windows takes it smoothly. And for some reason, it hates my left front case USB port.


I showed it off to my sister last night and she's never seen one in person, so she was entranced by it for a while. The only thing she wished it had was a full-qwerty thumboard for annotations. Gave her a whole spiel on the other readers and warned her away from the Kindle (largely due to practices by Amazon). Once she heard the Kindle didn't have a SD card slot, though, she basically reconsidered buying it as a gift. I think it'll be harder to convince her to buy one for herself considering she doesn't read as much anymore.

I did take it with me to class yesterday and sat on the train with it. Very enjoyable. Love not having to hold open a paperback, accidentally tearing a page, or forgetting to bookmark a page. No more strong pungent paper smells either (or dust from older books). So many other things that makes it more convienent than a paperback (or hardcover).

I've noticed the last 5 or so ebooks I bought over the last week, I can get them (after coupons) for cheaper than Amazon carries them for and in ePub format. Though when it comes down to it, Amazon's pricing is really competitively low. I just wish they offered DRM'd ePub instead of DRM'd AZW (which only the Kindles can read).

[theducks]

Use Calibre to manage your Library . There is a tickbox option to replace spaces with Underscores (when transfering).
That only applies to transfers made after the setting change.

Get your USB connection issues resolved to rock solid operation.

You will trash the file system on your PEz so long as long as you have problems. They only question, is when it WILL it happen?
Stay away from the front USB connections, they are hub extensions (not direct) on some systems.
I put a D-Link DSB-500 (USB1.x) card (about $10 at Fry's) in my Dell.
Rock Solid
The 8 built in ports (Intel) all failed with the PEz with "Enhanced USB2.0" enabled. Now I have both speeds available.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Acreo Aeneas

Both my folders AND files use spaces in their names. Is the space issue related to the kernel of Linux used or is it the problem with the proprietary distro used to operate the PP? Has it been suggested to Astak to have bookmarks work with folders and files with spaces in their names?

In computers the command lines of all sorts use a space as the character used to separate arguments. See command line in the wiki. Thus it is a reserved character. However, like other special characters there are ways to make it not special. In windows command shells or Unix you need to place the whole file name in quotes to remove the special meaning. Even though you are using a click to select a name the underlying code must turn that into a string of characters and this is where the special processing is required. A name to a computer is a word and two words are two names. Even people sometimes have problems in parsing information where two names are to be treated as one name (word).

Dale

[theducks]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

In computers the command lines of all sorts use a space as the character used to separate arguments. See command line in the wiki. Thus it is a reserved character. However, like other special characters there are ways to make it not special. In windows command shells or Unix you need to place the whole file name in quotes to remove the special meaning. Even though you are using a click to select a name the underlying code must turn that into a string of characters and this is where the special processing is required. A name to a computer is a word and two words are two names. Even people sometimes have problems in parsing information where two names are to be treated as one name (word).

Dale

Anothe gottcha is the file system on the PEz is case sensitive because it is running under Linux.
Windows is Case insensitive.

my_book, My_book and My_Book are the same file in Windows.

They are 3 DIFFERENT files to Linux.

Note: that you can not always easily change the case of a file name in Windows, since they are considered the same.
The trick I use is to "walk" the file name to what I want in a few steps
To rename my_book to My_Book
Add a nonsense (legal) character to the end (The end, prevents file list sort motion)

Rename my_book -> my_book1 (save/enter)

Rename my_book1 -> My_Book (save/enter)

The extra/different character forces the rename to "take" in step 1
Step 2 just puts it back close to what it was.

[DaleDe]

This can be especially important when you backup your folders to a windows machine. (A good idea by the way).

Dale

[Acreo Aeneas]

My front USB ports on my case are connected through the USB header on my mobo (built the system myself). I'll try it through one of the back ports. I'll post back to if it works or not.

[theducks]

I wish someone here had a USB (data) Protocol analyzer available and could attach the PEz to various systems and find out which end is the most marginal (I expect the marginals overlap, therefore errors). Then we would know how to get this resolved so it is no longer a problem for any user.