beatrice_otter: Elizabeth Bennet reads (Reading)
beatrice_otter ([personal profile] beatrice_otter) wrote in [community profile] ebooks2011-03-28 11:43 pm
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de-DRMing Kindle books

I read ebooks on my computer.  I use Calibre and have the plugins from A guide for the perplexed.  It says that if you get Kindle for PC, you don't have to customize any of the plugins; the books should be unlocked automatically when you add them to Calibre.  Except it's not working--the books is not unlocking.  Why not, and how can I fix it?  I moved the books from "My Kindle Content" folder to the folder with the rest of my ebooks in it; does that matter?  I've tried adding the book with nothing changed in the plugins (although it does already have the PID from other stores).  I've tried adding the book with my Amazon password entered where the PID goes; I've tried adding the book with the e-mail associated with my Amazon account there; I've tried adding it with "____'s Kindle for PC" there.  (Those are the only three identifying things I can think of or find.)  None of them have worked.  Help!
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elf: Quote: She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain (Fond of Books)

[personal profile] elf 2011-03-29 05:07 am (UTC)(link)
The Amazon password is not the Kindle PID, which is a unique device number (it's like a serial number that's only used for generating ebook DRM); there's a different one for physical Kindles & Kindle-for-PC content. Amazon started hiding the PID just before the Kindle-for-PC program came out; it's internal to the device. You'll need to get the PID, possibly with a tool like the one at prestonlee's blog (about which I know nothing; I don't deal with DRM nor with a Kindle). There's also a python script called Kindlepid.py that can sort out your PID; it involves installing python, possibly a particular version of it.

Melina had a couple of panels at Escapade about ereaders & DRM; her wrap-up notes are here.

If you get really lost, I suggest sending a note to [personal profile] melina, because she's fluent in Kindle and DRM removal, and I'm just supportive.
beatrice_otter: I don't want to be killed because of a typo. It would be embarrassing. (Typo)

[personal profile] beatrice_otter 2011-03-29 01:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks for the help. I haven't bought anything DRMed myself in years, but the book looks interesting and it's a freebie. Prestonlee doesn't seem to have anything for kindle-for-PC; to use that tool you seem to need a serial number which it doesn't have. The notes from Escapade are flocked. I'll try finding the Python script after work (if I can find good instructions with it; I've used Python once before and it makes me nervous). If that doesn't work, guess I'll bug [personal profile] melina unless someone else comes up with a brilliant way to find the stuff I need.

Thanks for the help!
elf: Computer chip with location dot (You Are Here)

[personal profile] elf 2011-03-29 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, bah. Hadn't realized the escapade link was flocked.
Relevant parts (which were on handouts at the con):
Ebook handouts.

Other bits:
Skindle: remove DRM from kindle-for-pc books
Unswindle python scripty thing, at I♥Cabbages, your one-stop blog for ebook drm things, written in language that's probably easy to follow if you speak any code at all, which I don't. (The magic word for ADE is "inept," if you wind up needing to search for that.)
Igorsk's Reverse Engineering blog

Or you can give up on removing the DRM yourself and google for [book title] [torrent].

SO NICE OF AMAZON TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT TO READ EBOOKS, ISN'T IT.
melina: Picture of the Kindle 3 (Kindle)

[personal profile] melina 2011-03-29 10:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Hi there... Did you make sure that you have the most recent version of the tools package? Its usually linked in the very first post (bottom of the page) on Apprentice Alf's blog. The plugins changed not too long ago and the old ones don't work. Uninstall any old versions from Calibre and remove any customization from the kindle plugin. No PID is used for K4PC files.

You don't have to move or rename files, or do anything else. Just make sure they are the K4PC files, not downloaded files meant for a Kindle device.
Edited 2011-03-29 22:38 (UTC)
beatrice_otter: Me in red--face not shown (Default)

[personal profile] beatrice_otter 2011-03-30 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! I don't think I've had the Calibre plugins that long, but it may have been longer than I thought. I'll try and see if downloading and installing the newest version works. The only plugins I have installed are the ones from that package. They are all installed in Calibre under "File Type Plugins." Before I delete them to reinstall, are any of the plugins listed under "File Type Plugins" *not* from the ApprenticeAlf downloads? I don't want to accidentally get rid of anything I want to keep that won't be replaced
melina: Picture of the Kindle 3 (Kindle)

[personal profile] melina 2011-03-30 01:05 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, there are a couple by Kovid Goyal and a couple by John Schember you don't want to remove.

My last download of the tools package was March 4, and it's been updated since then, so I'd definitely get the new version.
beatrice_otter: Me in red--face not shown (Default)

[personal profile] beatrice_otter 2011-03-30 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
Which ones are they? How do I tell the difference?
melina: Picture of the Kindle 3 (Kindle)

[personal profile] melina 2011-03-30 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
They are listed as "xxx by Kovid Goyal" in the plugins window. :)

The ones you are replacing should be something like (going from memory here) K4PCDeDrm, ineptepub, ineptpdf, and ignoble.
beatrice_otter: Me in red--face not shown (Default)

[personal profile] beatrice_otter 2011-03-30 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
So to double check:

Replacing:
ereader PDB 2 PML by DiapDealer
Ignoble Epub DeDRM by DiapDealer
Inept Epub DeDRM by DiapDealer
Inept PDF DeDRM by DiapDealer
K4PC, K4Mac, Kindle Mobi and Topaz DeDERm by DiapDealer, SomeUpdates

Leaving:
Archive Extract by Kovid Goyal
Html to ZIP by Kovid Goyal
PML to PMLZ by John Schember
TXT to TXTZ by John Schember

Thank you so much!
melina: Picture of the Kindle 3 (Kindle)

[personal profile] melina 2011-03-30 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
Yup, that looks right.
beatrice_otter: Batman Beyond (Terry Batman)

[personal profile] beatrice_otter 2011-03-31 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Finally had the time to actually do it, and it worked perfectly. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
melina: galadriel: all shall love me and despair (Default)

[personal profile] melina 2011-03-31 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
\o/ Yay!!

Remove DRM using Calibre for ebook originally downloaded on my Kindle Touch

[personal profile] bvass 2012-04-29 09:02 am (UTC)(link)
Melina,

How fo I remove the DRM from a file using Calibre for an ebook originally purchased and downloaded on my Kindle Touch. I have spent all day on this with absolutely no luck......
melina: Picture of the Kindle 3 (Kindle)

Re: Remove DRM using Calibre for ebook originally downloaded on my Kindle Touch

[personal profile] melina 2012-04-29 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm sorry, but I don't have updated information on this. I use the Kindle for PC files and remove DRM with the Calibre plugin tools. I don't know how to remove DRM from files that were originally downloaded for the Touch. If there's some reason you can't download and install Kindle for PC and use those files instead, you'll need to check over at Apprentice Alf's blog and see if someone there can help. I believe there is a standalone tool, but I haven't used it and wouldn't know how to advise.

Re: Remove DRM using Calibre for ebook originally downloaded on my Kindle Touch

(Anonymous) 2012-06-16 02:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Just enter your Kindle Touch's serial number into the configuration dialog of the plugin.

[personal profile] bvass 2012-04-29 09:13 am (UTC)(link)
Melina,

How do I remove the DRM for an ebook I purchased and originally downloaded on my Kindle Touch using Calibre. I have been trying all day with no luck.....

Kindle/Amazon PID 'Incorrect'?

[personal profile] rw9683 2012-06-02 06:55 am (UTC)(link)
I have installed K4PC 0.3.8 to calibre 0.8.51. Kindle S/N is entered correctly. Have never experienced any problems with any conversion.

Today I found a book on Amazon that I have been looking for. It is free for Kindle Fire users, downloaded directly to my Kindle Fire through Whispernet as a PRC file and reads perfectly. It also was downloaded to my Kindle for PC through Whispernet as an AZW file and reads perfectly.

Tried to import the AZW file into Calibre and for first time received error notice that PID was incorrect. Same result when tried to drop the AZW file into Calibre. Triple-checked the serial number/PID -- it is correct.

Saw in one of the posts here that the serial number/PID for Kindle for PC is different than for the device. Would try to add its PID to the customization if I knew what it is, but can't find it. Tried to use the prestonlee tools, but can't find a tool for Kindle for PC.

Then copied the PRC file to the PC and tried to import it into Calibre -- error said it had no PID at all.
melina: galadriel: all shall love me and despair (Default)

Re: Kindle/Amazon PID 'Incorrect'?

[personal profile] melina 2012-06-02 07:08 am (UTC)(link)
This might be the new Fire-friendly format -- I know nothing about it as I don't have a Fire. I would update your Calibre and your plugins (I think the tools are up to 5.1). If that doesn't work, I'd ask in the comments over at Apprentice Alf's place.

Re: Kindle/Amazon PID 'Incorrect'?

(Anonymous) 2012-06-16 02:46 pm (UTC)(link)
The DRM cannot be removed from books downloaded to your Kindle Fire with the current tools. Download to an eInk Kindle for Kindle for PC/Mac and rmeove the DRM from that copy.

Removing Kindle DRM

(Anonymous) 2011-12-28 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
DLed the plugins- v03.8- and it's not working. Any help would be appreciated.

(Anonymous) 2012-06-29 03:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Hello, I bought a kindle book from amazon and downloaded it on my Mac Kindle reader, now I want to convert it to PDF. I read at http://stream-recorder.com/forum/read-convert-amazon-azw-ebook-epub-fb2-t8954.html that Calibre can do it but first the DRM needs to be removed. I used a Calibre plugin to do that but it failed saying it couldn't find the PID. I read elsewhere that Mobipocker Reader could give the PID, I installed the Windows version in Wine but it didn't recognize the .azw or .mobi

Any solution ?
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