Problems removing DRM from Kindle Store AZW and MOBI ebooks using Calibre plug-in

[Ripper]

Originally Posted by Apprentice Alf

1. You must already be able read your ebooks, either on your computer or on your ebook reader. (Kindle, Nook, etc.) If you cannot read your ebooks on your computer or on your ebook reader, you won’t be able to remove the DRM. Contact your ebook retailer and sort out any problems reading your ebooks before trying to remove the DRM.
2. Download and install calibre for your Operating System.
3. Download the latest DRM tools package, and unpack it.
4. Run Calibre. Click Preferences. Click Plug-ins.
5. Click on the large “Add a new plugin” button
6. Navigate to the tools folder unzipped in step 2
7. Open the Calibre_Plugins folder
8. Select one of the zip files in that folder
9. Click on Add
10. Click on the “Yes” button in the warning dialog that appears. A Confirmation dialog appears that the plug-in has been installed.
11. Repeat steps 4 to 9 for every zip file in the Calibre_Plugins folder (five at present).
12. You must now configure the plugins. Which plugins need configuring, and the information you need to enter depends on what kind of ebooks you have. If your ebooks don’t match the description at the start of any of the following items, ignore it and move on to the next.
    
    To configure a plugin, you must find it in the list of plugins. All the DRM removal plugins are in the File type plugins section of the Plugins section of the calibre prefereces. Click on the plugin in the list to select it, and then click on the Customize plugin button. In the dialog that then pops up, enter the required information, detailed below.
    
    1. If you have Mobipocket ebooks, where you either entered a PID on the retailer’s web site, or you must read them in Mobipocket Reader, you must enter the PID you entered on the retailer’s web site, or the PID of your installation of Mobipocket Reader into the customisation field of the K4MobiDeDRM plugin. The PID will be ten numbers and letters, with * or $ as the eighth character. If you have more than one PID, enter them separated by commas,
    2. If you have Amazon Kindle ebooks that were downloaded to your Kindle, you must enter your Kindle’s serial number into the customisation field of the K4MobiDeDRM plugin. If you have already entered a PID there, add the Kindle serial number as well, separating it from the PID with a comma.
    3. If you have Amazon Kindle ebooks that were downloaded to the copy of Kindle for Mac or Kindle for PC that was installed on this computer, you do not need to add anything extra into the customisation fields.
    4. If you have ePub ebooks that can be read in Adobe Digital Editions, you do not need to add anything extra into the customisation fields.
    5. If you have PDF ebooks that can be read in Adobe Digital Editions, you do not need to add anything extra into the customisation fields.
    6. If you have ePub ebooks from Barnes & Noble (e.g. for Nook), you must enter your name and full credit card number into the customisation field of the Ignoble Epub DeDRM plugin. The name and credit card number should be the ones set as part of the Credit Card unlock code on your Nook Library page. Separate the name from the number with a comma and do not put any spaces in the card number or around the comma.
    7. If you have eReader ebooks from Barnes & Noble, or from, say, Fictionwise, your must enter your name and the last 8 digits of your credit card number into the customisation field of the eReader PDB 2 PML plugin. Again, the name and credit card number must be the ones entered at your ebook retailer’s website as the DRM key/Unlock code.
    8. If you have ebooks bought at the Apple iBooks store, it is not currently possible to remove the DRM.
    9. If you have Microsoft LIT ebooks, there is no Calibre plugin that can remove the DRM.
13. Now click on the Apply button, and then close the preferences.

You’re now ready to remove the DRM from your ebooks. Just import them into calibre, and the DRM will be removed. The plugins ONLY remove the DRM when the ebooks are imported. If you have already imported your ebooks into calibre, your will need to remove them and import them again.

Converting to other formats
Calibre will convert your ebooks for you, once they have had the DRM removed.

I followed instructions, imported a Kindle AZW file and received error message. Converted in Calibre a Kindle AZW file to a MOBI file, copied it to another location(using Windows Explorer) deleted it from calibre and then imported the MOBI file into calibre and it worked well with no error. Now have DRM removed MOBI file. Is the Kindle for PC plug in supposed to remove DRM from AZW files directly? Also what is a PID?

[Ripper]

Originally Posted by any ANONYMOUS forum user

I downloaded and installed Tools 3.8a which contains latest calibre plugins for Kindle Mobi and Kindle K4PC. Received error from calibre on DRM removal importing AZW files, but after converting AZW to MOBI format, removing the MOBI from calibre and re-importing the MOBI files, calibre imported the MOBI files without any error-removing the DRM from the MOBI. Are AZW files supposed to be able to have DRM removed using calibre plugins? Also exactly what is a PID?

After extensive re-checking I found the above procedure did NOT remove the DRM as I had thought, so ignore the above as incorrect.

[The Outlander]

Hello all,
very good information on this site, clad I found it.

But Im having trouble with one of my books. While loading it into Calibre I get an error:

Error decoding: C:\User\FSL\Documents\My Kindle Content\B00499DSK_EBOK.azw but it still loads into Calibre.

Then if I try and remove the DRM it still reports being DRMed. I have the correct plugin for Kendle (K4MobiDeDRM_v02.8_plugin) with my PID and serial number. Whats funny I was able to convert two books last night but this morning nothing.

Thanks for the help

Update: Loaded in different AZW and worked fine. Not sure why this one didn't

[dragonladymaster]

I have the same problem, everything was working great until a few days ago and now all of sudden it no longer works. nothing was changed on my computer did Amazon change something?

[AllyFraser]

Thanks for your instructions -- I successfully managed to convert DRM Kindle 3 files to non-DRM Mobi files using the Calibre plugins+PID+serial number.

One fly in the ointment, I've lost the table of contents and no amount of playing around with the settings and/or reading the Calibre help pages is getting it back. Is there a good tutorial on this anywhere? TIA

Originally Posted by Ripper

I followed instructions, imported a Kindle AZW file and received error message. Converted in Calibre a Kindle AZW file to a MOBI file, copied it to another location(using Windows Explorer) deleted it from calibre and then imported the MOBI file into calibre and it worked well with no error. Now have DRM removed MOBI file. Is the Kindle for PC plug in supposed to remove DRM from AZW files directly?

All (DRM protected) AZW ebooks from Kindle Store appeared in my Kindle for PC as MOBI, MBP or ZIP (OPF HTML)

Originally Posted by dragonladymaster

I have the same problem, everything was working great until a few days ago and now all of sudden it no longer works. nothing was changed on my computer did Amazon change something?

What version of Kindle for PC do you have (go to "Help" -> "About Kindle For PC" to check out)?

Kindle for PC is updated automatically

Go to "Tools" -> "Options..." -> "General" and disable automatic updates:



I still use Kindle for PC 1.40. If you update to version 1.50, you won't be able to use K4MobiDeDRM_v02.7_plugin or K4MobiDeDRM_v02.8_plugin.

Originally Posted by AllyFraser

One fly in the ointment, I've lost the table of contents and no amount of playing around with the settings and/or reading the Calibre help pages is getting it back. Is there a good tutorial on this anywhere?

Calibre has lots of conversion settings (including the Table of Contents).

Try to read the User Manual
http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual...le-of-contents
or ask in the Calibre forum