# Bought used kindle 1 - will books stay?



## skanter (Mar 1, 2009)

I just bought a used K1. The original owner de-registered, but he had some nice books on it and said I was welcome to read them. Will these be erased when I register?

Thanks in advance...


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

As long as you or the person you purchased it from doesn't delete the books they should stay...or so I hear.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Speaking from experienc.... The books stay when you register. If you delete them you won't get them back. But those books are tied to that kindle. Amazon could change this but as of now you won't lose them. 

There's a thread on the tips board titled I discover this by accident (or something along those lines). You can see how it's worked for me.


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## skanter (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks, everyone. I don't really want to steal these books, but I thought i might read them and some say registering will erase them.

If I try it I'll report back.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Can they be transferred to a computer and then back?


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## skanter (Mar 1, 2009)

intinst said:


> Can they be transferred to a computer and then back?


I've gotten differing answers on that as well.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

intinst said:


> Can they be transferred to a computer and then back?


In my experience, yes. You just can't move them from one Kindle to computer to another Kindle. The book is tied to that particular Kindle.


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## skanter (Mar 1, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> In my experience, yes. You just can't move them from one Kindle to computer to another Kindle. The book is tied to that particular Kindle.


I thought the books were tied to the person's account?

I guess I'll try to copy them first, then register and see what happens.


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## skanter (Mar 1, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> There's a thread on the tips board titled I discover this by accident (or something along those lines). You can see how it's worked for me.


Could you point me to that thread? I searched but couldn't find it - thanks?


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> Speaking from experience.... The books stay when you register. If you delete them you won't get them back. But those books are tied to that kindle. Amazon could change this but as of now you won't lose them.


This is correct. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

skanter said:


> Could you point me to that thread? I searched but couldn't find it - thanks?


It's Titled: I've discovered something quite by accident....

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,1908.0.html

I just bumped it up on the Tips Board. Sorry I didn't do it last night, I was posting from my ipod...


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

skanter said:


> I thought the books were tied to the person's account?


Most people think the same thing However, a book is tied to a particular Kindle. This is why you must specify which Kindle you want to download the book to. I can't download a book to my daughter's Kindle and just transfer it to mine, even though we are on the same account.

Please try, and report back...


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Bacardi Jim said:


> This is correct. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.


You got a shirt? I didn't get no stinkin' shirt...I just got a book...


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> I can't download a book to my daughter's Kindle and just transfer it to mine, even though we are on the same account.
> 
> Please try, and report back...


This sharing of an account confuses me more than anything else about my KK and hubby's K2. I thought if both Ks were on the same account it could be downloaded to both regardless of which one purchased it. If I was able to load books I had purchased on my K1 to his K2 from the archives, why wouldn't I be able to purchase a new book to download to his Kindle and then also mine?


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2009)

*sigh*
If you buy a book via your PC, you can CHOOSE which Kindle you want to send it to.  There is a drop-down menu letting you select.  You can then go to your archives and send it to the other Kindle too.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Bacardi Jim said:


> *sigh*
> If you buy a book via your PC, you can CHOOSE which Kindle you want to send it to. There is a drop-down menu letting you select. You can then go to your archives and send it to the other Kindle too.


Sorry to make you sigh BJ! I understand choosing which K to send a book to, I was confused when Luv said she couldn't download it to her daughter's K and then transfer it to hers even though they are on the same account.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

crebel said:


> Sorry to make you sigh BJ! I understand choosing which K to send a book to, I was confused when Luv said she couldn't download it to her daughter's K and then transfer it to hers even though they are on the same account.


You can't transfer a book between Kindles..

I can download a book to each of our Kindles, but I can not take a book that is on her Kindle, transfer it to my computer and then move it to my Kindle. It doesn't work that way. I must download the book from Amazon to my Kindle. (I don't pay for it again though...I just have it sent from my Media Library to my Kindle.

*The books are tied to a particular Kindle not an account*.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Thanks Luv - I got caught not differentiating between the terms download and transfer.  I will go back to lurking now rather than asking silly questions.l


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

crebel said:


> Thanks Luv - I got caught not differentiating between the terms download and transfer. I will go back to lurking now rather than asking silly questions.l


No questions are silly. This one is confusing to many people and there is a lot of misinformation out there. I'm doing my best to help people understand


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## skanter (Mar 1, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> No questions are silly. This one is confusing to many people and there is a lot of misinformation out there. I'm doing my best to help people understand


...and it is very much appreciated! 

So, to the best of your knowledge, when I register the used kindle I just bought, the books from the previous owner will remain on my Kindle - right?


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## MonaSW (Nov 16, 2008)

skanter said:


> ...and it is very much appreciated!
> 
> So, to the best of your knowledge, when I register the used kindle I just bought, the books from the previous owner will remain on my Kindle - right?


Correct. However since you didn't purchase them, Amazon could remove them from your Kindle eventually.


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2009)

Yes.  Until you delete them.  Then they are gone forever.


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## davem2bits (Feb 2, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> No questions are silly. This one is confusing to many people and there is a lot of misinformation out there. I'm doing my best to help people understand


Sortta off topic but...

How about the six not adding up to six gotcha?

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,4565.0.html

Have you ever run up against this? How often do you download kbooks to all three Ks on your account?

And for original owner of OPs K, how many Ks can he/she download kbook to? Assuming he/she purchased a K2 and dls kbook to it and Publisher allows 6 dls. Will original K owner have 4 or 5 downloads left for additional Ks.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Bacardi Jim said:


> Yes. Until you delete them. Then they are gone forever.





MonaSW said:


> Correct. However since you didn't purchase them, Amazon could remove them from your Kindle eventually.


^^what they said^^



davem2bits said:


> Sortta off topic but...
> 
> How about the six not adding up to six gotcha?
> 
> ...


I haven't run up against it at all. This is actually my 6th Kindle. I had my Kindle 1 replaced twice. I delete and re-download them all the time and I still have access to all of my books.


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## skanter (Mar 1, 2009)

MonaSW said:


> Correct. However since you didn't purchase them, Amazon could remove them from your Kindle eventually.


I registered, they stayed - you were right.

I would not have bought these books myself, but I might read them since they are there. No big deal if Amazon erases them.

More important, for me, is if I can be happy with the Kindle version of The New York Times, and give up the more expensive dead tree version.

In general, I'm loving the Kindle, especially since i paid only $125 for a used unit.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

skanter said:


> I registered, they stayed - you were right.
> 
> I would not have bought these books myself, but I might read them since they are there. No big deal if Amazon erases them.
> 
> ...


That is the cheapest price I have heard of for a K1.


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## Van in Arlington (Mar 1, 2009)

Even though the books will stay on the Kindle, you might also want to take a look at the discussion that's just getting underway with the thread title:

"Is selling a Kindle "with books" permitted under the Kindle license agreement"


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## skanter (Mar 1, 2009)

ProfCrash said:


> That is the cheapest price I have heard of for a K1.


Craislist prices for K1's are dropping fast since K2 was released. Check your local listings to see. I just missed one priced at $100!

The guy I bought it from knew nothing about K2, said he "automatically upgrades" any tech gadget when a new model comes out.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

The books will stay but if the new owner removes a book or books, they are gone for good, since the copies are archived on the original owner's amazon account.

L


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

skanter said:


> Craislist prices for K1's are dropping fast since K2 was released. Check your local listings to see. I just missed one priced at $100!
> 
> The guy I bought it from knew nothing about K2, said he "automatically upgrades" any tech gadget when a new model comes out.


I never thought to look on craigslist...going to check it out


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## vermontcathy (Feb 18, 2009)

crebel said:


> Sorry to make you sigh BJ! I understand choosing which K to send a book to, I was confused when Luv said she couldn't download it to her daughter's K and then transfer it to hers even though they are on the same account.


In the case where 2 kindles are on the same account, the difference between downloading a book from Amazon for the 2nd kindle, vs. trying to copy the file from one kindle to the computer to the other kindle, is this: When you tell Amazon which kindle you are downloading it for, it does something to that file so that it only works for that kindle's serial number (or some internal ID). That's why you can't copy the files from kindle to kindle via a computer.

It's not the case of one key (ebook) working on more than one lock (kindle). It is a case of Amazon being willing to give you up to 6 slightly different keys (versions of the ebook) for each of your locks (kindles).

Hope this helps.

Cathy


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

There are 6 for sale in my area on craigslist...better than ebay and you get to meet the person and check it out before buying.


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## davem2bits (Feb 2, 2009)

Leslie said:


> The books will stay but if the new owner removes a book or books, they are gone for good, since the copies are archived on the original owner's amazon account.


Leslie,

Can the new K owner plug in the USB cable and transfer the Kbook (###.atz and ###.mbp files) to the hard drive on his computer and then transfer these files back when he wants to read the book?


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

davem2bits said:


> Can the new K owner plug in the USB cable and transfer the Kbook (###.atz and ###.mbp files) to the hard drive on his computer and then transfer these files back when he wants to read the book?


Theoretically that should work.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

As pidgeon says, theoretically that should work. I haven't tried it. From all I know, the file could only be transferred back to the Kindle it originally came from. It wouldn't work on a different Kindle. 

L


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