# trouble registering reburbished kindle - didn't get processed



## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

I just received my refurbished kindle today and couldn't register it.  I just called Amazon and they said that unfortunately it was never processed at the reburb facility so there would be no way to register it until they were able to go in and manually do what they needed to do to allow me to register it into the system.  He said it's like driving a car without a license.  If you get pulled over, you get in trouble.  If the system sees me trying to register my unprocessed kindle, it automatically kicks the kindle out of the system.  He said this would take 24 hours to fix and they would call me when I could register...

Oh well, I've waited up to this point...I can wait a little longer    did anyone else have this trouble...and forgive me if this is a repeat post...i didn't find anything like this, but I could have overlooked it,...


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

I should have put this under tips, tricks, and troubleshooting...sorry...feel free to move it if you need to....thanks~!


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

This is the first I have heard of this experience, Pawlaw. Thanks for posting. It helps us all learn.

L


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2008)

Well all is not totally lost.  You can still go to one of the free online sites and get some stuff to read until they fix you up.  check out the approriate thread.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

Sounds like your Kindle slipped through the cracks somehow. Frustrating but 24 hours is better than waiting until March to get it. Vampyre has a good idea. That should tide you over. 

I think the feedbook catalog would be the easiest for you to start out with. Once you have that downloaded on your Kindle, you can download books directly to you kindle just like you would on Amazon.

http://www.feedbooks.com/


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

sebat said:


> Sounds like your Kindle slipped through the cracks somehow. Frustrating but 24 hours is better than waiting until March to get it. Vampyre has a good idea. That should tide you over.
> 
> I think the feedbook catalog would be the easiest for you to start out with. Once you have that downloaded on your Kindle, you can download books directly to you kindle just like you would on Amazon.
> 
> http://www.feedbooks.com/


Just to clarify, I wouldn't be surprised if the WN doesn't work since it's not registered. I mean, I think anything sent to the Kindle has to go thru Amazon and since they, effectively, don't show your Kindle as existing. . . . . .But, hey, give it a try. I've been known to be wrong. Even so, you should still be able to transfer books via USB.

Good luck,

Ann


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

Ann Von Hagel said:


> Just to clarify, I wouldn't be surprised if the WN doesn't work since it's not registered. I mean, I think anything sent to the Kindle has to go thru Amazon and since they, effectively, don't show your Kindle as existing. . . . . .But, hey, give it a try. I've been known to be wrong. Even so, you should still be able to transfer books via USB.
> 
> Good luck,
> 
> Ann


Darn...maybe you are wrong. 
I'm probably the wrong one though.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

sebat said:


> Darn...maybe you are wrong.
> I'm probably the wrong one though.


If it helps, in this case I'd _rather _be wrong. . . 

Still, as I said, I can't think of any reason why the USB method wouldn't work. . . .

Ann


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

Happy to help  

Ooooohhh...that's interesting...books for free!  Thanks for the tips...i'm checking out feedbooks right now...

Oh, on the downloading books with the USB issue, the customer service guy (who was profusely apologetic and very nice) did say I wouldn't be able to download anything until they get my kindle into their system.  I didn't understand all the ins and outs, but I believe I will not be able to add anything to my kindle until tomorrow.  But, I will check out feedbooks...maybe I could connect with the USB and download from their site without going through Amazon...oh wait, perhaps that's what you meant...I need to play a little more with it and see what I can do...I'll report back because maybe someone else would benefit from this experience...

thanks again!


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

pawlaw said:


> Happy to help
> 
> Ooooohhh...that's interesting...books for free! Thanks for the tips...i'm checking out feedbooks right now...
> 
> ...


You at least have a good attitude about it. 

I would probably be somewhere between crying and screaming...I hate Amazon.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Ann Von Hagel said:


> Still, as I said, I can't think of any reason why the USB method wouldn't work. . . .


It works. I uploaded a book before I registered my wife's Kindle.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

pawlaw said:


> Happy to help
> 
> Ooooohhh...that's interesting...books for free! Thanks for the tips...i'm checking out feedbooks right now...
> 
> ...


Yeah. . .when they talk about 'downloading' I imagine they're referring to using the Whispernet. I'd definitely try using feedbooks and moving it via USB. And absolutely report back!

You are being very cool about this. . .how many drinks have you had? 

Ann
(if it's o.k. with you I'm going to ask the admin to move this thread to Tips & Tricks)


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## MonaSW (Nov 16, 2008)

I've seen a couple of posts on the Amazon board for this same issue. I don't think they specified refurbished though. Maybe Amazon needs to hire more Kindle people.


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

cool about this....hmmmm...I think it's because, at the beginning of the conversation with the CS guy, I thought he was going to say I would have to send it back.  I just remember in my reading here, I think it was Angela?, that she watched her kindle as it was sent across a couple of states (improperly directed) before it reached her one day before (or was it after) the replacement kindle arrived, one of which she had to send back....whew!  i was so happy when he said he could fix it from his end without me having to visit the PO at this time of year!  Now that I have my kindle in my hands, I'm not giving it up for anything!  I can already tell how cool this thing is!!!!

It floored me when I saw the cool (how do they do that anyway?) silver doohicky on the right go up and down and expand and contract depending on what's on the screen...and the changing of the paper (wow), and the typing, and the searching, reading the manual...i could go on and on...this thing's AMAZING!  I'm never going anywhere without it!  I do not understand how someone could not love this little thing...i've got all school moms in our little group salivating for one!

Oh, and please, do feel free to move this...sorry I posted it in the wrong place...I realized that after posting...ooops.

oh, and yes, feedbooks is going to work using USB connection...yeah!!!!

Oh, and I haven't had anything to drink yet, but I'm popping a bottle of red wine later...celebrating...


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

so, I've been trying to download some free books to my Kindle from feedbooks.com.  I downloaded mobibooks and the books appear in mobibooks both in my library and when my kindle is connected by the USB, they appear when I click on the kindle device.  so, I think the books are on my kindle, however they do not show up on the menu page or in the content manager.  they just aren't showing up anywhere.  mobibooks occasionally asks me to register my device...a page comes up asking for the PID of the device to register it within mobibooks.  do i have to do this in order for the books to show up on my screen?  what is the PID?  HELP please...

i looked for a thread discussing this, which I thought I had read existed somewhere, but I couldn't find it...


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Pawlaw, so sorry to hear you are having trouble with the kindle, but glad to know they can fix your problem. Seems I do remember back last month or so that someone on the boards had trouble with registering, and Amazon CS was able to fix it within a few hours or so. Hope you are kindling by tomorrow for sure!


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

pawlaw said:


> so, I've been trying to download some free books to my Kindle from feedbooks.com. I downloaded mobibooks and the books appear in mobibooks both in my library and when my kindle is connected by the USB, they appear when I click on the kindle device. so, I think the books are on my kindle, however they do not show up on the menu page or in the content manager. they just aren't showing up anywhere. mobibooks occasionally asks me to register my device...a page comes up asking for the PID of the device to register it within mobibooks. do i have to do this in order for the books to show up on my screen? what is the PID? HELP please...
> 
> i looked for a thread discussing this, which I thought I had read existed somewhere, but I couldn't find it...


Books purchased from mobipocket won't work on your Kindle. They have a different kind of DRM. There is a free reader you can download to your computer (for Windows) which allows you to read mobipocket books on your PC.

I know it's confusing because Amazon owns mobipocket so you would think the books would work, but they don't. It is also confusing because the free software from that same site, mobipocket creator, is what you use to convert files (word, html, pdfs, etc) to the format that you can put on your Kindle.

L


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

The whole mobipocket PID thing is a mess. I spent a few hours the other night trying to get the scripts to work on my iMac to get the PID from my Kindle's serial number, and it was a dismal failure. I, too, downloaded some free mobipocket books, which will not open on my Kindle. I will try at some point attempt to run the scripts on my PC and see if that works better.

pawlaw: even though you don't have the PID, the books should be showing up on your Kindle. Did you put them in the _documents_ folder on the Kindle? That is the only place they can be placed in order to appear on your menu. You still won't be able to open them until you get the PID squared away. However, there are plenty of other sources of free books out there.


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

new news - last night, they said my kindle would be fixed within 24 hours...they have approximately 5 hours left until midnight CST to correct the issue so that I can download...as of right now, I still can't register the unit.

on the mobipockets issue - thank you pidgeon92!  I moved the books from my kindle's ebooks folder (I thought that was where they needed to be) to documents and there they were on my kindle's menu.  all of the free books do open.

Leslie - you were right...the one book I purchased through mobibooks does not open...it shows up on the screen but gives me an error message when i try to open it.

Is there any way to convert that one mobibook book to a format that can be read on the kindle?  could i send it to the kindle's email address or something like that and then download it when my kindle is able to access the whispernet?

thank you all SO Much for the help...I have to say that it is such a pleasure to be able to access such kindle-knowledgeable people at all hours!!!


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

pawlaw said:


> Is there any way to convert that one mobibook book to a format that can be read on the kindle? could i send it to the kindle's email address or something like that and then download it when my kindle is able to access the whispernet?


Mobipocket is a format that can be read by the Kindle. It is the DRM getting in the way. You need to get the PID (Personal IDentifier) to your Kindle (based on the Kindle's serial number), then use that when you download the Mobipocket books, or convert subsequently. If I ever get it to work, I will post a tutorial. I have gone through the MobileRead mac tutorial with fine tooth comb, and have been unsuccessful in converting the serial number to a PID.


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

Hi Pidgeon92 - this is probably something you have already tried and/or a dumb question, because i have no idea how these things work (i just fiddle until something comes out right)  , but what about using the other number on the back of the unit?  amazon told me last night that they needed both the serial number and my ESN HEX number on the back of the unit to make their system recognize my kindle...what if the PID was that series of numbers and letters or some version of it?


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

The MobiPocket PID can be deciphered based on the Kindle's serial number and using the Python scripts from here. There is nothing on the Kindle or on the box that will give you the PID.


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> The MobiPocket PID can be deciphered based on the Kindle's serial number and using the Python scripts from here. There is nothing on the Kindle or on the box that will give you the PID.


Okey, dokey  It was worth a try anyway...  Thanks for all your help!


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

they missed the deadline...he said 24 hours...i just called and amazon said it sometimes takes longer than they think it will because it is just an estimate.  my original customer service agent (the one who said 24 hours) has made himself an appointment to call me tomorrow night to let me know to register my kindle.  i'm starting to get a little upset now.  i told her that it would have been better to have given me a more accurate estimate the first time around.

anyhoo, i did ask a few questions about why it was taking so long and apparently, there were (and I quote from the CS agent) "thousands" of kindles that had this problem.  which makes the issue a large problem to solve and is the reason it is taking quite a bit of time.

she gave me a free book from my inconvenience.  I'll keep you posted.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

pawlaw said:


> she gave me a free book from my inconvenience. I'll keep you posted.


Well, that's nice. I'm sure it will all get sorted out.


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## pawlaw aka MXCIX (Dec 17, 2008)

I'm kindling as of this morning!!! Yeah!!!  That took longer than they said...oh well, I just don't know where to start...do you ever get a little panicky that there is so much to read and so little time?  i'm feeling overwhelmed...


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## Linda Cannon-Mott (Oct 28, 2008)

pawlaw said:


> I'm kindling as of this morning!!! Yeah!!! That took longer than they said...oh well, I just don't know where to start...do you ever get a little panicky that there is so much to read and so little time? i'm feeling overwhelmed...


WOO HOO pawlaw! I stay overwhelmed because there are so many books and so little time. Let us know what you think after you've Kindled a while.

Linda


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## tessa (Nov 1, 2008)

pawlaw

the best way to cure that  feeling of being overwhelmed is to read one book at a time.

so start reading and have fun


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