Cannot get PC to see Kindle

littlerock · 8 November 2018 at 12:19PM

I have a Kindle Voyage, nearly new and supposedly their flagship device for keen readers. Recently I downloaded a couple of books, not from Amazon, in mobi format, onto my PC, intending to transfer them onto the Kindle to read.

The basic instructions say you should use a micro-usb/usb cable to connect the Kindle to your pc, where it will be seen as an external device. Then you can download books onto it. But that does not work. The cable connects the two devices and charges the Kindle no problem but it does not show up as an external device on the PC.

I know the Kindle registers it is connected to a PC because when it is plugged in, it displays a strange sort of Pidgin English message which says something like, you can read or charge your Kindle while connected but if you want to do anything else, you need to extract your Kindle from the PC. Further searching on the web suggests this means deleting it as a connected external device in Settings.

I would if I could however the kindle does not show up on the Settings at all (where you would expect to see it shown as an external device.) I have tried several different cables and different active USB ports on my PC, which runs Windows 7, without success.

Anyone got any ideas?

Tiexen · 8 November 2018 at 12:23PM

You should try Calibre

https://calibre-ebook.com/download

It should not only connect to your Kindle but will convert to the correct format.

dogmaryxx · 8 November 2018 at 12:59PM

Look in Windows Explorer

unforeseen · 8 November 2018 at 2:09PM

Tiexen wrote: »

You should try Calibre

https://calibre-ebook.com/download

It should not only connect to your Kindle but will convert to the correct format.

Not really going to work if Windows cannot detect the Kindle in the first place

Tiexen · 8 November 2018 at 3:46PM

unforeseen wrote: »

Not really going to work if Windows cannot detect the Kindle in the first place

OP says:
I know the Kindle registers it is connected to a PC because when it is plugged in, it displays a strange sort of Pidgin English message

If Kindle can see PC then Calibre should be able to connect to the Kindle

It will cost nothing to try.

unforeseen · 8 November 2018 at 5:34PM

It senses live data lines. Your assumption is wrong. The kindle is sensing more than a power supply because it senses active data lines (active in the sense that there is some sort of voltage present on it. A PSU leaves these lines floating) . Calibre won't work if the USB driver on the pc is not sensing a device.

Robisere · 10 November 2018 at 12:26AM

I have Kindle on my desktop and Lenovo tablet. Wife has an original Kindle and Kindle installed on a Lenovo laptop. Her separate Amazon account and mine link each device to the desktop and Lenovo tablet in my case, and the Lenovo laptop and Kindle in my wife's case. : we can access and read from each. Using your own Amazon account on each device, giving Kindle access via that account. Kindle will happily live on almost any device and link to devices/PC's with the same account.

[Deleted User] · 10 November 2018 at 10:22AM

Sounds like you haven't got the USB MTB Driver installed, try:-

https://windowsreport.com/kindle-fire-not-recognized-windows-10/

mac.d · 10 November 2018 at 12:53PM

^ The OP is running windows 7. Does seem likely to be a device driver issue though.

The Kindle obviously is registering the connection since it displays the USB drive mode text (at least I think it does although not sure about your Pidgin English comment? Mine states clearly: 'If you want to read or shop on your Kindle while continuing to charge over USB, please keep the USB cable attached, but eject your Kindle from your computer'). When you do eject the Kindle, it should then stay charging, but the home page comes up as normal on the Kindle and you can read on it as normal.

It should be a pretty straight forward job to connect it to your PC and drag and drop your book files into the documents folder of your Kindle. Calibre makes it easy to manage your books but simply dragging files works too.

Does the autoplay window not pop up on the PC when you connect the Kindle? And does the Kindle not show up in either windows explorer as an additional drive/device, or as a device in control panel > devices and printers?

Have you tried connecting it to the PC, then ejecting it (but keeping it connected) and doing a soft reset. Give that a try first.

1. Press and hold the Power button for seven seconds until the Power dialog box appears.
2. Tap Restart. Note: If the Power dialog box doesn't appear, press and hold the power button for a full 40 seconds to restart your Kindle.

Have a look at this post on Mobile Read forum for help on how to get your PC to recognise your Kindle:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2609184&postcount=15

Robisere · 10 November 2018 at 1:17PM

Neither my wife nor myself connect a Kindle device or tablet, to a PC. We use WiFi for any access to Kindle. As pointed out in my last Post, it all works seamlessly from each Amazon account.

Tiexen · 10 November 2018 at 3:54PM

Robisere wrote: »

Neither my wife nor myself connect a Kindle device or tablet, to a PC. We use WiFi for any access to Kindle. As pointed out in my last Post, it all works seamlessly from each Amazon account.

But the op "Recently I downloaded a couple of books, not from Amazon,".

Cannot get PC to see Kindle

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