StoneSoup

Q: How to undo an iBooks conversion and revert back to iTunes

Apple listens if enough people complain.  If you hate the current implementation of iBooks, send Apple feedback here:

 

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ibooks.html

 

 

I'm starting this thread as a central place to collect ways of either:

 

A. Preventing a conversion from iTunes to iBooks

 

B. Reverting back to iTunes after a conversion

 

Here's what I've seen in the community so far:

 

Kevin Edgecomb's solution for reverting back:

 

Re: Not impressed! No edit info, no library management!

 

Andy Epprecht's solution for reverting back, building on Kevin's:

 

Re: Not impressed! No edit info, no library management!

 

Any other solutions for prevention or reversion?

Posted on Oct 26, 2013 8:06 PM

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Q: How to undo an iBooks conversion and revert back to iTunes

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  • by StoneSoup,

    StoneSoup StoneSoup Nov 10, 2014 3:40 PM in response to David Goldy
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Nov 10, 2014 3:40 PM in response to David Goldy

    Hi, David,

     

    Here's a merged version of all the steps that have worked for me (and many of us) so far:

     

    1. Make sure that you have a current Time Machine backup, in case you need to undo any of this.  If you really need to, you can simply redownload Yosemite, which will reset your system back to its state before you started monkeying around with deleting iBooks.
    2. Quit iTunes
    3. Open Activity Monitor (use Spotlight to find it, if needed).  Search for a process called com.apple.BKAgentService.  Highlight that process and hit the "Stop sign with an X" icon in the toolbar to stop it.  Exit out of Activity Monitor.
    4. Open Finder.  Navigate to the /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/BookKit.framework/Versions/A/XPCServices folder.  Delete the com.apple.BKAgentService.xpc entry in that folder. 
    5. Download Appzapper, AppCleaner, or any other utility uninstall Mac apps completely (just dragging them to the trash leaves some bits behind).  I use AppCleaner.  In Finder, open the "Applications" folder and drag the iBooks icon and drop it onto AppZapper/AppCleaner to delete it from your system.
    6. In Finder, delete all the new iBook Book folders under <yourname>/Library/Containers/com.apple.BKAgentService/Data/Documents/iBooks/Bo oks
    7. Empty your trash. 
    8. Restore the <yourname>/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Books folder from Time Machine
    9. Restore the <yourname>/Music/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl file from Time Machine
    10. Reboot your Mac.
    11. Restart iTunes


    Good luck!


    Steven

  • by Mark Armitage,

    Mark Armitage Mark Armitage Nov 11, 2014 1:01 AM in response to StoneSoup
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iTunes
    Nov 11, 2014 1:01 AM in response to StoneSoup

    Unfortunately I do (OS X 10.10.1 & iTunes 12.0.1.26)

     

    The books playlist comes back, I delete it but whenever I restart iTunes it's recreated - if I click on it then it's empty, the top book menu icon shows audiobooks. The service doesn't exist and iBooks has gone (if I put the app back it won't run because the service isn't there). Thankfully the books are still in their directories on my NAS and I can select them on the iOS device pages (within iTunes) so they get synched.

     

    Damned annoying.

     

    :-(

  • by David Goldy,

    David Goldy David Goldy Nov 11, 2014 11:07 AM in response to StoneSoup
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Nov 11, 2014 11:07 AM in response to StoneSoup

    Thanks; but isn't there a step regarding consolidating libraries in iTunes preferences?

  • by StoneSoup,

    StoneSoup StoneSoup Nov 13, 2014 5:34 PM in response to David Goldy
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Nov 13, 2014 5:34 PM in response to David Goldy

    That's up to you.  That affects how you want your content to be managed within iTunes.

     

    It's not required for undoing the conversion to iBooks.

  • by StoneSoup,

    StoneSoup StoneSoup Nov 19, 2014 9:57 AM in response to StoneSoup
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Nov 19, 2014 9:57 AM in response to StoneSoup

    Has anyone had success with a workaround for Yosemite 10.10.1 yet?

     

    Regards,

    Steven

  • by Xyzzy42,

    Xyzzy42 Xyzzy42 Nov 19, 2014 11:15 AM in response to StoneSoup
    Level 1 (50 points)
    Nov 19, 2014 11:15 AM in response to StoneSoup

    I did. Basic steps I used:

    Fresh install of Yosemite 10.10.1, followed by using Migration Assistant to migrate only Apps and Computer settings (no documents).

    Never launched iTunes 12.

    Used AppZapper to dump iTunes and iBooks apps.

    Used Pacifist to install iTunes 11.4.

    Used EasyFind to locate all BkAgent files as before. Dumped them.

    Restarted mac.

    Launched iTunes, set preferences to show books.

    Imported several PDF files and one music album.

    Configured my sidebar and other settings.

    I have not attempted to sync my phone or iPad yet. They didn't show up on first run, though.

    So far, no belches.

  • by RolandGosebruch,

    RolandGosebruch RolandGosebruch Nov 19, 2014 2:05 PM in response to StoneSoup
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2014 2:05 PM in response to StoneSoup

    Good Question. The books section is still there in the sidebar of the iPad area, but the books are gone from the top icons. Only audiobooks are left. 

  • by Andy Epprecht,

    Andy Epprecht Andy Epprecht Nov 19, 2014 2:49 PM in response to StoneSoup
    Level 1 (58 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Nov 19, 2014 2:49 PM in response to StoneSoup

    Easy Stone, simply use appdelete again to delete the reappeared iBooks app (that is reintroduced with the yosemite 10.10.1 update) in the application folder. Then the Books and PDFs will reappear again in iTunes as we figured out before. Close iTunes before you appdelete iBooks. This worked for me on three Macs.

     

    Good luck.

    Andy

  • by StoneSoup,

    StoneSoup StoneSoup Nov 19, 2014 6:07 PM in response to Andy Epprecht
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Nov 19, 2014 6:07 PM in response to Andy Epprecht

    Hi, Andy,

     

    What a relief -- thank you!  I've been holding off on upgrading to 10.10.1 until this point.

     

    I upgraded to 10.10.1, opened iTunes, and the toolbar only showed Audiobooks, as expected.  I shut down iTunes.  I did not run iBooks.

     

    I then used AppCleaner to delete iBooks.  I emptied my trash before starting iTunes.  The com.apple.BKAgentService.xpc entry was not reinstalled by the upgrade.  I restarted iTunes and, lo, all was right with my ebooks -- the Book icon reappeared on my toolbar, and I could see my book collection again. 

     

    I was able to add and remove books from my iPhone successfully.

     

    Thanks, again.

     

    Steven

  • by RolandGosebruch,

    RolandGosebruch RolandGosebruch Nov 20, 2014 12:17 AM in response to Andy Epprecht
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 20, 2014 12:17 AM in response to Andy Epprecht

    Thanks Andy,

     

    that solved it.

  • by Andy Epprecht,

    Andy Epprecht Andy Epprecht Nov 20, 2014 1:14 AM in response to StoneSoup
    Level 1 (58 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Nov 20, 2014 1:14 AM in response to StoneSoup

    Steven

     

    that's exactly what I meant and did.

     

    After upgrading to Yosemite 10.10.1 I noticed that the Books/PDF tab in iTunes was reverted to simply Audiobooks. I then quit iTunes. Next I checked if the Books and PDFs still were found physically on my harddrive in my iTunes Media structure, what they did (what a relief they did not disapear into heaven). So I checked next for any existence of the BKagent process in the Activity Monitor, where gladly none showed up. Next I checked for the com.apple,BKagentservice.xpc in the library. No service there either (good). Then I went into the application folder and found the iBooks app reinstalled with the update. So I shredded iBooks with its 2 additional library files (don't remember there names) using appdelete (or appcleaner or whatever there is available) and you mentionned it, and thats maybe important, I emptied the trash. Then restarted iTunes and was simply happy to have all Books/PDFs and Audiobooks in one place where they need to be again. Syncing with the iOS devices all works fine and as expected ever since.

     

    Glad it helped to you and Roland too

     

    so until the next Yosemite update then ;-)

    Andy

  • by Mark Armitage,

    Mark Armitage Mark Armitage Nov 20, 2014 1:13 AM in response to RolandGosebruch
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iTunes
    Nov 20, 2014 1:13 AM in response to RolandGosebruch

    I'm confused here. Are people saying it's still good on 1010.1 with iTunes 12.0.1.26?

     

    In mine, I have no iBooks, no service but in iTunes the only top icon I have is for audiobooks, the one on the left for books is empty (and if I delete it it comes back next time I open iTunes). If I go to an iOS device page in iTunes then books they do all show up.

     

    Are you others not seeing this or are you on iTunes 11?

     

    iTunes-Books.png

  • by Andy Epprecht,

    Andy Epprecht Andy Epprecht Nov 20, 2014 1:23 AM in response to Mark Armitage
    Level 1 (58 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Nov 20, 2014 1:23 AM in response to Mark Armitage

    Marc,

     

    Using latest iTunes 12.0.1.26 here. No need to deal with iTunes 11 or whatever again (although I think the behaviour will be the same).

  • by Neddie P,

    Neddie P Neddie P Jan 1, 2015 4:00 PM in response to StoneSoup
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 1, 2015 4:00 PM in response to StoneSoup

    Hi Steven/StoneSoup,

     

    Thanks for this. It has taken me, literally, two years to just go for it and get rid of iBooks (which is LOATHSOME). So I've followed all the steps you kindly outlined, and rebooted, but I'm not getting a "books" folder on my iTunes. If I attach my iPad mini, it shows up as "Sync Books" but the file is empty. I'm not sure what I did wrong? If you have any suggestions, I would SO appreciate it!!

     

    Nadine

  • by Mark Armitage,

    Mark Armitage Mark Armitage Jan 2, 2015 7:40 AM in response to Mark Armitage
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iTunes
    Jan 2, 2015 7:40 AM in response to Mark Armitage

    In case anyone else hits this. it would seem (in my case anyway) that the solution is also to delete '~/Library/Containers/com.apple.BKAgentService' and restart iTunes.

     

    Only just ran across this folder today - not sure why it didn't show up in my search last time but there we go. I removed it, restarted iTunes and I get the black book icon back, click on that and lo and behold there are my books!

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