Problems synching ebooks from iTunes to iBooks

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Problems synching ebooks from iTunes to iBooks

I'm writing this because I'm quite at a loss.
The device is an iPhone 6 with iOS 8.4.1, just updated.
I also changed my PC to a new one. New PC is Windows 10 with latest version iTunes.
I imported all the old iTunes files and configurations from the old PC by just swapping the data HD to the new PC and making the old iTunes media directory the iTunes media directory in the new PC via the Preferences --> advanced --> iTunes media folder option.
I connected the iPhone to the new PC and adde a couple new e-books.
ALL my usual e-books disappeared.I quickly discovered that iTunes didn't get the path of the e-book directory, probably because the disk name changed from E: to F:. Corrected that and brought back all ebooks online and iTunes now correctly finds them.
Re-synched, expecting the books to come back to iBooks, but... nothing happened.
Just a very few came back, mostly from cloud.

Most of this e-books are free, some I even created myself, so it doesn't look like a matter of DRM.
On closer examination of the process, when I select the e-books and click on the "Apply" button, each ebook appears briefly in grey in iBooks, with the usual blue bar at the bottom, as it is usual when the book is downloading, only to disappear as soon as download is completed!
There are no filters active (Show all).
I already reset the iPhone to factory and recovered from last backup, to no avail.

I need a solution because I use the iPhone a lot to read...

iPhone 6, iOS 8.4.1

Posted on Aug 16, 2015 5:26 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 16, 2015 5:46 AM in response to 99octane

Agreed. Yes. Have followed same recovery procedure three times and still experiencing same issue as all of the above, including the book initially appearing to download only to disappear - What is the solution to this problem? - iPhone 4S IOS 8.4.1

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Answer 2

Aug 16, 2015 3:35 PM in response to acmajoris

AS it turns out, a short-term (until your next sync) work-around for ebook a not in iTunes is to download the ebook file from an email that you send to yourself. When you tap on the file in the email, iphone will ask whether to open in iBooks (or other); select iBooks and the app will automatically open and show the book downloading (appears as a greyed-out cover with blue progress bar). When the download is complete, this time it remains visible, opens, and you can continue reading at will. Another option is to download from cloud storage, such as Dropbox, or iCloud (although I've yet to be able to successfully use the mythical 5GB offered).

Disadvantages are:

1) Books may get 'erased' in the next sync (haven't tested yet),

2) You're starting over and the new copy won't have your saved last page and bookmarks, etc.,

3) Using your email is clunky and requires access to a separate store of you're books; and to avoid unnecessarily using up storage capacity with duplicated files probably need to delete emails after loading).

Only a short-term solution (especially for those who like to have multiple books and documents in use.

Apple still need a viable solution.

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Answer 3

99octane Author

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Aug 17, 2015 4:12 AM in response to 99octane

Acmajoris, I already knew of the workaround but thanks all the same for your help. Having "lost" more than a hundred e-books using mail would be quite time consuming. I could obviously limit myself to the one I'm currently reading, but it's annoying that a 700+$ device won't perform one of the main functions I bought it for.
All because of a stupid policy on data transfer. No need to say that on a Samsung phone you just copy the ebooks you like in the proper directory and there you are. Apple should really fix this.

Doing some more experimentation I found that only the books purchased or downloaded directly from iPhone are loaded, no books from iTunes appear.

I still havent upgraded my iPad to 8.4.1 and I'll wait to do it until the cause of the malfunction is clear... I fear it may have something to do with the new OS...

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Answer 4

Aug 21, 2015 7:59 AM in response to 99octane

I am having exact same problem on both my iPad air and iPhone 6Plus. Was in an online chat with Apple for over an hour late last night - they had me do a diagnostic to them - could not solve the problem. An Apple engineer is supposed to call me late this morning. I think they must know by now that the IOS update to 8/4/1 is really messed up.

I also wiped out my iPad - restored from backup. No luck. I used Dropbox to get some epubs into my iBooks Library so I could read until Apple gets this resolved.

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Answer 5

Kakumei

Level 1

21 points

Aug 21, 2015 11:20 AM in response to jeanettefrommurphysboro

Did the same thing you've done and no luck. I'll try the dropbox thing. When you spoke to Apple did they acknowledge your problem as an actual bug or even a known bug?

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Answer 6

Aug 21, 2015 12:21 PM in response to Kakumei

They kept trying various things and I kept telling them it was their update and they need to fix it ASAP. As of now I'm to wait until Tuesday for them to contact me again. I restored a backup of Windows on my PC and found the restore.ipsw file and restored my iPad back to version 8.4 and everything works fine now . So frustrating.

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Answer 7

Kakumei

Level 1

21 points

Aug 21, 2015 2:42 PM in response to jeanettefrommurphysboro

I Wish you good luck with speaking to someone about this. If you don't mind me asking, how were you able to install the old ipsw?

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Answer 8

Aug 21, 2015 4:40 PM in response to Kakumei

Hold down the shift key if you are using Windows - browse for the old restore file

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Answer 9

Aug 21, 2015 5:27 PM in response to Kakumei

With iTunes open Hold down the shift key while clicking on the Restore my iPad button in iTunes - Browse for the ipew file. Follow on screen instructions - after restore of the IOS, then restore from your backup for your files and settings

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Answer 10

99octane Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 22, 2015 3:47 PM in response to jeanettefrommurphysboro

Thank you jeanette for your feedback. From the symptoms I surmised it was something that had to do with the update, and didn't update my iPad, but one thing is having a hunch, another is seeing it confirmed by actual tests and Apple support.
I hope they can fix this mess asap.

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Answer 11

Aug 27, 2015 9:52 AM in response to 99octane

Apple called me back on Tuesday 8/25/2015 and once again wanted info about my computer/iTunes setup. I told the tech that I had restored back to IOS 8.4 and all iBook syncing now works fine and that she should let engineering know. She said she would. In the 3 phone calls I had with Apple I kept stressing this problem had nothing to do with my system, which OS or iTunes version I was using - it was THEIR update that messed things up. Very frustrating. I may be a 78 year old great-great grandmother but I am not a computer novice. I've beta tested for Microsoft and several other companies since 1992 - I build my own computers - I self taught myself about computer software and hardware back in the days of DOS.

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Answer 12

Kakumei

Level 1

21 points

Dec 28, 2015 12:45 PM in response to jeanettefrommurphysboro

Might try restoring the ipsw before the holidays are over. Question for anyone with iOS 9.2: Are you still having problems(or recently having problems) with iBooks? I've debated whether or not to visit the Apple store for help or cave in and buy a newer iPad(mine is an iPad2). I wish there was a set fix for this, it almost seems as if this iBooks bug is a way to discourage people from from getting their books from "non-Apple approved" sources. A shame really.

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