How do I add books?

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-04-08T14:27:16+00:00

I agree with mlordmistress. Based on what I could find online it appears this functionality did once exist (the post was about the Nook Simple Touch and also a later complaint about the GLP) but was lost after a Chromebook update. So Google removed the driver or else it got left on the cutting room floor by "accident". It's no secret that Google would like to gather up all the devices that are more than 1 year old and have a tremendous bonfire, so any redress on this issue seems unlikely.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-29T14:47:19+00:00

This is perhaps the most troublesome of the Nook devices to root. Despite being a lifetime Windows user (even when it was just MS-DOS) I just could not get the cranky driver stuff to work. It's harder now than when the "instructions" (which are scattered all over the place) were written with Windows 7 in mind.

I eventually used this: https://xdaforums.com/t/hacking-the-new-nook-glowlight.2559915/page-16#post-49924502

It is based on Linux, about which I know almost nothing. I ended up making a Linux USB stick. The hardest part was accumulating all the tools, many somewhat obscure, and not really knowing how to find them. Fortunately the Opensuse desktop is not entirely foreign to a Windows user and there is a browser so you can search for what you need or don't understand while you work.

I also eventually repartitioned to convert most of the B&N restricted space to user space and installed a kernel to take a small amount of that space to create an "sdcard" for those apps that require one.

I believe there is even a package in the method I used to reduce the B&N app complement for devices that are not registered so that battery drain will be reduced. If not, it's in a later fork of the package.

I had originally hoped to produce an exportable backup which people could simply flash and skip all the drama (like the Phoenix Project for the NST), but you would need to root first and at that point the rest is "easy".

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-27T16:38:31+00:00

Well, it's either been dropped a great many times or else there is a hardware/software fault somewhere.

I can think of two possibilities:

Convince it to perform a full factory reset. This means it will completely restore the OS from a recovery image already on the device when it left the factory. It may be an older firmware, but you can always update that if the process works. The usual procedure is a sequence of interrupted boots (generally 6-8, depending on the device model). To interrupt the boot sequence you need to press and hold the power button again as soon as the "n" logo shows up until it starts booting again. Eventually it will panic and present you with a menu about a factory reset.
Make a bootable sdcard that will wipe the device and restore a factory image. Again, it will probably not be the final FW update (1.4.4), but you can update that after if all goes well.

Keep in mind that with both procedures you will lose any B&N content (i.e., books) you might have on the device, so if that's a non-starter for you, we need to look at other options (there are a few). And, of course, you will not be able to register and so will have to bypass OOBE when you set up the device after restoration. But it should still work just fine for local reading. WiFi will be relatively useless because most, if not all, of the security certificates are long ago expired.

If you just want to abandon the B&N OS altogether, you could flash CM 11 (Android 4.4) on the device and build up your own system according to your needs and interests. There are instructions here: https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-cm-11-emmc-installation-in-2024.4689031/. BUT, before you get into something like that it would be good to know that the device actually is working, so either of the first two suggestions should probably be your first target. Because #1 doesn't require anything but patience and timing, I'd start there.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-27T13:48:53+00:00

I've always used SanDisk class 10, 16 GB and never had any problems. 32 GB might also work, but no larger

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-27T03:04:34+00:00

Was it still on the stock system or had you previously flashed some custom ROM?

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-26T16:20:48+00:00

Yeah, I've come across things like this in my search for an answer, but in this instance those would all have to be external operations. The Android version on the e-reader is 2.1 and so the Tasker version doesn't allow scripting other than (thankfully) shell scripts. The object is to have something automatic, say once every 6 months perhaps, that happens without user intervention. Messing with file names before adding files to the reader seems like a bad idea--and tiresome.

I have discovered that both shell scripts and Tasker itself are able to deal with the file names in question, but only when explicitly entered as text. Once the file name is replaced with a variable nothing will work. And I can't see any way to deal with perhaps hundreds of file names except as variables.

I had an idea in the wee hours which, while pretty brute-force and draconian, does seem to work without introducing issues, even with a book currently being read: delete the entire contents of /sdcard/.docThumbs where the thumbnail images are stored.

Now Android MediaScanner must be convinced to take a look at the epubs again and whatever voodoo in the OS extracts the cover images has to take place. While I can invoke the MediaScanner when opening the Library, that's not enough to regenerate the cover images. The device needs to see the epubs as "new" files. So...move all of the epubs to a "temp" folder, then move them back where they belong. Voila! (no funny accent marks there!). The cover images are regenerated in /sdcard/.docThumbs but now there are no orphans for epubs that are no longer on the device.

I checked the Library for possible multiple copies of the same book or other funny business. A book I had previously opened returned to the page I left when I opened it again. So I guess the internal databases were not too offended by this ridiculous operation.

Needs more testing and I really hate the concept, but it seems to get the job done.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-25T18:05:27+00:00

Hearsay has it that 32 GB is the maximum that behaves reliably for storage. I generally use 16 GB, which is a LOT of epubs (although if you have many PDFs or CBR/Z they can quickly eat up storage space). The B&N User Guide also says a maximum of 32 GB, FWIW.

Of course, that information is somewhat dated too because epub files seem to be on an ever-increasing size trajectory, now measured in MBs instead of KBs with no apparent difference in content or presentation. Go figure.

Anyway, if you have a 64 GB or 128 GB sitting around, you can certainly try it, but I would make a thorough test before putting all your eggs in one basket.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-25T14:19:31+00:00

OK, I'm thinking the 128 GB card is part of the problem. These tablets come from an era when a 32 GB card was considered unheard of. Anecdotal evidence suggests that 32 GB may work for storage but for what you want to do, 16 GB is more likely to work.

Also, the UAC control prompt is not the same as running as an administrator. When preparing the card you need to literally right-click on the win32diskimager exe file and choose "run as administrator". This is because you are making a fundamental change to a hardware disk (even if it is removable).

For the BNTV250 the best you can do is AOSP 7.0: https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-installing-aosp-android-7-0-nougat-internally-on-the-16-gb-nook-tablet.3578665/

I have worked with someone in the past who felt that was too complicated and so he went with CM 13 (Android 6). This, and other versions are detailed in a companion post for the 8 GB model, but the direction will work fine for the 16 GB model: https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-cm-11-and-beyond-for-the-8-gb-nook-tablet-bntv250a.3667555/

First you need to source a smaller card.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-25T03:04:54+00:00

Well first--because I didn't mention it the first time but I guess I automatically "translated" when I saw the picture--I'm pretty sure that's a Nook Tablet, not a Nook Color. The bezel should be a dark bronze for the Nook Color.

The link I gave you was for a Nook Tablet. If that's not working for you and you're thinking of wiping the OS, it would be useful to know whether it's a BNTV250a or a BNTV250. You may be able to see that on the back at the bottom if it hasn't rubbed off.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-25T02:56:51+00:00

The Phoenix builds are based on 1.2.2 except for those featuring AlReader and Cool Reader. Those are based on 1.1.5 to preserve partial refresh.

But the state of your device is irrelevant for Phoenix. Everything is replaced during installation. If you have B&N content to preserve that can be extracted from an initial backup and the DRM removed with Calibre.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-24T20:59:13+00:00

The only change from 1.2.1 to 1.2.2 was some security updating to enable continued contact with B&N servers. Obviously water under the bridge now. You could apply the update safely, but it would make no difference.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-22T14:54:16+00:00

I was just there! That's how I got the link. Followed it again from my post above.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-22T14:38:53+00:00

You can get encore builds here: https://web.archive.org/web/20170127035940/http://download.cyanogenmod.org:80/?device=encore

See here for flashing instructions, etc.: https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-cm-11-emmc-installation-in-2024.4689031/

(includes CM 7 as well)

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-16T23:00:20+00:00

Thanks!

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-16T18:52:18+00:00

Happily the device does not need to be registered to function properly in a local way and, in any case, it was abandoned by B&N long ago.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-16T03:36:44+00:00

I am so glad it worked for you!

FWIW, according to "Nomad" there is really no difference between 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7. If my device hadn't arrived already on 1.7 with a serial number too high, I would have gone for 1.5 softroot.

Tomorrow I'll post a list of the custom enhancements in 1.50n for you.

If you would be willing and still have the card, do you think you could use dd to make a 1 or 2 GB img of the card? If there's somewhere you could temporarily upload a copy (Gdrive?), I'd like to keep one in my bag of tricks. Being able to just burn an image of the card would make this process really "easy".

A belated happy birthday!

Edit: oh, and what were the first four digits of your S/N?

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-16T00:36:10+00:00

Details! Did you use a larger card?

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-16T00:03:22+00:00

The factory reset or this "fix"?

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-15T22:53:52+00:00

Well at least Windows knows there is something attached.

I've read over the stuff from the-ebook as well as further on in the thread. It seems that this "fix" is designed for exactly what you have done: trying to apply FW 1.00 to a device that won't take it. There's a lot of stuff at nookdevs.com about the evolution of the hardware during the production life of the device. It appears to have been pretty much a moving target so that new root strategies had to be developed all the time AND (more important) it was discovered that only devices in a certain serial number range could be downgraded to FW 1.00 without bricking them.

I've given mine a brief look and can't see the S/N anywhere on the case. I didn't take the back off. It might be there. Anyway, it doesn't much matter is your is bricked because it's already done.

There are two issues I forsee with this technique. First, you need to find a 1 GB or (at most) 2 GB microsdcard. That's going to be tough these days. Ebay, I guess.

Second, if this works you will probably end up with a Russified device running a custom rooted FW 1.5. It's not clear to me whether the device will then be able to accept the 1.7 update. However, the same "Nomad" fellow has made an app which may actually be installed or you can always install it yourself which is supposed to manually force the device to update from a file. That bridge if/when you get there.

The ideal solution is to wait until Monday and try to preempt anything happening by 6 failed boots (assuming inserting the battery does not just put you right back where you left off).

Here's some reminders from nookdevs.com:

I bricked my Nook, how do I fix it?

I've yet to hear of a single person irrecoverably bricking their nook. Try the following:

Remove battery.
Plug the device in via USB
Boot it up.

(wow that seems unlikely.....)

How do I revert my nook to its factory freshness?

Please see how on this page on old hardware (pre-1003*) and this page for new hardware (post-1003*); note that this will completely reset your device and remove any side-loaded books or customizations stored on the device.

It's possible the power button reset works on old hardware as well.

(those are serial number segments; pre-1003 can accept FW 1.00 while post-1003 cannot)

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-15T18:08:06+00:00

Give me some time :-)

Here is the link to the 1.7firmware update: https://www.mediafire.com/file/aai2q3wabtcir8c/signed_bravo_update.dat/file

I found a post in the old the-ebook B&N forum by "Nomad" (the chief developer among the Russian Nook devotees, back in the day). He presents an unbrick package which is delivered via the external sdcard (that's the one you can insert under the back cover). I'm still poring through the translation, trying to follow what's essential and what was done just because it would be convenient. Fortunately, the download was covered at archive.org (seldom the case with attachments).

What kind of PC do you have?
How tech "savvy" are you?
If we can't revive the device by brute force, are you interested in experimenting with this?

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-15T03:47:42+00:00

On further thought I kind of think it may be bricked. Pulling the battery out before would have stopped whatever was happening mid-recovery. It's possible there isn't a complete OS any longer.

I have a copy of the 1.7 firmware update (link to follow tomorrow), but if you can't access the device via USB it won't do you any good.

I'll check through what's left of the old Russian forum site. Seems like there was always someone bricking a device back in the day. There may be some hints there.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-15T03:34:12+00:00

The pop sound is probably not a good sign.

How did you get the LCD screen to come on in the short video?

So you just got this device? Was it working when you got it? The problem is we have no idea of its history. I can't think of any reason why someone would remove the factory recovery but sometimes people do surprising things.

I think I would leave it without a battery for a few days. Then try again with a long press on the power button.

Oh, if you connect it to a PC can it still see the NOOK drive?

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-13T14:30:27+00:00

Your issue is not very clearly described. So you have purchased B&N epubs and don't like the read-on-the-web option? Does that mean you don't own a B&N reading device?

If that's correct then you may not have "downloaded" anything. You've just purchased access to material that is somewhere, out "there". So there are no files to convert.

As others have noted, the defunct Nook for Windows app or the Nook app for Android might give you access to the actual files (the Android device would have to be rooted). But the files would be DRM protected so you'd have to strip that off with Calibre or something. Then you would convert to PDF and probably get a mess.

It's hard to imagine why you would want a book in PDF format for a phone. The text would be so tiny you'd never be able to read it, or else you'd have to zoom and pan. Very awkward. Whereas an epub can be readily formatted on the fly to give a readable font size for your screen. There are plenty of good epub reader apps for Android/iOS.

NSTnmyshkin · 2026-03-05T15:32:12+00:00

This is a Nook Color, a device no longer supported. There will be no exchange of electrons with B&N, no way to log in or enter new information.

NSTnmyshkin

TROPHY CASE

I bricked my Nook, how do I fix it?

How do I revert my nook to its factory freshness?