New Version of Microsoft Reader Now Available for Download

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/ppc.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/ppc.asp</a><br /><br /></div>Christine from the Microsoft Reader team <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=375584#375584">posted a message in our forums</a> (I love it when Microsoft people get involved!) letting us know that there's a new version of Microsoft Reader now <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/ppc.asp">available for download</a>. New features include:<br /><br />• Windows Mobile 5.0 activation support<br />• Ability to install Reader to removable media and retain ability to activate without copying files.<br />• Ability to install Reader to removable media without having to copy font files<br />• Shortcuts are now created at install time assuring that the shortcut points to your install on removable media

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I had to use a rather tedious workaround with the last version to get MS Reader installed on an external card AND do activations properly. Nice to know they've finally added that option.

[cab124]

I just reformatted both my desktop and laptop computers. When I reactivated Reader on those computers, I was told that I was out of activations. Doesn't make sense ot me because its the same hardware that was activated previously. I requested more, but was turned down.

At the same time, I recently sold an old tablet PC and iPaq 2215. Is there a way to remove them from my list of activated devices??

I really like using eBooks and Reader, but the DRM makes it too frustrating. I don't like paying for content, and then being compltely dependant upon someone else to tell me if I can access it.

[jngold_me]

WTF? The activation page tells me I have an old version of the OS? I have a WM5 K-JAM.

What gives?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Read through the original thread - there's some special steps you need to take before installing. Plus, make sure you got the right installer - it took me three tries to get the right file.

[jngold_me]

No matter what I do, I keep getting the March 22nd version.

Any ideas?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I got the same problem when I initially used firefox to download. It worked for me when I switched back to IE.

[jngold_me]

Tried IE and even tried on PIE. No go, still March 22.

Typical MS.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Typical MS.

:lol: Wait til you get to the activation!

The other guy who managed it had to use thunderhawk on his PDA. Maybe try clearing out your IE cache, and setting the new versions check to "every time..."?

[wiz]

Incidentally, the guy @ Microsoft who published the page forgot to double-check his own page:

file:///H|/info/features/default.asp

should actually be

http://www.microsoft.com/reader/info/features/default.asp

This wil bring you to the new features page

[Menneisyys]

I've just posted a quick review of the new version to http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&amp;p=323&amp;more=1 . Feel free to read and comment :)

[erratic]

I just wish that Microsoft would provide a standalone .cab file - while I realise that most do have access to a PC, not all of us do, or don't have sufficient admin rights to be able to install anything on them.

I tried to explain this to MS tech support, but ended up in the most convoluted and lengthy discussion about what I needed, with the tech support person thinking I wanted to install Reader on a desktop machine. Two more confused tech support people later I just gave up and now don't use .lit files on my iPaq 1945 at all, much as I would like to.

[angler]

WTF? The activation page tells me I have an old version of the OS? I have a WM5 K-JAM.

What gives?

I got the same error message when I tried to activate the MS reader installed in iPAQ file store. Sounds like those previous version of reader that can only be installed into RAM instead of any storage card and creates trouble when activating. Or microsoft has not updated the activation page so that it can activate reader installed in storage card.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Guys, be very sure that you've downloaded the right installer - I got version 2.4 twice earlier today before finally getting 2.4.1, but I had to change browsers to do so.

When the installer program launches, read the header on the EULA - if it says 2.4, then you've got the wrong installer. The old version will of course return errors in activation if you install it outside of RAM. In addition, you can try right clicking on the file after it downloads, and check its digital signature. It should read november 2005. If it says March 2005, you've still got 2.4 not 2.4.1.

[jngold_me]

I now have the right version of the app on my k-JAM (2.4.1). Last night the link kept pointing to an older install version.

Now, even using IE I cannot activate the app. It keeps telling me that I have an older OS on my device.

This process blows.

Any ideas?

[Mr. PPC]

I have tried several times and keep getting the 2.4 version. :(

[Nurhisham Hussein]

These instructions are in the original thread, but I think it's worthwhile reproducing here:

I just wanted to post an additional note reminding folks that they should remember to take any previous Reader install attempts off their machines (both PPC install on desktop and on PPC). Follow these instructions and you should be clear to install the new version.

On the desktop go to Control Panel | add/remove programs
Find the Microsoft Reader for PPC install entry
Click on modify/uninstall
Close add/remove and control panel
Cradle device
Open ActiveSync and sync the device
Go to Tools | Add/Remove programs
Select the Reader and go to the Remove all section at the bottom
Click remove
Once the release has disappeared from the program listing close the add/remove programs dialog
Go to http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/ppc.asp
Click on the setup.exe
Choose “run” and follow the install instructions.
Attempt to activate

You can check your Reader version by opening Reader and going to Settings | About Microsoft Reader. It should be 2.4.1 (build 5323)

If you run into problems please post back here or email me offline and I will do my best to assist you.

Sincerely,
Christine - Microsoft Reader Team

Additonal instructions for activation:

Try temporarily setting your IE security to Medium-low and making sure that you have set your browser to accept downloads on the advanced page.

A further tip:

Learned that I can't install the activation on the storage card. Well, I unistalled the activation from the card, but left Reader on the storage card. I re-installed activation into main memory and it worked. 204K to main memory! Ouch! I tested the only DRM'd book I own and it now works again. Yeah!

Jason has already provided the link for the original thread, so I won't repeat that here.

[angler]

Guys, be very sure that you've downloaded the right installer - I got version 2.4 twice earlier today before finally getting 2.4.1, but I had to change browsers to do so..

Thanks hishamh. Just got the right version and successfully installed and activated the reader in IFS. Shame to Microsoft that it stipudly point the link of the new version to the previous version and just fix the problem.

[Mr. PPC]

Just to clarify for everyone...

Click on the file name on right side of screen (MSReaderPPCUSASetup.exe), the 'Full Installation' downloads (further down page) are not the right version.

Make sure to select 'run' when given the choice. If you choose 'save', you'll get the older version.

[SHC]

I just downloaded, removed old version, installed new to ipaq file store and it works. Didnt have to reactivate at all. Seems somewhat faster to me.

[DaleReeck]

Yep, I had to use Thunderhawk too. Most likely the region you are in is causing this. MS hasn't updated the things that need to be updated for the file to get everywhere it needs to get. Thunderhawk's servers (which do all the download work) are in an updated area obviously, so they can get it. A lot of us with our home/work computers (like me) aren't. I'll bet west coast people can get it easier than east coast people :)

I don't know this is the case for sure, but it has happened in the past. Too bad PPCT doesn't allow attachments, otherwise I'd post it here.

[DaleReeck]

Just to clarify for everyone...

Click on the file name on right side of screen (MSReaderPPCUSASetup.exe), the 'Full Installation' downloads (further down page) are not the right version.

Make sure to select 'run' when given the choice. If you choose 'save', you'll get the older version.

I downloaded from both files, neither was the right one. I had to use Thunderhawk (see my previous post).

[pivaska]

I just need to know why I need to download this new version. I have a Dell Axim 51v and plenty of room...so far. I have been using it as is for a long time. Is there anything that the average user needs in the revised version?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Since you're running WM5.0, you'll need this to access DRM-protected books. If you don't buy books like these, then you really needn't bother.

[bvkeen]

Works fine on my x51v, even on the DRM'd books. Font size, even on smallest setting, is still larger than I prefer, but at least it works okay and I didn't have any activation hassles.

EDIT: Using Tweaks2k's Hi-Res hack improvess the font situation a bit. I'd still like smaller fonts but it's an overall good build.

[chrisah]

All:

Thanks for the information regarding the bad download links. I will have our web dev update these links ASAP. I apologize for the inconvienience.

Sincerely,
Christine - Microsoft Reader Team

[bvkeen]

All:

Thanks for the information regarding the bad download links. I will have our web dev update these links ASAP. I apologize for the inconvienience.

Sincerely,
Christine - Microsoft Reader Team

Christine,
Thank You. I've been reading ebooks most of the day with it.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

@bvkeen

Yeah, I've been using the brute force hack since almost day one I got my VGA machine. It resolved some font issues as well with the previous version of MS Reader (not 2.4), like the page arrows appearing as numbers on the settings screen. I'm a little surprised it's still having an effect though - shouldn't MS Reader be fully VGA compliant?

@christine

Thanks! Despite the complaints, I think everybody really appreciates your presence here.

[bvkeen]

@bvkeen

Yeah, I've been using the brute force hack since almost day one I got my VGA machine. It resolved some font issues as well with the previous version of MS Reader (not 2.4), like the page arrows appearing as numbers on the settings screen. I'm a little surprised it's still having an effect though - shouldn't MS Reader be fully VGA compliant?

@christine

Thanks! Despite the complaints, I think everybody really appreciates your presence here.

It's odd that the brute-force hack improves even some VGA compliant software, and 2.4 is VGA compliant. I was surprised, example, that it improved Pocket Word on my x50v. On the x50v, the PW selection menu really looked odd, streaky, dorky (not sure of best term), after opening and closing a doc. The brute-force tweak fixed it. Yet, no doubt PW was VGA compliant. Seems like this might have helped with the ListPro list-selection screen, too, though it's been so long since I used it that I can't recall for sure.

To me, MS Reader seems fully VGA (and WM5) compatible, but the hack gives maybe 10-20% more word per screen. I'm not really sure what's going on under the hood. Just thankful to have a hack that improves it a bit.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

That's a good tip thanks - I've only ever applied the hack to software that wasn't VGA compliant. MS Reader was the one exception. I'm going to have a go at all of them now!

[gwinter]

To me, MS Reader seems fully VGA (and WM5) compatible, but the hack gives maybe 10-20% more word per screen. I'm not really sure what's going on under the hood. Just thankful to have a hack that improves it a bit.

MS Reader is still NOT VGA-aware. And I'm not talking about using brute-force VGA hack where everything becomes tiny. No, put simply, the lastest Reader is still being pixel-doubled by the OS. You can see this when you add a drawing to a book. Or when you pop-up the context menu where you can add annotations, the text covered by the shadow effect of the context menu appear unsharp. These are all caused by pixel-doubling.

[bvkeen]

To me, MS Reader seems fully VGA (and WM5) compatible, but the hack gives maybe 10-20% more word per screen. I'm not really sure what's going on under the hood. Just thankful to have a hack that improves it a bit.

MS Reader is still NOT VGA-aware. And I'm not talking about using brute-force VGA hack where everything becomes tiny. No, put simply, the lastest Reader is still being pixel-doubled by the OS. You can see this when you add a drawing to a book. Or when you pop-up the context menu where you can add annotations, the text covered by the shadow effect of the context menu appear unsharp. These are all caused by pixel-doubling.

Interesting. Live and learn (= the great value of these forums). I took it to be VGA compliant because the hack does not make everything tiny (as it does, for example, with MobiReader 4.8). I had not tried any notes or drawings with it.

Nonetheless, a significant improvement in my view over past MSReader implementations. I had set MSReader aside for close to year because of hassles with it being slow, having activation problems, etc. I'm glad it's at a point where I can use it and appreciate Christine sticking in there with us to getting it to a better point.

[kcwester]

I have a PPC6700. I installed version 2.4.1 on my storage card. It still will not allow me to activate and says what others have previous mentioned. suggestions, please. I have followed all directions above.

Cheryl

[bvkeen]

I have a PPC6700. I installed version 2.4.2 on my storage card. It still will not allow me to activate and says what others have previous mentioned. suggestions, please.

Cheryl

Wish I could help, but I have no experience installing to storage card. I would have thought that the location would not be a factor, as the activation software (such as secrepid.dat) installs to Windows. But, perhaps, it relocates these files when installing to SD. You might check the installation directory and see if it has located the activation files (such as secrepid.dat, secrep.xml) on the storage card. If they are located there, you might try moving them to the Windows directory. It seems to me that there are three files involved in the activation, but I can't recall all of them (only the two I've listed).

Otherwise, I wouldn't know what to try.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Actually there's four, excluding the uninstall file:

secrep.dat
secrep.dll
secrep.xml
secrepid.dat

[bdcotton]

Just tried updating reader after weeks of frustration with o2 XDA (HTC Universal) and got same old "You have an older version of Pocket PC which does not support Activation. Activation requires Pocket PC 2002 or later", but worked fine on second attempt.

Thanks microsoft for the fix, but why did it not work when WM5.0 first came out?

[chrisah]

Just tried updating reader after weeks of frustration with o2 XDA (HTC Universal) and got same old "You have an older version of Pocket PC which does not support Activation. Activation requires Pocket PC 2002 or later", but worked fine on second attempt.

Thanks microsoft for the fix, but why did it not work when WM5.0 first came out?

bdcotton:

Glad that you were able to finally get activated. The reason that it did not work when WM 5.0 came out was due to updated security on the WM 5.0 Phone edition and some isolated standard edition devices. The activation component could not address the dll's on the device and so activation would not complete. This has now been resolved with the V 2.4.1 of the Reader.

Sincerely,
Christine - Microsoft Reader Team

[Ann]

I bought an ebook – Microsoft reader version – from Amazon about 11 months ago. Since then, I purchased a new PPC. Last night, I upgraded to the the new reader version on PPC and desktop and then activated them both – that part went well (after several tried of getting the newest version). I now cannot open my book !! – the book is there, in my library, but will not open - message says I do not have access - I need to re-activate my program. I decided to do a fresh download of the book and then reinstall it. Amazon told me that I only have 60 days from the date of purchase to download and they will NOT allow me to download again even after I explained my situation – new PPC.

I give up! This should not be so HARD. I purchased the book, I am entitled to have it, I am not trying to cheat anyone. I will not buy another Microsoft reader book again, nor will I buy from Amazon again! I will uninstall the reader program tonight. This is ridiculous!!! I will stick with ebooks.com. Too bad, I buy a lot of books and they have lost a good customer! :(

[Nurhisham Hussein]

Ann, I wouldn't necessarily fault MS for this - other readers have their problems with DRM as well. In any case avoid buying e-books from Amazon - Fictionwise is probably the best source for DRM *.lit books in any case. They don't have any limits on downloads at all, and they also support multiple formats.

[Ann]

Ann, I wouldn't necessarily fault MS for this - other readers have their problems with DRM as well. In any case avoid buying e-books from Amazon - Fictionwise is probably the best source for DRM *.lit books in any case. They don't have any limits on downloads at all, and they also support multiple formats.[/color]Thanks for the suggestion - I will definately go to Fictionwise in the future!! I was very suprised at Amazon's policy - and they do not appear to be willing to bend at all.

Ok, maybe I won't give up on MS program...but I am miffed I cannot resolve this. The book shows up and is listed inside the program, but just says access is restricted.. if I could just re-download I feel this would be fixed (?).

I did try the suggestion to delete files in the annotation directory, then soft reset, o luck, but definately worth the try. :wink: n




[/quote]

[chrisah]

Ann, I wouldn't necessarily fault MS for this - other readers have their problems with DRM as well. In any case avoid buying e-books from Amazon - Fictionwise is probably the best source for DRM *.lit books in any case. They don't have any limits on downloads at all, and they also support multiple formats.[/color]Thanks for the suggestion - I will definately go to Fictionwise in the future!! I was very suprised at Amazon's policy - and they do not appear to be willing to bend at all.

Ok, maybe I won't give up on MS program...but I am miffed I cannot resolve this. The book shows up and is listed inside the program, but just says access is restricted.. if I could just re-download I feel this would be fixed (?).

I did try the suggestion to delete files in the annotation directory, then soft reset, o luck, but definately worth the try. :wink: n

[/quote]

Ann:

I am so sorry that you are having such a hard time of it! Can you tell me where you installed your activation? I only ask as I encountered similar symptoms during my testing of the Reader and they were caused by one of two things:

1. Incompatible components (e.g. cached installations for the previous Reader either on the Desktop - desktop components for the PPC Reader or the PPC

2. DRM files installed to the SD card or other removable media.

If neither of these are a possibility please feel free to contact me offline for futher assistance and I will do my best to help you resolve your issue.

Sincerely.
Christine - Microsoft Reader Team