Unable to download. Error getting License. License Server Communication Problem: E_ADEPT_DOCUMENT_TYPE_UNKNOWN

[myrto70]

Hello,

I'm trying to download an ePub book (Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" , which I purchased on Google Play Books, in order to read on my Adobe Digital Editions application on my Windows 10 laptop computer and so that I would be able to side-load it and read it on my dedicated ereader device (Pocketbook). The book can be read online on the play-book store and on the google play-book app on my android phone. However, I have been unable to download it on my computer.

When the download starts I get the message that the book cannot be downloaded and that the file type is unknown (Unable to download. Error getting License. License Server Communication Problem: E_ADEPT_DOCUMENT_TYPE_UNKNOWN:). Please see screenshot below:

And then the application closes down:

I have also tried saving it in my Digital Editions folder and opening it from my library, without any better results.

The application has had no trouble downloading and opening other ePub books from Google Play store. The issue appears only with this specific file, which has an .ascm extension.

When I contacted googleplay support, they finally suggested that the problem has to do with the Adobe Digital Editions application and that I should try downloading the PlayBook app or contact Adobe support. As I want to be able to read the book on my e-ink eReader device (Pocketbook), the PlayBook app isn’t much help. I'm quite disappointed.

Below I have copied my conversations with the google-support team.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thank you in advance for your assistance,

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

2017-05-28 1:37 GMT+03:00 <googleplay-support@google.com>:

Hi Myrto ,

Thanks for contacting Google Support.

Hope you are doing great! My name is Kait, I'd be happy to assist you with your query. I understand that you're unable to open the book in your browser. I can imagine how frustrating this could be for you.

I'd recommend the below:

Clearing cache and cookies

    Open your Mozilla Firefox browser.

    From the Tools or History menu, select Clear Recent History.

    Note: If the menu bar is hidden, press Alt to make it visible.

    From the "Time range to clear:" drop-down menu, select how far back in time you want to clear browsing data. To clear your entire cache, select Everything.

    Click the Down arrow next to "Details" and choose what browsing data to clear.

    Click Clear Now.

Disable extensions

    Open your Mozilla Firefox browser.

    Go to Tools > Add-ons.

    On the right, click Extensions.

    To the right of the extension you want to disable, click Disable.

If there is an issue while watching on one browser, have the customer try a different one.

Please let me know if still issue persist after applying above.

Thanks!

Kait K

The Google Support Team

_______________________________________________________

Hello Kait,

Thank you for your prompt answer.

Unfortunately, the problem has not been resolved. While I can read the e-book "The Handmaid's Tale" online, in the browser and on the Google books app of the Android phone, I can't download and open the ePub file on my computer (Windows 10), in order to read it on the Adobe Digital Editions program and side-load it onto my e-ink ereader. The file appears to be downloaded with an epub.acsm extension, but when I try to open it with the Digital Editions application, this message appears: unable to download. Error getting license. Document_type_unknown. Then the app closes down. Please see attached screenshots.

Thank you again for your help.

Myrto

_______________________________________________________

2017-05-30 4:03 GMT+03:00

Hi Myrto,

Thanks for contacting Google Support.

Thanks for replying my email with the screenshot. I've already taken action on this issue and forwarded the case to our next level of support. You will get revert if there will be any issue with the book's content. Till then I'd request you to try to load the book using some other device so that I can conform that issue is not coming due to device. I'll be waiting for your reply so that I can resolve this with my best.

Thanks!

Maneesha

The Google Support Team

________________________________________________________

30 May

Hello again and thank you for your support.

I have now tried to download the book on another device as well, and have had exactly the same results. Maybe the file is damaged?

I would greatly appreciate it if this could be resolved.

Sincerely yours,

1. Myrto.

__________________________________________________________

31 May

Hi Myrto,

Thanks for contacting Google Support.

Hope you are doing great! My name is Maneesha .I have gone through the information you shared and I understand your concern very well. To resolve this with the best I've consulted with one of our specialist and found that there is issue with your Adobe reader. Hence, I'd request you to contact adobe team to get this resolved or try uploading on a different browser.

I'd request you to install Google play books from chrome web store and then try to open the book. To make your work easier I’m sharing the link here to download google play books.

Thanks!

Maneesha

The Google Support Team

[ana_lucia_salgado]

same thing for me. I purchased three books at the same time. One is fine. The other two only available online, can download, can´t open.

same response from Google, same lack of response from Adobe in this forums (if you surf these forums, this issue is never answered.

I'm cancelling the purchase.

[christineb32278751]

Hi Guys, I have your problem too! Have tried all suggestions found in forums... no good. Google Play support no use either.

If we cannot put Play books on our e readers, or read them in anything but an android platform they  will lose a shedload of sales.

Adobe too seem to be worse than useless at offering support on this issue, which appears to be a long standing one.

[mletc]

Another person with same problem.

[beezlebabe]

And another user with the same problem.
Now adding that I cannot open DRM free epubs either!
Error message for DRM Free files just says unable to add: errors were encountered.

It annoys me that we have to go to such extremes every time we purchase a digital book,

[johnd72283941]

Hey I got the same problem and no solution. I can't read my book on my Sony e reader beacuse I can't download it. I will never buy a e-book on my phone at the Google Play store. I am a week now busy trying download to read my own bought ebook.

I will try to find it on a torrent site which is easier, shame on Adobe and Google. It seems its more important to protect the files as their customers experience.

Next week I am on holiday and can only read my book on my smartphone but not on the beach because of the screen you can't read in the sun.

[rods55501578]

Same issue here, I get error getting license then it indicates that the license is being used by another user. Windows 10, everyone in this forum is using windows 10? I was able to read the book in digital editions on a windows 7 before it crashed and I build the windows 10. Anyone has a solution for this yet?

[andrewm55493986]

Adobe why are you not answering your customers questions? I have been looking for hours to get a fix to this and clearly you have known about this issue for an extended period of time but have done nothing to fix it? Do you just not care about your product that much?

[vladimir.21]

Error getting License. License Server Communication Problem:

E_ADEPT_DOCUMENT_TYPE_UNKNOWN:

what to do?

[AJIT_M]

Hi Myrto,

Apologies for the inconvenience caused to you.

I would like to inform you that usually this error occurs if the book fulfillment is complete and while trying to detect the book format, it is neither in ePub format nor in PDF format. Sometimes re-downloading the ACSM file and fulfilling might solve the problem.

If issue still exists, I have sent you a private message and I would request you to provide me the information so that we can investigate the issue at our end.

Regards,

Ajit

[vw567]

Hi Ajit,

I have the same error message when downloading a book from Proquest Ebook Central. I logged in there with my university account and when downloading the acsm file it won't open but gives this error:

"Error getting License. License Server Communication Problem:

E_AUTH_BAD_DEVICE_KEY_OR_PKCS12"

This is very frustrating...

Thanks.

[AJIT_M]

Hi There,

"E_AUTH_BAD_DEVICE_KEY_OR_PKCS12" error usually occurs when the authorization information is damaged in your ADE. You may follow the steps mentioned in the below article to de-authorize and re-authorize ADE with the same Adobe Id to which your eBook has been authorized/tied with and see if that resolves the issue-

Error messages and troubleshooting tips for activation errors in Adobe Digital Editions

Once this has been done you need to delete the ebook and redownload it because any ebook file already downloaded prior to reauthorisation may not open.

Regards,

Ajit

[haizheny66037400]

I also experience this error with all the ebooks ".acsm" files I tried to download. It is giving me an error message of saying:

Unable to download:

Error getting License. License Server Communication Problem:

E_ACT_NOT_READY

Please advise.

[AJIT_M]

HI There,

"E ACT NOT READY" error usually occurs when there is an issue with the authorization of your ADE. You may follow the steps mentioned in the below article to de-authorize and re-authorize ADE with the same Adobe Id to which your eBook has been authorized/tied with and see if that resolves the issue-

Error messages and troubleshooting tips for activation errors in Adobe Digital Editions

Regards,

Ajit

[lordsorth]

I have the same problem exactly. Using a Mac with OS X 10.5 Catalina. I have tried many times to "borrow" and download a book from Archive.org. It has never worked and I keep getting the same annoying and meaningless error messages that can never be resolved. I see you are full of spurious explanations, why don't you just make a better application?

[lordsorth]

Correction that should have been 10.15 Catalina.

[alep45686179]

Hi,

Im having the same problem

i use win 10

when i open de file it appears

unable to download

error getting license

E_ADEPT_DOCUMENT_OPEN_ERROR

please help me

it didnt happens in the past......

thanks