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Help - Troubleshooting - OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks


What should I do if an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook does not completely download?

If you need to download an audiobook, or a Part of an audiobook, you can do so using the 'Download' option of OverDrive Media Console as follows:

  1. Open OverDrive Media Console.
  2. Locate the desired title in your 'Media Library', and single-click it.
  3. Click the 'Download' button.
    The 'Download' dialog box is displayed, and lists all of the Parts of the selected title.
  4. If you are not already online, connect to the Internet.
  5. Locate the Part(s) you want to download, and place a checkmark in the checkbox(es) to the left of the desired Part(s).
  6. Click the 'OK' button.
    The selected Part(s) begin to download, and the download status is displayed in the lower-right hand corner of OverDrive Media Console.

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Instead of the audiobook I expected, I downloaded a file with the extension 'ODM'. Where is the OverDrive MP3 Audiobook?

The download of an ODM file is part of the OverDrive Media file download process, and precedes the download of the actual audiobook files. The steps taken to download the title vary by operating system…

  • On Mac, double-click the ODM file. OverDrive Media Console opens and prompts you to download the title.
  • On Windows, double-click the ODM file. OverDrive Media Console opens and allows you to use the title. If OverDrive Media Console does not open, follow the instructions below to manually set the file association for the ODM file type.

    If you have Windows 7 or Windows Vista®…

    1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Default Programs.
    2. Click 'Associate a file type or protocol with a program'.
      The computer lists the file types used on your system. It can take a few moments for the list to be available.
    3. Select '.odm' and click 'Change Program'.
    4. If OverDrive Media Console is not listed, select 'Browse' and scroll to the OverDrive Media Console folder.
    5. Select 'MediaConsole.exe' and click 'Open'.
      OverDrive Media Console should appear as a 'Recommended Program'.
    6. Click OK.
      Windows associates the ODM file type with OverDrive Media Console, so that OverDrive Media Console automatically handles ODM files going forward.
    7. Click 'Close' to close the Default Programs' dialog box.
    8. Double-click the ODM file you downloaded to launch OverDrive Media Console and access the title.

    If you have Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 2000, or Windows 98SE…

    1. Open Windows Explorer.
    2. Go to Tools > Folder Options > File Types.
      The 'Folder Options' dialog box is displayed.
    3. In the 'Registered file types' box, find the entry for 'ODM'. Single-click the 'ODM' entry.
      The 'ODM' entry is selected.
    4. In the 'Details for "ODM" extension' box, click the 'Change' button.
      The 'Open With' dialog box is displayed.
    5. From the list of programs displayed in the 'Open With' dialog box, select 'OverDrive Media Console'.
    6. Click 'OK' to save the change and close the 'Open With' dialog box.
    7. Click 'OK' to close the 'Folder Options' dialog box.
    8. Double-click the ODM file you downloaded to launch the OverDrive Media Console and access the title.

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I had a problem while downloading a Part of an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook, and now OverDrive® Media Console™ won't let me download that Part again. What should I do?

The steps taken to re-download a Part vary by operating system…

Note that downloads of Parts cannot be resumed from the point at which they were interrupted.

On Mac…

  1. Close OverDrive Media Console.
  2. Go to Documents > My Media > MP3 Audiobooks, and open the folder for the title that you are trying to download.
  3. Delete the file that corresponds to the incomplete Part.
  4. Open OverDrive Media Console.
  5. Select the title and click on 'Download'.
    You should now have the option to re-download the incomplete Part.

On Windows 7 and Windows Vista…

  1. Close OverDrive Media Console.
  2. In Windows Explorer, go to Documents > My Media > MP3 Audiobooks, and open the folder for the title that you are trying to download.
  3. Delete the file that corresponds to the incomplete Part.
  4. Open OverDrive Media Console.
  5. Select the title and click on 'Download'.
    You should now have the option to re-download the incomplete Part.

On Windows 98SE, Windows 2000, Windows ME, or Windows XP…

  1. Close OverDrive Media Console.
  2. In Windows Explorer, go to My Documents > My Media > MP3 Audiobooks, and open the folder for the book that you are trying to download.
  3. Delete the file that corresponds to the incomplete Part.
  4. Open OverDrive Media Console.
  5. Select the book and click on 'Download'. You should now have the option to re-download the incomplete Part.

On Windows Mobile…

  1. Close OverDrive Media Console for Windows Mobile.
  2. In File Explorer go to My Documents > My Media > MP3 Audiobooks, and open the folder for the title you are trying to delete.
  3. Delete the MP3 file that corresponds to the incomplete Part.
  4. Open OverDrive Media Console for Windows Mobile.
  5. Select the title and click on 'Download'.
    You should now have the option to re-download the incomplete Part.

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When I try to download an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook, I receive the message 'Unable to open the specified OverDrive Media file', followed by a file path that references a temporary directory on my computer. What should I do?

This error typically indicates that your browser's temporary Internet files are too full to process the download. This can be corrected by clearing the temporary Internet files from your web browser as follows:

If you are using Internet Explorer 8.0…

  1. Launch Internet Explorer.
  2. Go to Tools > Internet Options.
    The 'Internet Options' dialog box is displayed.
  3. On the 'General' tab, click the 'Delete…' button under the heading 'Browsing history'.
    The 'Delete Browsing History' dialog box is displayed.
  4. In the 'Delete Browsing History' dialog box, uncheck all of the check boxes except for 'Temporary Internet files'.
  5. Click the 'Delete' button.
    Your browsing history is deleted.
  6. Click the 'OK' button to close the 'Internet Options' dialog box.
  7. Attempt to download again.

If you are using Internet Explorer 7.0…

  1. Launch Internet Explorer.
  2. Go to Tools > Internet Options.
    The 'Internet Options' dialog box is displayed.
  3. On the 'General' tab, click the 'Delete...' button under the heading 'Browsing history'.
    The 'Delete Browsing History' dialog box is displayed.
  4. Click the 'Delete files...' button.
  5. Click the 'Yes' button to confirm the deletion of the temporary Internet files.
  6. Click the 'Close' button to close the 'Delete Browsing History' dialog box.
  7. Click the 'OK' button to close the 'Internet Options' dialog box.
  8. Attempt to download again.

If you are using Internet Explorer 6.0…

  1. Launch Internet Explorer.
  2. Go to Tools > Internet Options.
    The 'Internet Options' dialog box is displayed.
  3. Click the 'Delete Files' button.
    The 'Delete File' dialog box is displayed.
  4. Check the 'Delete all offline content' box.
  5. Click the 'OK' button to confirm the deletion of the temporary Internet files.
  6. Click the 'OK' button again to close the 'Internet Options' dialog box.
  7. Attempt to download again.

If you are using Firefox 2.0 (or newer)…

  1. Launch Firefox.
  2. Go to Tools > Options.
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  3. Select the 'Privacy' option.
    The 'Privacy' options are displayed.
  4. Under the 'Private Data' heading, click the 'Clear Now…' button.
    The 'Clear Private Data' dialog box is displayed.
  5. Check option 'Cache' and ensure that the other checkboxes are not checked.
  6. Click 'Clear Private Data Now' to delete the temporary Internet files.
  7. Click 'OK' to close the 'Options' dialog box.
  8. Attempt to download again.

If you are using Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile [Pocket PC (Touch screen)]…

  1. Launch Internet Explorer.
  2. Go to Tools > Options.
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  3. Select the 'Memory' tab.
  4. Click 'Delete Files'.
    The files are deleted.
  5. Click 'OK' to close the Options dialog box.

If you are using Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile [Smartphone (Non-Touch screen)]…

  1. Launch Internet Explorer.
  2. Go to Menu > Tools > Options.
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  3. Select the 'Memory' tab.
  4. Select 'Temporary Files' and click 'Clear'.
    A message will prompt you to confirm that you want to delete temporary files.
  5. Select 'Yes'.
    The files are deleted.
  6. Select 'Done' to close the 'Options' dialog box.

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I tried to transfer an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook to an Apple® device, but I got an error reading 'An error occurred while attempting to transfer "Title"'. What should I do?

The steps taken depend on the type of Apple device. Do one of the following…

  • If you want to use the OverDrive Media Console Transfer Wizard to transfer content to an Apple device, the iTunes setting 'Manually manage music…' must be enabled for the device before you can complete the transfer. Adjust this setting as follows…
    1. Connect your device to your computer.
    2. If it does not launch automatically, open iTunes.
    3. In iTunes, locate your device in the left vertical navigation panel (under heading 'DEVICES'), and click your device.
      The 'Summary' screen is displayed.
    4. If it is not already checked, place a checkmark next to option 'Manually manage music…'.
    5. Click the 'Apply' button.
      The iTunes 'Summary' screen refreshes, and the changes are saved.
    6. If desired, close iTunes.
  • On the Mac, when using the OverDrive Media Console Transfer Wizard to transfer audiobooks to the iPod shuffle, you will need iTunes v8.1.0.52 (or newer). If you prefer to use and older version of iTunes, you will need to transfer using iTunes. To download iTunes, click here.

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[Mac® Only] When I attempt to open an ODM file on the Mac, an application other than OverDrive Media Console tries to open the file. How do I set OverDrive Media Console to open ODM files automatically?

To set OverDrive Media Console for Mac to open ODM files automatically, follow these instructions…

  1. Control-click the ODM file and select 'Get Info'.
    The 'Info' window is displayed.
  2. Expand the 'Open with:' section.
  3. In the drop-down list of Applications, select 'Other…'.
    The 'Choose an application to open the document…' dialog box is displayed.
  4. Select 'OverDrive Media Console' and check the 'Always Open With' box. Click 'Add'.
  5. Close the 'Info' window.
    OverDrive Media Console is now set to open ODM files automatically.

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[Mac Only] When I attempt to transfer an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook to a device using OverDrive Media Console for Mac, I get an error stating 'This version of OverDrive Media Console only supports transfer to Apple devices.' Can I transfer OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks to this device?

OverDrive MP3 Audiobook content should play on most portable music devices. However, OverDrive Media Console for Mac supports transfer to Apple devices only. You should be able to transfer OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks to the device using the same method that you currently use to transfer files from your computer to the device.

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[Windows® Only] I downloaded an audiobook using Firefox® but am unable to open it. What should I do?

You may need to specify what Firefox should do with ODM files. The ODM file is a preliminary download; once it is downloaded, you can then download the actual audiobook file(s) from within OverDrive Media Console.

Access OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks using Firefox as follows…

If you have Firefox 3.0 (or newer)...

  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Go to Tools > Options.
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  3. Select 'Applications'.
    The 'Applications' options are displayed.
  4. Search for the 'ODM' file extension.
    The 'ODM file' content type is displayed.
  5. Click the 'Action' column drop down for the 'ODM file' entry and select 'Use Other...'
    The 'Select Helper Application' dialog box is displayed.
  6. In the 'Select Helper Application' dialog box, click the 'Browse' button and navigate to the location at which OverDrive Media Console is installed (by default the application is installed to C:\Program Files\OverDrive Media Console) and select 'MediaConsole.exe'.
  7. Click 'Open' in the 'Select Helper Application' dialog box.
    The 'Select Helper Application' dialog box closes. The 'Options' dialog box is displayed. The 'Action' column for the 'ODM file' entry displays 'Use OverDrive Media Console'.
  8. Click 'OK' to exit the 'Options' dialog box.
  9. Be sure you are connected to the Internet, and browse to the ODM file you were unable to open. Double-click the file.
    OverDrive Media Console launches and prompts you to download the title.

If you have Firefox 2.0…

  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Go to Tools > Options.
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  3. Select 'Content'.
    The 'Content' options are displayed.
  4. Under the 'File Types' heading, click the 'Manage…' button.
    The 'Download Actions' dialog box is displayed.
  5. Select the 'ODM' file extension and click the 'Change Action' button.
    The 'Change Action' dialog box is displayed.
  6. Select option 'Open them with this application'.
    The 'Select Helper Application' dialog box is displayed.
  7. In the 'Select Helper Application' dialog box, navigate to the location at which OverDrive Media Console is installed (by default the application is installed to C:\Program Files\OverDrive Media Console) and select 'MediaConsole.exe'.
  8. Click 'Open' in the 'Select Helper Application' dialog box.
    The 'Select Helper Application' dialog box closes.
  9. Click 'OK' in the 'Change Action' dialog box.
  10. Click 'Close' in the 'Download Actions' dialog box.
  11. Click 'OK' to exit the 'Options' dialog box.
  12. Be sure you are connected to the Internet and browse to the ODM file you were unable to open. Double-click the file.
    OverDrive Media Console launches and prompts you to download the title.

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[Windows Only] Is there a way I can change the point from which OverDrive Media Console starts playing titles?

Yes. OverDrive Media Console allows you to choose how media titles begin playing. The following options are available within OverDrive Media Console's 'Options' menu…

  • Option 'Automatically resume from most recently played point' sets OverDrive Media Console to begin play of titles at the point in the title where you either clicked 'Stop' or exited OverDrive Media Console while the title was playing. Note that this is the default setting for OverDrive Media Console v3.2 (or newer) and for OverDrive Media Console for Windows Mobile.
  • Option 'Automatically resume from furthest played point' sets OverDrive Media Console to advance to the furthest point to which the title was ever played.
  • Option 'Automatically play from beginning' sets OverDrive Media Console to begin play at the earliest point in the earliest Part of the title.
  • Option 'Disable auto-play' turns off the auto-play feature. When you launch a title in the OverDrive Media Explorer window, the title will not play until you click the 'Play' button.

To change the point at which audiobooks start playing in OverDrive Media Console for Windows…

  1. In OverDrive Media Console, click Tools > Options….
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  2. Under 'Media Explorer auto-play options' select the desired media starting point.
  3. Click 'OK'.
    The 'Options' dialog box closes. Going forward, playback will be handled according to the option specified.

To change the point at which audiobooks start playing in OverDrive Media Console for Windows Mobile…

  1. In OverDrive Media Console for Windows Mobile, click Menu > Options….
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  2. Under 'Media' [Pocket PC (Touch screen)] or 'Media Explorer auto-play' [Smartphone (Non-Touch screen)] select the desired media starting point.
  3. Click 'OK'.
    The 'Options' dialog box closes. Going forward, playback will be handled according to the option specified.

Note that MediaMarkers™ allow you to link to, and begin play at, specific sections of audiobooks. For information on MediaMarkers and other features of OverDrive Media Console, click here.

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[Windows Only] When attempting to transfer a title to the iTunes Library using OverDrive Media Console v3.2 (or newer) for Windows, the Transfer Wizard does not offer the 'iTunes Library' option. What should I do?

As a first step, ensure that you have the necessary software installed. In order to transfer OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks to an iTunes Library, you must have OverDrive Media Console v3.2 (or newer) and iTunes v9.0.2 (or newer) installed on Windows 98 SE (or newer).

Before proceeding, open iTunes, and if any iTunes dialog boxes open, close them.

You may need to disconnect your device and attempt the transfer again. If you have a device attached to your computer, follow these steps…

  1. If the Transfer Wizard is open, click the 'Cancel' button in the OverDrive Media Console Transfer Wizard.
    The Transfer Wizard closes.
  2. Disconnect the device from your computer.
  3. In OverDrive Media Console, highlight the OverDrive MP3 Audiobook title you want to transfer and click the 'Transfer' button.
    The OverDrive Media Console Transfer Wizard is displayed.
  4. Verify that the correct title is displayed on the first screen of the Transfer Wizard and click 'Next'.
    The Transfer Wizard searches for iTunes. When iTunes is detected, the 'Confirm' screen is displayed.
  5. Select 'iTunes Library' from the 'Player' drop-down menu.
  6. Select the Part(s) you want to transfer to the iTunes Library by checking the box(es) next to the Part number(s).
  7. Click the 'Next >' button to continue.
    The 'Progress' screen is displayed. Once the transfer is complete, the 'Success' screen is displayed.
  8. Click 'Finish' to exit Transfer Wizard.
    You can now play the OverDrive MP3 Audiobook title in iTunes.

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[Windows Only] When I attempt to transfer an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook to a Zune® device, I get an error stating that 'The OverDrive Media Console Transfer Wizard requires version 3.0 or higher of the Zune software'. How can I get a copy of the Zune application v3.0 (or newer)?

If you wish to transfer OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks to a Zune device, you need to have the Zune application v3.0 (or newer) installed on your PC. To download the Zune application, click here.

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[Windows Only] When I attempt to transfer an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook to a Zune device, I get an error stating that OverDrive Media Console can't access the device and that the Zune device needs an update. Why am I getting this error and how can I fix it?

If you wish to transfer OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks to a Zune device, the Zune device must have firmware v3.0 (or newer) installed. For instructions for updating Zune device firmware, click here.

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[Windows Only] When I attempt to transfer an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook to a Zune device, I get an error stating that the Zune is already connected to another program. What should I do?

Before you can transfer OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks to a Zune device using the OverDrive Media Console Transfer Wizard, you must close any other program to which the Zune is connected. Once you close the applications to which the Zune is connected, attempt the transfer again.

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[Windows Only] I tried to transfer an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook to a Windows Mobile® Device and got an error saying 'Unable to locate folder of Windows Mobile device because folder is not found.' What should I do?

This error occurs if you have specified that you want to save a title to a sub-folder on an encrypted SD card. Currently, OverDrive Media Console only supports transfer of OverDrive MP3 Audiobooks to the root folder of encrypted SD cards. Transfer to sub-folders is supported if the SD card is not encrypted.

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[Windows Only] When trying to burn a CD of an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook Part, the process will not complete due to errors. What should I do?

OverDrive Media Console v3.2 (or newer) features a 'Burn Wizard' that allows for burning OverDrive MP3 Audiobook titles (where permitted by the publisher) in a 'Test mode'. Completing a burn in 'Test mode' simulates the burn process, allowing you to test the CD compilation for errors before actually burning any data to disc.

In order to test the burn process, complete the following…

  1. Place a recordable CD into your recordable CD drive.
  2. In OverDrive Media Console, highlight the title you wish to burn and click the 'Burn' button.
    The OverDrive Media Console Burn Wizard is displayed.
  3. Verify that the correct title is displayed on the first screen of the Burn Wizard and click 'Next'.
    The 'Confirm' screen is displayed.
  4. In the 'Confirm' dialog box, select the Part(s) you want to burn by checking the box(es) next to the Part name(s).
  5. Click the 'Options…' button.
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  6. Check the checkbox next to 'Test mode (simulate burning)'.
  7. Click the 'OK' button.
  8. Click 'Next >'.
    A message is displayed, informing you that a 'Test mode' burn will begin.
  9. Click the 'OK' button.
    The Progress screen is displayed. The 'Test mode' burn completes, returning you to the 'Confirm' dialog box.

If the 'Test mode' burn completes without error, and you wish to perform an actual burn, complete the following…

  1. Click the 'Options…' button.
    The 'Options' dialog box is displayed.
  2. Uncheck the checkbox next to 'Test mode (simulate burning)'.
  3. Click the 'OK' button. You can now burn the title to disc.

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[Windows Only] When I try to burn an OverDrive MP3 Audiobook to CD using OverDrive Media Console v3.0 on Windows 2000 or Windows 98 SE, I get an error. What should I do?

OverDrive Media Console v3.2 (or newer) is required to burn OverDrive WMA Audiobook titles to CD on Windows 2000 and Windows 98 SE. To download the latest version of OverDrive Media Console for Windows, click here.

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[Windows Mobile Only] When I download a title using OverDrive Media Console for Windows Mobile, the title is not displayed in the Media Library. What should I do?

To refresh the Media Library so that the most recently downloaded title is displayed, close OverDrive Media Console for Windows Mobile and then re-open it.

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I cannot find the information I am looking for. What should I do?

If you cannot find the information you are looking for with reference to our Help section, please email support. In order to facilitate troubleshooting, please include the following information in your correspondence:

  • Steps to reproduce the problem (in as much detail as possible).
  • Exact text of any error message (screen shots are helpful).
  • URL(s) of any error page(s) you encounter.
  • Library card number.
  • Title(s) of problem selection(s).
  • OverDrive Media Console version (on Windows, find this in OverDrive Media Console under Help > About OverDrive Media Console; on Mac, find this in OverDrive Media Console under OverDrive Media Console > About OverDrive Media Console).
  • Window Media Player version (on Windows, find this in OverDrive Media Console under Help > About OverDrive Media Console).
  • Operating system (Mac OS 10.6.2, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 98 SE, etc.).
  • Internet browser and version (Internet Explorer 8.0, Firefox 3.0, etc.).
  • If applicable, PDA device type and operating system.

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