Table of Contents

  1. General Information.
    1. How do I plug in the drive?
    2. How do I apply a patch to your program?
    3. Support for older hard drives.
    4. Support for DVDs/CDs.
    5. I don't have Internet and need help.
    6. Does you hard drive work on a Mac or Linux?
    7. What kind of computer do I need in order to use your hard drive?
    8. Can I copy your hard drive?
    9. What version of Windows do I need?
    10. What version of Internet Explorer do I need?
    11. How do I update the hard drive with more books that have been released on the website?
  2. Hardware Problems.
    1. My drive is making a rattling or weird clicking noise, and does not work when I plug it in.
    2. I plug the drive in but it does not make any noise and lights don't light up.
    3. Why is my drive so slow?
    4. I accidentally dropped the hard drive and now it doesn't work anymore.
    5. The connector in the back of the drive broke.
    6. How do I replace a broken drive?
    7. When I plug the drive in, nothing comes up?
  3. Setup/Installation Problems.
    1. Why do I get a message that .NET framework needs to be installed?
    2. Why do I get a message to install Adobe Acrobat?
    3. I already have Adobe Acrobat installed, do I need to re-install?
    4. Why can't I see OCR search results in Adobe Acrobat?
    5. Does your hard drive work with 64-bit Windows?
    6. I try to run the program on Windows Vista, nothing happens or I get a list of requirements.
    7. How do I configure my firewall so the hard drive can work properly?
    8. Double clicking on the drive shows me an error "Access Denied"
  4. Internet Explorer Problems.
    1. I don't have Internet, why is Internet Explorer opening up?
    2. Can I use Firefox or Safari with your hard drive?
    3. I get a message that IE is in Offline Mode.
    4. I get an error message "IE cannot display the webpage"
    5. I get an error message "Content Advisor does not allow this page to be displayed"
    6. I am unable to view any PDFs in Internet Explorer
    7. Internet Explorer crashes every time I try the "Read Online" option
  5. Uncommon Errors.
    1. I get an error message: "Server Error in '/' Application", "unhandled exception occurred" when using the "Shas" option
    2. The drive is plugged in and lights up, but nothing shows up in "My Computer"

WARNING - Before installing this Hard Drive:
Careful not to drop it
Attach both USB plugs
Never pull out the USB plugs or the drive while the computer is on

General Information

  1. How do I plug-in the drive?

    • Our hard drive comes with a Y-shaped cable, with two USB connectors for the computer and a single mini-USB connector for the hard drive. You MUST plug in both USB connectors into your computer in order for the hard drive to work as shown below.

      You must also be aware that you must click on "Safely Remove Hardware" in your system tray before unplugging the drive as shown below. Failure to do so, may destroy the data on the drive, and render it inoperable.

  2. How do I apply a patch to your program?

    • NOTE: DO NOT download or install patches unless you are directed to do so by either this help file or our technical support. Patches are released to fix specific problems and may cause the hard drive to stop working for users who do not need a patch.

      To install the patch, extract it to your Desktop, and run the EXE file inside the extracted folder with the hard drive plugged in.

  3. Support for older hard drives.

    • We provide limited support for version 2.0+ of the hard drive that was released in the fall of 2009 / Cheshvan 5770 ONLY. All prior versions are no longer supported.

  4. Support for DVDs/CDs.

    • We do not provide any support for HebrewBooks.org CDs or DVDs.

  5. I don't have Internet or email and need help.

    • Please try the solutions outlined in this FAQ. If you are still unable to fix your problem, you can call or fax the numbers that appear on the back of the hard drive box.

  6. Does you hard drive work on a Mac or Linux?

    • Our hard drive is designed to work on Windows only. If you are running Linux or Mac OS, please use a product like VmWare, VirtualBox, or Parallels Desktop to run Windows virtually. Our hard drive does not run on any Windows emulator like Wine.

  7. What kind of computer do I need in order to use your hard drive?

    • You will need at least 512 MB of RAM, a 1+ GHz processor, two available USB 2.0 ports, and 100+ MBs of hard disk space.

  8. Can I copy your hard drive?

    • Please read the terms of license that appear on the back of the box and inside the drive itself, and consult your legal and halachic advisors.

  9. What version of Windows do I need?


  10. What version of Internet Explorer do I need?

    • You will need version 6.0 or higher of Internet Explorer. To check your version, please double click the blue Internet Explorer icon, select the "Help" menu, and click on "About". To download a new version of Internet Explorer, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/ie/.

  11. How do I update the hard drive with more books that have been released on the website?

    • Updates for the hard drive are planned on a less frequent basis than the website. At this time we do not have concrete dates for when updates are going to be released.

Hardware Problems

  1. My drive is making a rattling or weird clicking noise, and does not work when I plug it in

    • This is usually a sign that your drive is defective. Please contact Cavalry Storage, our hardware partner, for a warranty replacement if your drive is less than 1 years old. Warranty and hardware support information is printed on the booklet inside the hard drive box. Once your drive has been replaced, please contact us regarding replacement of the data.

      If your drive is over a year old, the warranty on it has expired. We are sorry, but you will have to buy a replacement drive.

  2. I plug the drive in but it does not make noise and lights don't light up.

    • Please make sure that your USB ports are working, and that you are using both USB connectors that come with the drive. Because of power requirements, you will need to plugin both connectors.

      It is also possible that your USB ports do not supply sufficient power for our hard drive. Please purchase an externally-powered USB hub in order to use it.

  3. Why is my drive so slow?

    • Please make sure that your computer has USB 2.0 ports, not USB 1.1. For even a faster experience, you can purchase an eSATA adapter and cable for your computer.

  4. I accidentally dropped the hard drive and now it doesn't work anymore.
  5. The connector in the back of the drive is broken

    • Please contact Cavalry Storage, our hardware partner, for warranty service. Accidental damage is usually not covered and you will probably need to purchase a new drive.

  6. How do I replace a broken drive?

    • Please contact our technical support first before calling our hardware partner.

      All hardware warranty issues are handled by our hardware partner, Cavalry Storage. In order to return a drive under the warranty, you must have the serial number from the bottom of the drive. To obtain an RMA, please visit http://www.cavalrystorage.com/rma.htm. You can also call 800-238-4453 or 805-426-1000, or email them at customersupport@cavalrystorage.com.

      Under limited circumstances, our technical support department may direct you to replace a drive at the place of purchase. Please follow instructions provided by technical support to do so and make sure to write down the RMA number provided.

  7. When I plug the drive in, nothing comes up

    • Please make sure that both USB connectors are plugged into your computer securely. A green light should appear on the drive and you should be able to hear or feel the drive spinning up. Please also test the USB cables and the port by plugging in a different device using our cable.

Setup/Installation Problems

  1. Why do I get a message that .NET framework needs to be installed?

    • The software on our hard drive requires the .NET Framework v2.5 to be installed. Windows Vista/7 already have this installed. If you are unable to install the .NET framework, please do the following (which only needs to be done once):

      • Go to "My Computer", click on the Hebrew Books Icon.
      • Double click on the "hbapp" folder.
      • Double click on "dotnetfx.exe" file and follow instructions.


  2. Why do I get a message to install Adobe Acrobat?

    • In order to view page images, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. If you have any previous version, please follow the instructions below to uninstall. To install Adobe Acrobat Reader 9 from our hard drive, please do the following:

      • Go to "My Computer", click on the Hebrew Books Icon.
      • Double click on the "hbapp" folder.
      • Double click on "AdbeRdr910_en_US_Std.exe" file and follow instructions.
      After installation, please follow the instructions below to enable OCR search results.

  3. I already have Adobe Acrobat installed, do I need to re-install?

    • If you have any previous version of Adobe Acrobat Reader, you will need to uninstall them before installing the latest version from our hard drive. NOTE: This does not apply to the full version of Adobe Acrobat (Standard, Professional, etc.). To uninstall older Adobe Acrobat Reader:
      • Click on "Start", "Control Panel"
      • Select either "Add/Remove Programs" (Windows XP) or "Programs and Software" (Windows Vista)
      • Find the older version in the list and click "Uninstall"

  4. Why can't I see OCR search results in Adobe Acrobat?

    • If you are not seeing OCR results when searching, you need to enable the hit highlighting feature as follows:
      • Open Adobe Reader
      • Click Edit > Preferences > Search
      • Check the box labeled Enable search highlights from external highlight server

  5. Does your hard drive work with 64-bit Windows?

    • All drives bought after January 15th, 2010 should work with 64-bit Windows. Drives prior to that date require a patch to work with 64-bit Windows. You can download the patch here. Please follow the instructions above to apply the patch.

  6. I try to run the program on Windows Vista/7, nothing happens or I get a list of requirements.

    • This usually happens due to the security restrictions on Windows Vista. Please try one of the following:
      • Go to "My Computer", click on the Hebrew Books Icon.
      • Right click on "HebrewBooks.exe" and select "Run as Administrator".
      • Click "Continue" on the prompt that comes up
        • .

      Alternate solution - turn off UAC:
      • Click on "Start", "Control Panel".
      • In the search box in the top right corner, type in "UAC"
      • Click on "Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off"
      • Make sure the checkbox named "Use User Account Control (UAC) to protect your computer" is not checked and click "OK" to save.

  7. How do I configure my firewall so the hard drive can work properly?

    • In order for our software to work, you will need to add an exception to your firewall or disabled it completely. Please see this PDF file for detailed instructions for most common firewalls.

  8. Double clicking on the drive shows me an error "Access Denied"

    • This error occurs on Windows XP computers mainly and is caused by incorrect security settings. As a workaround please do the following:
      • Go to "My Computer"
      • Right click on the Hebrew Books icon and select "Explore"
      • Double click the HebrewBooks program to run


Internet Explorer Problems

  1. I don't have Internet, why is Internet Explorer opening up?

    • Our hard drive works by emulating or "faking" the Internet. It is normal for Internet Explorer to open and in fact, is the only way our hard drive will work. You do not need an Internet connection to run the hard drive.

  2. Can I use Firefox or Safari with your hard drive?

    • We only support Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher at this time. While other browsers may work with our program, we do not recommend or provide support for them.

  3. I get a message that IE is in Offline Mode.

    • You will need to place IE back into regular mode. Please follow these instructions:
      • Open Internet Explorer
      • Go to the "Tools" menu
      • Select "Internet Options"
      • Select the "Connections" tab
      • Find the option named "Never Dial a Connection" and make sure IT IS checked
      • Click OK to save settings
      • Go to "File" (IE6) or "Tools" (IE7/IE8) menu
      • Make sure "Work Offline" is not checked
      • Close Internet Explorer and restart the Hebrew Books program

  4. I get an error message "IE cannot display the webpage"


  5. I get an error message "Content Advisor does not allow this page to be displayed"

    • You will need to disable the IE content advisor as follows:
      • Open Internet Explorer
      • Go to the "Tools" menu
      • Select "Internet Options"
      • Select the "Content" tab
      • Find the section called "Content Advisor" and click "Disable"
      If you do not have the password for Content Advisor, you can disable it by using the Registry Editor and erasing the following key:

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Ratings\Key
      Please do not try to use the Registry Editor without a knowledgeable computer technician or our technical support department


  6. I am unable to view any PDFs in Internet Explorer

    • Please make sure that you uninstalled all older versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader and installed the version provided with our hard drive or newer. See instructions above here and here.

  7. Internet Explorer crashes every time I try the "Read Online" option

    • This indicates a problem with Adobe Acrobat and how it is installed inside Internet Explorer. Please uninstall and re-install as described here and here. If that does not help, please download the latest version from Adobe's website at http://get.adobe.com/reader and install it. Also, please update your Windows installation by going to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.

Uncommon Errors

  1. I get an error message: "Server Error in '/' Application", "unhandled exception occured" when using the "Shas" option

    • This problem happens because our Daf Yomi calendar requires a Gregorian calendar. Please change your calendar from Hebrew to Gregorian by going to "Control Panel", "Clock, Language, Region", "Regional and Language Options". If your format is set to "Hebrew (Israel)", click on "Customize this format" button. Click on the "Date" tab, and select the Gregorian Calendar from the drop down menu under "Calendar Type". Click "OK" to set your selection, and restart HebrewBooks.org program.

  2. The drive is plugged in and lights up, but nothing shows up in "My Computer".

    • Please try unplugging the drive, and then try plugging it back again. Make sure you have both USB plugs connected, otherwise the drive will not be receive sufficient power to operate. If the problem persists, please try another computer before contacting technical support.

      On Windows VISTA/7, please allow up to 3 minutes for the drive to be recognized.