Why can't I read my kindle when charging via USB cable?

So anytime my kindle is charging via USB cable from my laptop I can never read it at the same time, I hit the eject button and everything so it doesn't appear on my laptop but it still says on the screen on my kindle
"USB Drive Mode, If you want to read or shop on your kindle while continuing to charge over USB, please keep the USB cable attached, but eject your kindle from your computer"

I can read when it's plugged into my main but have misplaced the plug so any help would be great!

You need to eject it from the kindle icon in 'My Computer' and not the safely remove hardware icon in the notification area of the task tray.

I don't know what you mean by the "eject button", but if you read the Kindle User Guide it gives you detailed instructions for each operating system. I use Windows 7, go to the desktop, click on "Computer", locate the Kindle in the folder tree and then right click on it and select "Eject". Then I can read while it's charging via the USB.

Using the "Safely Remove Hardware" option next to the clock completely disconnects it so that it can be unplugged.

D'oh

just about everyone made this error

Careful where you click very unhelpfully it's right above the format choice!

D Clark said it.
High five DC!

Thank you, this had me stumped too :)

"...not the safely remove hardware icon in the notification area of the task tray."

Strange, I always do it like this and it works for me (just tried it to double check).

Willber, you're correct if using Windows XP. Vista and 7 require ejecting by using the "computer" icon and ejecting from there. Location 42 in the new Kindle Users Guide.

In the bottom right corner there is a small icon with a green arrow that you should click on when ejecting any hardware from your pc, click on this eject your hardware but don't unplug it. You should then be able to read and charge at the same time.

Ah, I see. I am using XP.

Mr. Littler, there are different procedures for different Operating Systems. Details for each one are given in the Kindle User Guide.

Please can I have some help

Just received a Kindle for Christmas - charged up - connected to my wifi account - and then it kept telling me I was out of range! Not true - had full signal and sitting by the unit.

Now NO power light at all - have a got a lemon? Screen looks ominously dead - nothing showing at all

As usual - with technology - automatically think it is me who's done something wrong - constructive feedback welcome - any advice

Provided you're confident the Kindle has a good charge try a restart. The procedure is slightly different depending on which Kindle you have (and you don't say - which makes it more difficult to explain)

I'm assuming you have the new (keyboardless) Kindle, in which case you hold the power button in for 20 seconds and then release. It may take several minutes to be fully functional so don't press any buttons in the meantime. Wait until the Home page appears and then wait again for it to become fully populated.

Full details are given in the Kindle User Guide which you can read on your PC while you wait.

If you have the Keyboard Kindle hold the Power swithch to the right for 15 seconds and then release.

Restarts cure most problems, and if you have a keyboard Kindle remember that the processor is quite slow and freezing is guaranteed to happen if you press buttons in quick succession.

"Mr A Littler says:
In the bottom right corner there is a small icon with a green arrow that you should click on when ejecting any hardware from your pc, click on this eject your hardware but don't unplug it. You should then be able to read and charge at the same time. "

Actually with loads of computers this doesn't always work. Never does for my 4!

But what DOES work always is the long-winded way of ejecting.

Open Windows Explorer and get My Computer up on screen. You should see your hard drive and any other devices, including your Kindle.

Right click the Kindle, you get a menu. About half way down it says Eject . Select that.

This should do the trick!

Really depressing when you get a new toy and it doesn't do what you want it to! happy Kindling.

Thank you for this - it was doing my head in. As is my Kindle freezing!

For charging kindle I use my mobile phone charger , its the same power and fitting etc and allows easy reading and charging.

sorry but done all this ejected its not seen in my computer yet still cannot read????

Nor write, apparently.

G.W., before we can help you we need to know which Operating System your computer has and the steps you took to eject the Kindle. The method of "ejecting" isn't the same for all Windows operating systems and the usual cause of not being able to read on a Kindle while charging is that the wrong method has been used.

Question? the eject option doesn't appear when I right click...just an 'open' option, so what am I doing wrong..

N Denton, what operating system have you got?

What are you right-clicking on?

Thank you I was about to throw the lot out the window!!

Im having same problem. Tried going to COMPUTER and ejecting kindle from there but it just says, kindle can be safely removed from computer. I still cant read kindle and have the message 'if you want to read or shop while continuing to charge etc' Im using windows 7 on my laptop and its a kindle 4 series i think, the one that came out at xmas. Its driving me mad now. Can any1 please help???