If you want to backup your audible .aa files because you are worried about being away and not activating properly, here is what to do. I had forgotten how to do this but needed to remember because I lost my Windows XP installation:
# Find an old copy of the Audible Manager. The one I have is called ADMSetup.exe and is 798KB and is dates 27-Feb-2006. This allows any Directshow compatible player like Windows media player to play a .aa file.
# Install this, it might require some DLLs for some reason, but they are msvci70.dll and mscvr70.dll. Google for these and download them into c:\windows\system directory
# Now install dBpoweramp. Currently this is version 12.4
# Also install the dBpoweramp Directshow filter. This allows dBpoweramp to convert any thing that .aa can see
# File run %appdata%\dbpoweramp and you will see a file directshow.txt. Add the single line that just contains ‘.aa’ This tells dbpoweramp that there is a directshow filter that knows about Audible .aa files
# You should now be able to right click on a .aa file and you will see “Convert To”
# When you select, choose MP3 and pick 32Kbps CBR as the format and this will take the encrypted format (the so called format 4 in .aa speak which is really an encrypted mp3) and put it into the clear for backup purposes only.
