Error trying to do virtually anything

[macnab69]

This is the error if I try to view a book in calibre:
calibre, version 1.5.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>CriticalError</b>:Failed to launch worker process:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\server.py", line 144, in do_launch
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\launch.py", line 221, in __call__
File "subprocess.py", line 711, in __init__
File "subprocess.py", line 948, in _execute_child
WindowsError: [Error 5] Access is denied


calibre 1.5 [64bit] isfrozen: True is64bit: True
Windows-7-6.1.7601-SP1 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '7', '6.1.7601')
Python 2.7.5
Windows: ('7', '6.1.7601', 'SP1', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\actions\view.py", line 201, in view_triggered
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\actions\view.py", line 278, in _view_books
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\actions\view.py", line 236, in _view_calibre_books
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\actions\view.py", line 101, in view_format_by_id
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\actions\view.py", line 132, in _view_file
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\actions\view.py", line 120, in _launch_viewer
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\jobs.py", line 253, in launch_gui_app
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\server.py", line 162, in run_job
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\server.py", line 135, in launch_worker
CriticalError: Failed to launch worker process:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\server.py", line 144, in do_launch
File "site-packages\calibre\utils\ipc\launch.py", line 221, in __call__
File "subprocess.py", line 711, in __init__
File "subprocess.py", line 948, in _execute_child
WindowsError: [Error 5] Access is denied

The library folder structure is shared with Everyone - Read/Write.

[theducks]

There are some W7 folk that seem to get this kind of error because calibre (includes viewer) can't write to the USERS temp folder.

Something has modified/interferes with the temp folders (permissions).

See if you can adjust them.
If not, there is always Calibre Portable which seems to work in these cases

[macnab69]

Been trying with sharing all temp folders I can find on the C: drive, but no luck.

[Adoby]

Also try running calibre as administrator, that might work.

If it works, then I assume that it is an indication that your windows install is borked somehow, or at least your user account, or your antivirus.

You could also try the 32 bit version and see if that works.

[macnab69]

Installed portable version. Copied all the existing settings over to new folder. Can now work with my books.
Copied the existing library to the portable library.
When I have been using it for a while and feel it is safe to do so, I will delete the original library.

[macnab69]

Ok, Adoby, I'll try those as well. It wouldn't surprise me if Windows has suddenly decided to protect random folders.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by macnab69

Ok, Adoby, I'll try those as well.

Did you try all the suggestions in the manual ==>> http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq....ror-on-windows ?

Originally Posted by macnab69

It wouldn't surprise me if Windows has suddenly decided to protect random folders.

Any other applications effected ?

Sigil uses the Temp folder for its 'scratchpad', Acrobat Reader scribbles stuff in there, as does Nitro PDF, Firefox writes a copy of its cookie database there, Chrome writes its installer log in there, FastPictureViewer uses it...

If you want to go back to the installed version you could try giving calibre a dedicated temp folder, using the CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR directive ==>> http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/cust...ment-variables

BR

[macnab69]

Nothing works. Not even setting CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR. Looks like I'm stuck with the portable version.

As regards calibre itself, I did upgrade from 1.4 to 1.5 when the problem started.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by macnab69

Nothing works. Not even setting CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR. Looks like I'm stuck with the portable version.

As regards calibre itself, I did upgrade from 1.4 to 1.5 when the problem started.

More silly questions

Did you change from 32 bit to 64 bit or vice versa ?

Are other applications working - such as those previously mentioned?

What value did you set for CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR?

Did you create a new folder for it; on a drive other than C if that's possible on your hardware config. Don't put it under your User account put it at a drive root - eg d:\temp4calibre.

If calibre can't use a nothing special dedicated folder, but other programs can share the one called Temp that's buried in ...\Local then I'm out of ideas - for now.

BR

[macnab69]

If I go to goodreads.com I am logged in, so cookies are working.
Can open and view pdf documents so Acrobat Reader working.
Set CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR to g:\calibtemp.
Was running 64bit, downloaded and tested 32bit. That works.
Upgrading 64bit 1.4 to 64bit 1.5 didn't help.
Uninstalled 64bit and re-installed. Now it works!!!

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by macnab69

If I go to goodreads.com I am logged in, so cookies are working.
Can open and view pdf documents so Acrobat Reader working.
Set CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR to g:\calibtemp.
Was running 64bit, downloaded and tested 32bit. That works.
Upgrading 64bit 1.4 to 64bit 1.5 didn't help.
Uninstalled 64bit and re-installed. Now it works!!!

Great - I think (hope)!!

What do you think fixed it - dedicated temporary area, the reinstall or both ? If you 'butchered' the temporary folder environment variable and restarted calibre it should revert to ...\Local\Temp\

Can I ask the following - Did you have 32bit installed prior to the 64bit release. and did you have both installed for a while - ie does the following describe the scenario ?

1. You had 32 bit for a some time, because that's what there was
2. When the 64bit came out you thought lets try it, and installed it alongside 32 bit
3. Once you were satisfied 64bit was stable etc you uninstalled 32 bit
4. Everything was fine through several upgrades to 64bit

Then whammo - you got this permissions problemo

As far as I know there's nothing wrong with the above sequence, but having 32 & 64 bit versions of the same program installed at the same time is atypical. I use some programs that stop you having both installed - Macrium Reflect, VideoLan VLC. But I have others that do allow both - notably xPlorer2.

I don't know much about the MS Installer nor about alternatives that ship .exe's. But in my software installs folder there 180 products - 20 are msi's and 160 are .exe's. So 89% of my suppliers 'prefer' shipping .exe's.

But I stress this an area about which I know diddlysquat. But my intuition suggests its a possible cause of this permissions bugaboo that's been around for too long.

@macnab69 for your help

BR

[macnab69]

My change from 32bit to 64bit was at least 6 months ago. None of the attempts to fix this problem had any effect. Even with both 32bit and 64bit installed, 32bit was working and 64bit wasn't.

It was only by deleting the 64bit install folder and re-installing that the problem was solved. (I normally use Revo Uninstaller and calibre 64bit doesn't appear there. It appears in Windows uninstall list, as well as CCleaner's, but not Revo!? The 32bit version does.)

It can't be anything to do with the settings files, because both versions share them. It can only be a file in the 64bit folder that didn't change with the upgrade from 1.4 to 1.5. Probably a glitch in ebook-viewer.exe.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by macnab69

My change from 32bit to 64bit was at least 6 months ago. None of the attempts to fix this problem had any effect. Even with both 32bit and 64bit installed, 32bit was working and 64bit wasn't.

It was only by deleting the 64bit install folder and re-installing that the problem was solved. (I normally use Revo Uninstaller and calibre 64bit doesn't appear there. It appears in Windows uninstall list, as well as CCleaner's, but not Revo!? The 32bit version does.)

It can't be anything to do with the settings files, because both versions share them. It can only be a file in the 64bit folder that didn't change with the upgrade from 1.4 to 1.5. Probably a glitch in ebook-viewer.exe.

I used to a Revo fan but I had problems with it when 7 was released, so it fell out of favour. To get it to see 64bit programs I think you have to buy the Pro version.

You're right, these problems have nothing to do with the settings files, nor with firewalls or antivirus.

When you had 32bit, before 64 bit was released, did you set up any Windows associations of any file types (e.g. epub, mobi etc) with the ebook-viewer program - which was at C:\Program Files (X86)\Calibre2\ebook-viewer.exe

Did you change the associations to C:\Program Files\Calibre2\ebook-viewer.exe before you uninstalled the 32 bit version. If you didn't then the file associations were still in the registry, and they were referring to something that no longer existed. This results in not being able to read epubs from Windows Explorer and not being able to correct the association because of a deficiency in Windows.

The solution is to clear the registry of all references to C:\Program Files (X86)\Calibre2\ebook-viewer.exe. I know CCleaner will do it cleanly, so that new associations can be set up for C:\Program Files\Calibre2\ebook-viewer.exe. Maybe there is some chain of events that occur when fixing this problem manually or via some tool other than CCleaner that somehow leads to this permissions issue manifesting sometime later.

Maybe the uninstall could be furnished with a warning

"Have you removed any Windows file associations you created for the ebook viewer program. If you haven't please select Cancel - and read this in the manual http :// manual.calibre-ebook.com / blah blah"

I see that programs that are installed via an .msi don't have an uninstall.exe, so...


Did you ever uninstall the 32bit version with Revo - I think its come up on a couple of other threads relating to these Windows file system issues ???


BR

[macnab69]

File associations? Never touched them. Just had a look, epubs are associated with Wordpad. Fat lot of good that is!! Just changed it now. So not a problem.

Can't remember how I got rid of 32bit version the first time.

Anyway, I have been using the 64bit version for months with no problems, then suddenly one morning, problems. Without doing anything - no installs, uninstalls of anything. Only thing I did was use CCleaner, but I use it nearly every day. (Before I do my backups.)

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by macnab69

File associations? Never touched them. Just had a look, epubs are associated with Wordpad. Fat lot of good that is!! Just changed it now. So not a problem.

Can't remember how I got rid of 32bit version the first time.

Anyway, I have been using the 64bit version for months with no problems, then suddenly one morning, problems. Without doing anything - no installs, uninstalls of anything. Only thing I did was use CCleaner, but I use it nearly every day. (Before I do my backups.)

As I said before

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Then whammo - you got this permissions problemo

It's what just about everyone who gets this problem reports. But you did 'just' install v 1.5 - it was released last Thursday. But I don't think its anything you or other users do when the problems occurs. I suspect the 'seed' was planted weeks or months ago, but I am NOT implying its malware, nor do I think its within the application.

I think its something to do with deployment and maybe the issue of a having the 32 & 64 bit versions installed concurrently at some time or other.

Anyway you're up and running on 64bit, and I think we've learnt something, but not everything - I should scan some comics but then again maybe I wont

BR