Downloading calibre problems
 

Hi from the frozen North. I want to download calibre from the internet. Somehow during the download, and not at the start, a dialog box comes up asking if I'm sure I want to [run] or [save] the calibre file. I picked run and thought it would download overnight (I have dialup so it takes a long time). In the morning another notice something like "this installation package could not be opened contact the application vendor to verify this is a valid Windows package". I have gone through this process repeatedly without sucess. I go to the Calibre site for help and it appears that Moblileread forums is the only "technical" help available. Any suggestions?:help:

:hatsoff:

Welcome to mobileread ...

Let's get this question popped over to the appropriate forum where the experts hang out :2thumbsup...

Welcome to MR!

Sandy

Over the past month or so, I've found that the download link on the calibre site downloads very, very slowly (like 3KB/s on my 20Mbps line that can sustain 2.25MB/s or higher without breaking a sweat). What I do now is follow the sourceforge link and download from there instead.

google code (that hosts the downloads) is having issues

See http://code.google.com/p/support/issues/detail?id=4843

I'd encourage you to add your comments to that ticket, indicating the downloadsa re still slow for you.

Google server
 

This may be the problem (read the plaque in the picture)

MR is about the best technical help you can get, seeing as the fellow who posted 2 posts up from me (Kovid) happens to be the guy who (primarily) wrote calibre. :) Try getting that kind of people to talk to you from BigHugeSoftwareCo.

As for your download problem, I'd advise downloading, then running -- there are fewer opportunities for Windows to throw fits that way. Also, the advice to download from Sourceforge is good. Like any program, calibre is at the mercy of its download sites, and it seems that the primary one has issues.

It is true that the primary download site has been having problems. The last few times I've downloaded an update, I've had to restart the download multiple times because progress would keep stalling. I'll have to check out Sourceforge next time.

Worldwalker's advice is good. I always download installation files to my desktop, then run them when convenient. I also keep the installation files so if I have to rerun them later or need to revert to an earlier version, I will be able to without having to redownload the file (assuming it's still available; not all programs keep earlier versions available).

I actually have a directory called "Local Downloads" with suitably-named subdirectories that I stow mine in. I use it for everything from applications like calibre to drivers. It's amazing how handy it can be to have things like old drivers lying around for when some program decides to have a hissy fit about nVidia's latest and greatest.

I do something similar. I have a folder named Installation files and I keep the files in individual subfolders, one subfolder for each program. Doing this has saved my ample asset more than once.

I would recommend downloading the file before running it. As pressing run puts into the temp folder you wont be able to install uninstall later if something goes wrong. And I am sure you would not like to download it all over again.
And use a download manager so that if the download is slow or stops for some reason you can resume it later from where it stopped rather than downloading the whole thing again. Plus most download manager try to make sure their is no file corruption and they are getting the actual file from the server not some something broken in the cache or temp folder.

Thanks from the frozen North to GeoffC, Sandra Edwards, toddos, kovidgoyal, theducks, worldwalker, Lady Fitzgerald and Dopedangel. I used Sourceforge and saved Calibre to a separate download file as was suggested.......and it worked just fine! Thanks again for your help.

That's what we are here for .... every little helps and costs little .