[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by SouLThinking

... I have a toshiba which I am surprised you knew that because I don't think I said it..

You wrote in your first post

Originally Posted by SouLThinking

...was too slow of a processor so I took it back and bought a toshiba with...

Following on from the post of AnotherCat, with which I agree 100%, and the one from speakingtohe.

If after trying their suggestions Calibre is still running slow then the next thing I would want to do is to satisfy myself that Calibre is not the cause of the problem. Not because I think Calibre is the culprit, but I'd want to be 100% sure because the next thing I would try would take me most-of/more-than a day to do, and it may 'break' other things.

1. First up I'd move the Temporary and Configuration Data, there are two Environment Variables you can use to achieve this - see http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/customize.html.
   
   With Calibre closed down, I'd try the one relating to temporary files first, you'll need to create a folder- e.g. C:\CalibreTemp, and then set CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR to refer to it. Then start calibre and test.
   
   If that has no effect, then I'd try the one relating to the configuration data, again you'll need to create a folder - e.g. C:\CalibreConfig. And then copy ALL the Configuration Data into it (Preferences->Miscellaneous->Open calibre config... will open current location), and then set CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY to refer to it.
   
   If either one of them fixes the problem in regular calibre, then let us know which one. If they don't have any effect then close calibre down and delete the two folders and environment variables. .
   
2. The next thing I'd try is to Install the portable version from http://calibre-ebook.com/download. The portable version runs independently of the 'regular' version, so there's no danger of losing anything. But if you have doubts then backup your library and configuration settings.
   
   Make sure calibre is not running before running the portable install, I'll assume you install it at the root of your C: drive. After the install it will ask if you want to run the program - select yes, a wizard will run and then calibre will start showing a one book library. Now close portable calibre.
   
   You will have a folder named C:/Calibre Portable, in it there will be a subfolder named Calibre Library and some other folders and the calibre portable executable file.
   
   Now start regular calibre, if your regular library is named Calibre Library then I suggest you rename it via Library->Rename to something like Main Library.
   
   Now tell calibre regular about the library at C:/Calibre Portable/Calibre Library, see attachment, the one book library will open. Now switch back to the Main Library, and copy the books from the Main Library to the Calibre Library, do NOT select the delete after copy option.
   
   Now close down regular calibre, and start the portable version, you wont have any optional plugins or custom columns. If the performance problems persist then I would be satisfied that Calibre itself is not the problem, so I'd drop out of this process.
   
3. Performance OK with Portable
   
   If the performance problems are not apparent in the portable version, then its most likely something to do with the a custom column, or an optional plugin. If you get to this point you have a choice
   
   
   • continue using the Portable version,
   • use it to help diagnose what's causing the problems when you use the regular version.
   
   So let us know what you want to do in this situation.

Bad Performance in Calibre Portable too

Assuming I did not have a real MS install DVD, I would do a repair/install from a downloaded MS ISO, which will enable you to do what Kovid suggested when he wrote,

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

3) Re-install a clean copy of windows 8, from Microsoft.

Warning the ISO will be big, so it may take a while to download. You will find detailed instructions here http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials...ndows-8-a.html

Whilst the ISO is downloading, I would create a Custom System Image of your system as it is now see ==> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2748351

You may have problems with some programs after doing this. IIRC after doing this on my Win7 I had problems with Firefox, I think I had to reinstall some add ons, and there were 1 or 2 other programs that I had to reinstall. But given how much software I have I was really surprised at how few problems there were. On a couple of other peoples Win7 systems that have got into a mess its been 100% good.

BR