[BetterRed]

@jamesgl - I'm putting each idea in its own spoiler because it was rather long, I hope it helps rather than hinders

AutoRuns

Spoiler:

The above link goes to the zip file that contains ...

James, I did not want autoruns itself, I wanted to see what you see.

Run it, make sure Options->Filter Options->Hide Windows entries is checked. Then do a File->Save, it will offer to save AutoRuns.arn, save it as James.arn, upload to dropbox and post a link - then we can see what you're starting at boot time and make suggestions regarding anything 'suspicious'.

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Drop Text File into a Book

Spoiler:

Okay… Next I created a simple Windows text file, opened up the sixty-four bit version of Calibre, and dropped the file onto a book. The program immediately froze and the usual window came up.

What usual window, I think of a 'frozen' program as one whose window goes milky with Not Responding in the Window title bar. Did you drag drop to the Book Details or Book List? The following image indicates what I hoped you'd do.



If you create the Text file on the desktop and drag/drop from there that will (hopefully) take Total Commander out of the equation. Do it in 32bit so that you have a benchmark - there shouldn't be any windows popping up.

BTW you can delete a format for a book by right clicking it in Book Details and selecting Delete XXXX format.

Interestingly enough, the files appeared on my desktop, which was theoretically immediately underneath the Calibre 64-bit window. They were moved from their original location, to the underlying desktop.

That is truly, truly bizarre - but potentially important. I'll assume that you drag/dropped the TXT file into the Book List, by 'usual window' do you mean this one ?



If not that, then 'what usual window'? Can you capture it and post it. To post an image here, click on Manage Attachments in Advanced Mode (scroll down), Browse to image and Upload, once its uploaded then Close Window (top right corner).

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Total Commander

Spoiler:

I use Total Commander in place of the Windows Explorer. Although that should not make any difference.

It shouldn't, but... Does TC have a 'mode' where it "allegedly replaces Windows Explorer". My file manager, xplorer², (X2) has that option, but I avoid it like the plague. Directory Opus (Dopus) is another one that has it. I have seen both X2 and Dopus create problems when the replace Windows Explorer option is used.

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Temporary Directory

Spoiler:

Now going to try creating the temporary directory and then create the environmental variable. Will report back when I have done this. Okay… I followed the directions for creating system variables in Windows. I created a variable with the name of CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR

<snip>

In any event, the 64-bit program locked up per usual. I will await further instructions on this.

That all seems fine to me.

Calibre looks for the CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR environment variable and uses it if its set, otherwise it uses the standard Windows Temp location. IIRC some of the previous 'inexplicable' problems that have been solved by using 32bit rather than 64 bit, were manifesting as permission problems on the Temp folder - which is also bizarre. Here's what I have



When you run calibre you should see a folder in the CalTemp folder with a randomly weird name (e.g. calibre_ya8u_p) - it may or may not have content, and it should get deleted when calibre exits normally. It probably won't get deleted when calibre crashes. Might be an idea to move it somewhere 'safe' in case we want to have a look at it, it might have some clues.

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Manually Create Folders

Spoiler:

Did you try doing this

Originally Posted by BetterRed

....go into the library folder and create an author folder (eg ZZZ Author) if that works create folder in there (eg ZZZ Book), if that works copy a couple of files into the ZZZ Book folder. That's essentially what happens when you add a new book for a new author - if it works then ??? then how come calibre has a problem. If it doesn't work then at least we'll know its not a specific problem with calibre. Don't forget to delete XXX Author etc.

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System Restore

Spoiler:

Your [cybmole's] first suggestion – About going to a prior restore… I cannot do this easily.

<snip>

I'm dragging my feet with that because then I have to restore email databases etc.

Given all that then IMO you would probably be better off to try an Inline Reinstall of Windows, it will replace Windows whilst leaving all your data and and non Windows software in place.

If that didn't work then I'd backup all my data, save or take screen shots of applications settings and make sure I knew how & where to install everything and then reinstall Windows to a freshly formatted disk.

I've found that doing a restore to a long-time-ago point in time (eg several months) on someone's system, results in the owner spending the next six months gradually getting the system back to as it was as they find things have gone missing or are mis-configured. And they will blame me for the inconvenience having to do so.

But in this case, replacing windows inline or in its entirety are last resort options. You have a working solution with the 32 bit version, and if push comes to shove there's the calibre portable option.

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Configuration Data

Spoiler:

cybmole mentioned another possibility- the configuration data (appdata) - this is worth checking out.

But cybmole suggests you remove config data with the Revo Uninstaller, the problem with doing that is that the 32bit and the 64bit versions of calibre share the same configuration data, Revo will trash it. You have no problems with 32bit, but without the current configuration data it would be potentially 'crippled'. Hence I suggest you do the following.

You can get to the configuration data via Preferences->Miscellaneous->Open calibre configuration directory it should open in Windows Explorer, leave the window open and exit calibre**.

Then in that Explorer window, go up a level (select first item and hit backspace). You should be at somewhere like 'C:\Users\James\AppData\Roaming', with the folder 'calibre' selected, rename it to 'calibre_save'.

Now start calibre 64 bit, it will take you through the Welcome Wizard, which creates a fresh 'C:\Users\James\AppData\Roaming\calibre' folder with default contents. If your library is not in the default location with the default name (I think that's something like "C:\Users\James\Documents\Calibre Library") then you won't see it, but no matter, you can do a test with the default library the Wizard created - just try adding a book to it in your normal way.

If it doesn't crash, then something in the configuration data (in calibre_save) is causing the 64 bit version to crash but not the 32 bit - which is very strange.

If 64 bit crashes then we have eliminated the config data as a possible cause.

Delete the 'C:\Users\James\AppData\Roaming\calibre' the Wizard created, and rename the 'calibre_save' folder back to 'calibre' - that will re-establish the existing configuration which the 32bit version can use.

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Close all other programs

Spoiler:

Have you tried closing all other programs, I don't mean uninstall, just close them all normally. For applications in the tray right click on the icon will expose an Exit option, if there is one. Also go into Tray Items Customise and make sure there are no items with the Hide Icon and Notification option - I would suggest they be changed to Only Show Notifications, exit these too.

Go into Task Manager - calibre should be the only thing in Applications, and in Processes (with the Show Processes from all users unchecked - bottom left corner) you should not see much - if you take a screen shot and post it I'll have a look to see if there's anything 'suspicious'.

BTW I run PS and LR alongside calibre with no issue. Not Breeze though, not even sure what it does these days.

Is your camera tethered to your PC via USB or WiFi? As a matter of principle I wont run calibre if I have a camera attached - no particular reason, just that camera's are no good for reading books

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Ignore Plugins

Spoiler:

There's another option we haven't tried, which is to run calibre 64 bit with no optional PI's. You can do this by running calibre with the --ignore-plugins switch.

Open a console window, click Start, click Run. enter cmd into its Open box, and hit enter. In the console window type "C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre.exe" --ignore-plugins and hit enter. NB the quotes are required.

Try adding a Book.

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** Replacing Windows Explorer

Spoiler:

If Prefs->Misc->Open config it doesn't open in a Windows (File) Explorer window looking something like this



then that would suggest that you've used an option in Total Commander that TC replace Windows (File) Explorer.

Given your problem appears to be related to creating folders and files can you do whatever is necessary to turn that feature off. I can't imagine why that could affect the 64bit and not the 32 bit version of calibre, but Windows Explorer is so fundamental I think its best not to tinker with it too much - IMO augmenting WE is fine, but one should avoid subverting it and trying to pretend it doesn't exist.

BR