What I do is create the empty library in Calibre GUI first (including any custom columns), then quit Calibre GUI. On Windows, I used the ff command line:
Code:
calibredb add --duplicates --recurse --library-path "[DriveLetter]:\path\to\your\calibre\library"
"[DriveLetter]:\path\to\ebooks\you\want\to\add"
By the way, I ran the same import test on a Windows 10 netbook with i3-3227U 1.9GHz, 4GB RAM and 320GB HDD (waiting for Black Friday sales on 1TB SSDs). Import from internal HDD to internal HDD took 3 1/2 freakin' hours. CPU load hovered at 3-5% and Disk 1 C: was constantly at 90-100% load.
Ran the import test again using the exact same netbook this time with source and destination both on a 256GB Samsung 830 SSD connected via USB 3.0. Import took a mere 21 min 41s. One CPU core was constantly maxed out and Disk 2 D: load was around 20%.
Both tests were performed with Windows Defender Real-Time Protection disabled.
Too sleepy last night (didn't expect the laptop HDD test to take 3.5 freakin' hours) but will be running a couple more import tests on the netbook today. This time, I'll be testing a portable USB HDD and a Samsung Fit flash drive.