apsw.CorruptError: CorruptError: database disk image is malformed

[Elaine T]

I wanted to do a full text search in Calibre today, and got the subject error. I tried searching a different word, and that worked as usual. Went back to using 'coma' and got the error again. I am using Calibre on a Win 11 PC, it's on the built in hard drive, not a networked one, and my devices are kindles.

I tried check library database and then restore from backup, and the error re-occurred again. I restarted in debug mode and have pasted the log below. Any ideas? I've searched this forum, but with one hit the problem was using a networked drive, and the other it was related to the user's Kobo, as far as I could tell. Neither are applicable to my setup.

help, please?
Debug log

Spoiler:

ApplicationPaletteChange event ignored
Using calibre Qt style: True
ApplicationPaletteChange event received
EpubMerge: DEBUG: 2025-05-16 16:06:07,065: calibre_plugins.epubmerge.epubmerge_plugin(156): macmenuhack file_path:C:\Users\Elaine\AppData\Roaming\calibre\ plugins\fanficfare_macmenuhack.txt
FFF: DEBUG: 2025-05-16 16:06:07,097: calibre_plugins.fanficfare_plugin.fff_plugin(216): Plugin FanFicFare macmenuhack file_path:C:\Users\Elaine\AppData\Roaming\calibre\ plugins\fanficfare_macmenuhack.txt
calibre Debug log
calibre 8.3 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.26100-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.26100')
Python 3.11.12
Windows: ('10', '10.0.26100', 'SP0', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
EXE path: C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre-debug.exe
Successfully initialized third party plugins: Gather KFX-ZIP (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && DeDRM (10, 0, 9) && Package KFX (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && EpubMerge (3, 2, 0) && FanFicFare (4, 45, 0) && Import List (1, 9, 8) && KFX metadata reader (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && From KFX (2, 24, 0) && KFX Input (2, 24, 0) && Set KFX metadata (from KFX Output) (2, 15, 0) && KFX Output (2, 15, 0) && Manage Series (1, 5, 2)
calibre 8.3 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.26100-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.26100')
Python 3.11.12
Windows: ('10', '10.0.26100', 'SP0', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
EXE path: C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre-debug.exe
Successfully initialized third party plugins: Gather KFX-ZIP (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && DeDRM (10, 0, 9) && Package KFX (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && EpubMerge (3, 2, 0) && FanFicFare (4, 45, 0) && Import List (1, 9, 8) && KFX metadata reader (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && From KFX (2, 24, 0) && KFX Input (2, 24, 0) && Set KFX metadata (from KFX Output) (2, 15, 0) && KFX Output (2, 15, 0) && Manage Series (1, 5, 2)
QPA platform: windows
devicePixelRatio: 1.25
logicalDpi: 96.0 x 96.0
physicalDpi: 127.66492146596858 x 127.59069767441859
[0.00] Starting up...
[0.00] Showing splash screen...
[1.19] splash screen shown
[1.19] Initializing db...
[1.45] db initialized
[1.45] Constructing main UI...
[3.36] GUI main window shown
[3.55] main UI initialized...
[3.55] Hiding splash screen
[3.55] splash screen hidden
[3.55] Started up in 3.55 seconds with 5187 books
Exception in thread FTSQuery:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "threading.py", line 1045, in _bootstrap_inner
File "threading.py", line 982, in run
File "calibre\gui2\fts\search.py", line 311, in search_text_in_thread
File "calibre\db\backend.py", line 1143, in fts_search
File "calibre\db\fts\connect.py", line 188, in search
File "C:\t\t\apsw-42s16m2x\src\cursor.c", line 240, in resetcursor
apsw.CorruptError: CorruptError: database disk image is malformed
calibre 8.3 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.26100-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.26100')
Python 3.11.12
Windows: ('10', '10.0.26100', 'SP0', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
EXE path: C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre-debug.exe
Successfully initialized third party plugins: Gather KFX-ZIP (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && DeDRM (10, 0, 9) && Package KFX (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && EpubMerge (3, 2, 0) && FanFicFare (4, 45, 0) && Import List (1, 9, 8) && KFX metadata reader (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && From KFX (2, 24, 0) && KFX Input (2, 24, 0) && Set KFX metadata (from KFX Output) (2, 15, 0) && KFX Output (2, 15, 0) && Manage Series (1, 5, 2)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\fts\search.py", line 468, in search
File "calibre\gui2\fts\search.py", line 273, in search
File "calibre\db\cache.py", line 85, in call_func_with_lock
File "calibre\db\cache.py", line 659, in fts_search
File "calibre\gui2\fts\search.py", line 255, in construct
File "calibre\db\backend.py", line 1143, in fts_search
File "calibre\db\fts\connect.py", line 188, in search
File "calibre\db\backend.py", line 433, in execute
File "C:\t\t\apsw-42s16m2x\src\cursor.c", line 240, in resetcursor
apsw.CorruptError: CorruptError: database disk image is malformed

[132.70] Shutdown starting...
[135.00] Shutdown complete, quitting...

[ownedbycats]

It's an issue with the FTS database, not metadata.db. It's happened me a few times before, possibly related to book deletions but can't confirm. Do a full reindex.

[ownedbycats]

Vacuuming the full-text index (it's an option in Check Library) once resolved it for me. Not the other times though.

[Elaine T]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

It's an issue with the FTS database, not metadata.db. It's happened me a few times before, possibly related to book deletions but can't confirm. Do a full reindex.

Thanks for the suggestion. It just finished ...and... try the search it was giving me the error on.
Drat. Error's still there.
Maybe I should make a new library location, and move everything to force creation of a brand new database?

Here are the error details

Spoiler:

calibre, version 8.3.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>CorruptError</b>:CorruptError: database disk image is malformed

calibre 8.3 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.26100-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.26100')
Python 3.11.12
Windows: ('10', '10.0.26100', 'SP0', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
EXE path: C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre.exe
Successfully initialized third party plugins: Gather KFX-ZIP (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && DeDRM (10, 0, 9) && Package KFX (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && EpubMerge (3, 2, 0) && FanFicFare (4, 45, 0) && Import List (1, 9, 8) && KFX metadata reader (from KFX Input) (2, 24, 0) && From KFX (2, 24, 0) && KFX Input (2, 24, 0) && Set KFX metadata (from KFX Output) (2, 15, 0) && KFX Output (2, 15, 0) && Manage Series (1, 5, 2)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\fts\search.py", line 468, in search
File "calibre\gui2\fts\search.py", line 273, in search
File "calibre\db\cache.py", line 85, in call_func_with_lock
File "calibre\db\cache.py", line 659, in fts_search
File "calibre\gui2\fts\search.py", line 255, in construct
File "calibre\db\backend.py", line 1143, in fts_search
File "calibre\db\fts\connect.py", line 188, in search
File "calibre\db\backend.py", line 433, in execute
File "C:\t\t\apsw-42s16m2x\src\cursor.c", line 240, in resetcursor
apsw.CorruptError: CorruptError: database disk image is malformed

[ownedbycats]

Close Calibre and delete full-text-search.db from library folder. Then restart and let it reindex.

[Elaine T]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Close Calibre and delete full-text-search.db from library folder. Then restart and let it reindex.

That worked!

thank you very much.