e-reader text inverted in windows 10

[Suffolk Punch]

Have just upgraded my windows 7 virtualbox vm to windows 10 (v. 1909).

The issue: The latest 64- and 32-bit versions of Calibre (4.8) both display epub books in the e-reader with text upside-down and left-right flipped (I think). I have attached a snap of what it looks like (Calibre-issue.PNG).

Previously, Calibre 4.8 running in the Windows 7 VM had no such problem.

VirtualBox is v. 6.1 (running in Linux Mint 18.3) and has the 6.1 guest additions CD installed.

Has anyone seen this sort of thing?

Martin

[kovidgoyal]

This will be some issue with the graphics card drivers compatibility with webengine. Why are you using a VM anyway? Use the native builds for whatever OS you are on.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Suffolk Punch

Have just upgraded my windows 7 virtualbox vm to windows 10 (v. 1909).

The issue: The latest 64- and 32-bit versions of Calibre (4.8) both display epub books in the e-reader with text upside-down and left-right flipped (I think). I have attached a snap of what it looks like (Calibre-issue.PNG).

Previously, Calibre 4.8 running in the Windows 7 VM had no such problem.

VirtualBox is v. 6.1 (running in Linux Mint 18.3) and has the 6.1 guest additions CD installed.

Has anyone seen this sort of thing?

Martin

Someone else posted that he was running Calibre with Linux in a VM under Windows 10. His solution was to run Calibre under Windows 10 and dump the VM. Creating a VM just to run Calibre is a really bad idea.

[Suffolk Punch]

Thanks both.

My main OS is linux mint. But I keep a tame win7 vm for various windows apps that don't work in linux (or not reliably). Of course, Calibre doesn't fall into that fold! However, Adobe Digital Editions and Kindle for PC do (in my opinion). Plus I need IE with ActiveX (yuck!) for other purposes.

Anyway, I've restored the Win 7 VM, to the status quo ante where Calibre's e-reader displays books nicely.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Suffolk Punch

Thanks both.

My main OS is linux mint. But I keep a tame win7 vm for various windows apps that don't work in linux (or not reliably). Of course, Calibre doesn't fall into that fold! However, Adobe Digital Editions and Kindle for PC do (in my opinion). Plus I need IE with ActiveX (yuck!) for other purposes.

Anyway, I've restored the Win 7 VM, to the status quo ante where Calibre's e-reader displays books nicely.

When dealing with eBooks, Windows 10 should be your main OS. It's much better then OS X and blows away Linux.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Suffolk Punch

Plus I need IE with ActiveX (yuck!) for other purposes.

Let me guess: to use an ancient front-end to a mainframe admin application (e.g. HR).

BR

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Suffolk Punch

Thanks both.

My main OS is linux mint. But I keep a tame win7 vm for various windows apps that don't work in linux (or not reliably). Of course, Calibre doesn't fall into that fold! However, Adobe Digital Editions and Kindle for PC do (in my opinion). Plus I need IE with ActiveX (yuck!) for other purposes.

Anyway, I've restored the Win 7 VM, to the status quo ante where Calibre's e-reader displays books nicely.

Windows 7 is dead and there are going to be a number of unsupported programs such as Calibre. Dump Linux as it's a mess and install Windows 10 (not in a VM).

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Windows 7 is dead and there are going to be a number of unsupported programs such as Calibre. Dump Linux as it's a mess and install Windows 10 (not in a VM).

That's a very personal biased viewpoint on Linux. Some would claim Win 10 is a mess.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

When dealing with eBooks, Windows 10 should be your main OS. It's much better then OS X and blows away Linux.

This is a very biased personal view and has no basis in fact. It's true that OS X is worse than it was. Win7 and XP were probably better. Win8 and Win10 are certainly poorer unless you are tied to a Windows program that doesn't work on WINE. Even MS recommends a VM on Win10 to run older Windows programs.

The ONLY point now of Win10 is to run Windows Business programs or rented Adobe high end creation tools. If all you need is on OSX or Linux, then those are better. Certainly Linux needs some introduction to those that have never used it. Loads of Windows refugees that don't need Windows business programs find Linux less bother than Win7, never mind Win10.
Linux Mint, Mate desktop, Traditional OK or Redmond Theme.
Waterfox or Firefox Browser.
Calibre
LibreOffice
Thunderbird
The Gimp instead of PaintShop Pro
Inkscape for vector art.

Use a PS4 for gaming.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

That's a very personal biased viewpoint on Linux. Some would claim Win 10 is a mess.

<rant>
W10 is frustrating for someone who started out using computers BW (MSDOS2) and had also been a UNIX user.

When W7 came along, I said: "FINALLY, they are getting it right (security...)"

Then they (IMHO) did a IBM (Micro channel release) and 'fixed' (I ignore the W8 botch) and gave us W10, that took many things away from user control and moved others around so we could not find them.
</rant>

Expecting any complex program (that uses system resources) to perform flawlessly under an Emulator or VM is a bit much

The OP might be justified with their reasons on running non-native OS Calibre. I can't say. I rarely even boot the Linux side any more.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

That's a very personal biased viewpoint on Linux. Some would claim Win 10 is a mess.

Windows 10 being a mess is user error. My Windows 10 is not a mess.

OK, not all Linux is a mess. But a lot of Linux installs are a mess.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by theducks

<rant>
W10 is frustrating for someone who started out using computers BW (MSDOS2) and had also been a UNIX user.

When W7 came along, I said: "FINALLY, they are getting it right (security...)"

Then they (IMHO) did a IBM (Micro channel release) and 'fixed' (I ignore the W8 botch) and gave us W10, that took many things away from user control and moved others around so we could not find them.
</rant>

I started using computers back int he days of MS-DOS (before there was any version of Windows) and I do not find Windows 10 to be frustrating. I've used Windows 3.0, 3.1, 7, 95, 98, Vitsa, 8.0, 8.1, and all the different versions of 10. So I'm going to disagree with you. Windows 10 would only be frustrating (maybe) for someone comping at computers starting with Windows 10.

Windows 8 was able to be fixed to be very usable with add-ons from Classic Shell. You get a start menu, & classic explorer. This made Windows 8/8.1 very usable.Otherwise, I agree it wasn't all that sable.

http://www.classicshell.net/

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Windows 7 is dead and there are going to be a number of unsupported programs such as Calibre. Dump Linux as it's a mess and install Windows 10 (not in a VM).

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

That's a very personal biased viewpoint on Linux. Some would claim Win 10 is a mess.

ALL operating systems can be a mess. The race between the programmers trying to produce fool-proof programs and the universe trying to produce more ingenious idiots has the universe in the lead by a length.

As for not using VMs? I use them a lot to run various version of Linux, Mac OS X and Windows (server and personal). I've done this in Windows (XP to 10) and Linux (multiple distributions). Also doable under Mac OSX though I haven't personally done so. Yes, there are occasional issues such as the latest Windows Insider builds insisting that I change the hard disk type from SCSI to SATA or a Mac OSX VM not running some programs that require direct access to hardware, but overall I am able to support multiple operating systems without needing multiple computers.

Drawbacks? You need a decent machine (my current unit has a Core i9 8-core processor, 64GB of RAM and 3TB of PCIe SSD (1TB main, 2TB data) which is more than decent). Not all programs will work with the hardware abstraction getting in the way. As noted above, some programs such as the latest Windows Insider builds which broke support for SCSI hard disks can be an issue.

Oh, one last thought... When running multiple VMs, bring out the earplugs since the system fans are going to running at full speed.

[BetterRed]

Back On Topic! - hint, hint.

Originally Posted by Suffolk Punch

Thanks both.

My main OS is linux mint. But I keep a tame win7 vm for various windows apps that don't work in linux (or not reliably). Of course, Calibre doesn't fall into that fold! However, Adobe Digital Editions and Kindle for PC do (in my opinion). Plus I need IE with ActiveX (yuck!) for other purposes.

Anyway, I've restored the Win 7 VM, to the status quo ante where Calibre's e-reader displays books nicely.

@Suffolk Punch Have you tried running ADE and K4PC under Wine, I don't know for certain if that would work - but some bright spark around here is bound to know. If it's doable you could then use Linux calibre. Then the W7 VM would only be needed for the Active X app.

BR

[JSWolf]

It is on topic to suggest the OP stop the VM and move to Windows 10 as things will work where they don't work now.