Calibre and Windows 7 - Advice please

IAmConfused · 10-18-2019, 02:56 PM

Today on updating to Calibre v 4.2.0 from Calibre v 4.1 running under Windows 7 64 bit I actually saw & read

the note on the Downloads page "If you are using Windows 7 or Vista please, use calibre 3.48, which works with all Windows 7/Vista machines, from here. Simply un-install calibre and install 3.48, doing so will not affect your books/setting"

I have had no issues of consequence since updating to Version 4.x; however a friend who I just introduced to Calibre has some flakiness running under Windows 7 32 bit

My question ... does the warning to use Calibre v 3.48 apply to Windows 7 OR just to Windows 7 32 bit (i.e. I've just been lucky on X64 and Calibre 4) ?

theducks · 10-18-2019, 03:15 PM

Open a book in the Editor.
Can you see the text in the Preview pane. You have a system that works.
For some, that pane is blank (white). The reason for the note.

JSWolf · 10-18-2019, 03:23 PM

If Calibre 4.2 is working for you, keep with it.

Have your friend open a command prompt as administrator. Then run "sfc /scannow" (without the quotes). What that will do is check if his Windows is OK or has problems.

IAmConfused · 10-18-2019, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Open a book in the Editor.
Can you see the text in the Preview pane. You have a system that works.
For some, that pane is blank (white). The reason for the note.

Just to be clear ... other than not being able to preview when editing if running Windows 7 Calibre will run 'normally' otherwise ?

theducks · 10-18-2019, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAmConfused

Just to be clear ... other than not being able to preview when editing if running Windows 7 Calibre will run 'normally' otherwise ?

AFAIK yes. That has been the only reported issue with W7 (I have that one on my Laptop. I use W10 on my desktop)

IAmConfused · 10-18-2019, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

AFAIK yes. That has been the only reported issue with W7 (I have that one on my Laptop. I use W10 on my desktop)

Thanks very much for your feedback ... removing finger from panic button and resolving to revert to reading screen notices only where all else fails

FizzyWater · 10-18-2019, 07:26 PM

Another option for your friend is to install the 64-bit 4.x version on his computer *and* the 32-bit 3.48 version. If he wants to use the viewer, he can open up 3.48. If he wants to use the library interface, 4.x.

There's a post from Sirtel here that talks about resetting your associations so it actually opens from 3.48.

stualden · 10-19-2019, 06:56 AM

Just to be clear (I'm curious) - does the problem show up in the viewer or the metadata editor (or both)?

Thankfully both are okay for me here (Windows 7 64-bit). I just saw that note about 3.48 this morning.

JSWolf · 10-19-2019, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stualden

Just to be clear (I'm curious) - does the problem show up in the viewer or the metadata editor (or both)?

Thankfully both are okay for me here (Windows 7 64-bit). I just saw that note about 3.48 this morning.

From what I understand, the problem with Calibre 4.x and Windows 7 only effects some systems.

theducks · 10-19-2019, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stualden

Just to be clear (I'm curious) - does the problem show up in the viewer or the metadata editor (or both)?

Thankfully both are okay for me here (Windows 7 64-bit). I just saw that note about 3.48 this morning.

The Viewer and the EDITOR. Both these render the body of the book.
The MDE work fine (it only makes/views DB entries)

tas03 · 01-20-2020, 06:55 PM

I have a follow up question for this thread which I found by doing a google search. If my Windows 7 64-bit system is one that still works with Calibre 4.2, should I leave it at 4.2 or is updating a risk. If I leave the desktop at 4.2 will it be able to communicate with a higher version of Calibre on my Windows 10 laptop?

BetterRed · 01-20-2020, 07:21 PM

Why not upgrade the Windows 7 system to Windows 10 - it can be done for free.

But regardless of that, there is no reason not to maintain the same version of calibre on your Win7 desktop and your Win10 laptop. If/when Kovid blocks new installs/updates on Win7 it will probably coincide with a major release.

BR

theducks · 01-20-2020, 08:07 PM

The DB has been stable for quite a while (that is the real compatibility item).
Kovid will notify us, if that become NOT backward compatible.

The PY thing is for the code, which the plugins use. If you stick with W7, you just need to pay attention to NOT load a PI that has been made incompatible

(the PI update notifier checks Calibre installed, so you should NOT see this... BUT... Keep a backup of the entire config folder, just in case you need to put older PI's back )

kovidgoyal · 01-20-2020, 08:31 PM

You can keep updating if it works for you, and yes different versions of calibre will interoperate with each other in general, although this is obviously not recommended, as very occassionally there can be backwards incompatible changes, for instance the name or location of some configuration options can change, or the db can grow new tables which old versions of calibre will not know about.

tas03 · 01-22-2020, 05:10 PM

Thanks Kovid.

I have the same Calibre version on the laptop and the desktop but my question about different versions working together was in case I updated the laptop and but couldn't update the desktop.

The main reason I have not updated to Windows 10 is fear of something going wrong.

10-18-2019, 02:56 PM	#1
IAmConfused Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: Android Asus Transformer	Calibre and Windows 7 - Advice please Today on updating to Calibre v 4.2.0 from Calibre v 4.1 running under Windows 7 64 bit I actually saw & read the note on the Downloads page "If you are using Windows 7 or Vista please, use calibre 3.48, which works with all Windows 7/Vista machines, from here. Simply un-install calibre and install 3.48, doing so will not affect your books/setting" I have had no issues of consequence since updating to Version 4.x; however a friend who I just introduced to Calibre has some flakiness running under Windows 7 32 bit My question ... does the warning to use Calibre v 3.48 apply to Windows 7 OR just to Windows 7 32 bit (i.e. I've just been lucky on X64 and Calibre 4) ?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Windows Calibre - normal Windows vs 64bit Windows	midnightmaze	Calibre	8	05-30-2015 07:16 AM
Windows to Mac...advice appreciated	Kai Winters	Calibre	8	01-22-2014 12:51 AM
Moving Calibre Library from Windows 7 to Windows 8 - json code issue	DramaQueenLucy	Devices	14	11-12-2013 11:47 AM
Advice for reading ebooks using an ipod Touch & a Windows XP PC	heron61	Apple Devices	20	12-18-2012 10:54 PM
Anyone offer some advice on Windows CE Embedded on SmartQ V7	PeterGammage	General Discussions	0	06-18-2010 06:00 PM

10-18-2019, 03:15 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,043 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Open a book in the Editor. Can you see the text in the Preview pane. You have a system that works. For some, that pane is blank (white). The reason for the note.

10-18-2019, 03:23 PM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,714 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If Calibre 4.2 is working for you, keep with it. Have your friend open a command prompt as administrator. Then run "sfc /scannow" (without the quotes). What that will do is check if his Windows is OK or has problems.

10-18-2019, 07:26 PM	#7
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	Another option for your friend is to install the 64-bit 4.x version on his computer and the 32-bit 3.48 version. If he wants to use the viewer, he can open up 3.48. If he wants to use the library interface, 4.x. There's a post from Sirtel here that talks about resetting your associations so it actually opens from 3.48.

10-19-2019, 06:56 AM	#8
stualden Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Berwyn, PA Device: iPad Gen 3	Just to be clear (I'm curious) - does the problem show up in the viewer or the metadata editor (or both)? Thankfully both are okay for me here (Windows 7 64-bit). I just saw that note about 3.48 this morning.

01-20-2020, 06:55 PM	#11
tas03 Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 129368 Join Date: Feb 2017 Device: Nook Glowlight +, Nook Tab. , Nook Simple Touch, iPad Air, iPhone 6Se	I have a follow up question for this thread which I found by doing a google search. If my Windows 7 64-bit system is one that still works with Calibre 4.2, should I leave it at 4.2 or is updating a risk. If I leave the desktop at 4.2 will it be able to communicate with a higher version of Calibre on my Windows 10 laptop?

01-20-2020, 07:21 PM	#12
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,716 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Why not upgrade the Windows 7 system to Windows 10 - it can be done for free. But regardless of that, there is no reason not to maintain the same version of calibre on your Win7 desktop and your Win10 laptop. If/when Kovid blocks new installs/updates on Win7 it will probably coincide with a major release. BR

01-20-2020, 08:07 PM	#13
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,043 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	The DB has been stable for quite a while (that is the real compatibility item). Kovid will notify us, if that become NOT backward compatible. The PY thing is for the code, which the plugins use. If you stick with W7, you just need to pay attention to NOT load a PI that has been made incompatible (the PI update notifier checks Calibre installed, so you should NOT see this... BUT... Keep a backup of the entire config folder, just in case you need to put older PI's back )

01-20-2020, 08:31 PM	#14
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,338 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You can keep updating if it works for you, and yes different versions of calibre will interoperate with each other in general, although this is obviously not recommended, as very occassionally there can be backwards incompatible changes, for instance the name or location of some configuration options can change, or the db can grow new tables which old versions of calibre will not know about.

01-22-2020, 05:10 PM	#15
tas03 Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 129368 Join Date: Feb 2017 Device: Nook Glowlight +, Nook Tab. , Nook Simple Touch, iPad Air, iPhone 6Se	Thanks Kovid. I have the same Calibre version on the laptop and the desktop but my question about different versions working together was in case I updated the laptop and but couldn't update the desktop. The main reason I have not updated to Windows 10 is fear of something going wrong.

Advert

Advert