My conversion is really slow (or not working)

[derei]

At first, I want to say Hello to everybody. I am a new and prowd owner of a Nook Simple Touch, and obviously I'm getting along with it, trying to integrate it in my life.
So, I learned about Calibre.
Now, how fast should be calibre? I'm trying to convert a 5.5MB PDF Book (115 pag.) in order to load it on my Nook, but after 12 minutes, it was still at 1%.
At first it seemed to be the antivirus (MSE), so I added the installation folder as exception, then I completely disabled real time protection (btw, calibre should be fixed somehow, to be let alone by antiviruses)... but the problem persisted.

Is there anything I can do, debug, or something to get an idea why is so slow? Or even if it's actually doing something?

Thanks

[theducks]

Originally Posted by derei

At first, I want to say Hello to everybody. I am a new and prowd owner of a Nook Simple Touch, and obviously I'm getting along with it, trying to integrate it in my life.
So, I learned about Calibre.
Now, how fast should be calibre? I'm trying to convert a 5.5MB PDF Book (115 pag.) in order to load it on my Nook, but after 12 minutes, it was still at 1%.
At first it seemed to be the antivirus (MSE), so I added the installation folder as exception, then I completely disabled real time protection (btw, calibre should be fixed somehow, to be let alone by antiviruses)... but the problem persisted.

Is there anything I can do, debug, or something to get an idea why is so slow? Or even if it's actually doing something?

Thanks

some can take up to 24 hours. Rare, but happens

[derei]

Originally Posted by theducks

some can take up to 24 hours. Rare, but happens

Any way to see if the program is actually DOING something, or has frozen?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by derei

Any way to see if the program is actually DOING something, or has frozen?

Process Explorer (or task manager: Processes)

Calibre usually bombs (with some error) rather than just 'hangs'.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by derei

btw, calibre should be fixed somehow, to be let alone by antiviruses

Providing a means to allow a program to be let alone by antiviruses would totally kill the effectiveness of an antivirus program. All viruses would make use of that ability with obvious consequences.

[derei]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Providing a means to allow a program to be let alone by antiviruses would totally kill the effectiveness of an antivirus program. All viruses would make use of that ability with obvious consequences.

I am sure that is a "legal" way to do it... like declaring some protocols/routine to AV developers, so they could recognize the software involved... I don't know the exact process, but I am sure is possible. As exclusions seem to not work very well (I excluded the entire installation folder, but with no use). Maybe we should exclude by process?

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by derei

I am sure that is a "legal" way to do it... like declaring some protocols/routine to AV developers, so they could recognize the software involved... I don't know the exact process, but I am sure is possible. As exclusions seem to not work very well (I excluded the entire installation folder, but with no use). Maybe we should exclude by process?

Disable your internet adapter(s) temporarily in device manager or unplug your modem/router, then turn off your AV and run your conversion.

If you were to exclude a folder maybe exclude the library folder?

If you are not connected to the internet, your chances of getting a virus are pretty slim if you stay away from your email folders and don't install any software there should be no risk at all.

And in 1/2 hour or so you should be able to establish if your AV could be at fault. If it is still taking a long time probably not the AV.

Helen

[Sabardeyn]

I agree with Helen.

Although I would add that before you disconnect the internet, make sure you know the Key (security password) needed to reconnect. For AT&T, and many other internet providers, the key is posted on the router as either a sticker or a panel with a serial number on the back/bottom.

I suggest this because, when trying to reconnect, you might be required to re-enter the Key. Without it the computer will refuse to reconnect.

[derei]

Originally Posted by Sabardeyn

I agree with Helen.

Although I would add that before you disconnect the internet, make sure you know the Key (security password) needed to reconnect. For AT&T, and many other internet providers, the key is posted on the router as either a sticker or a panel with a serial number on the back/bottom.

I suggest this because, when trying to reconnect, you might be required to re-enter the Key. Without it the computer will refuse to reconnect.

Actually I did a different thing: I tried to convert some other PFDs ... and some work FAST (less than a minute, few seconds) and some of them seem to last forever. I will dig into it... I'll see if the antivirus may cause this lag. What I am sure of, is that the antivirus IS WORKING hard during the conversion process... that may imply that Calibre is doing some "unconventional" work under the hood. Something that windows doesn't allow openly and can be potentially harmful (like rewriting some RAM bytes, or accessing something in a suspect way... or something)... I don't know. The developers should know better why MSE is put to work. So, the protection software gets in red alert...

[itimpi]

I would recommend that you set up Calibre to be a process that is excluded from AV checks. Doing that can give a good performance boost, and there is little risk as eBooks are not virus vectors.

[derei]

Originally Posted by itimpi

I would recommend that you set up Calibre to be a process that is excluded from AV checks. Doing that can give a good performance boost, and there is little risk as eBooks are not virus vectors.

I did that, but I don't know if only calibre.exe should be excuded, or there are several more processes. Please tell me.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by derei

I did that, but I don't know if only calibre.exe should be excuded, or there are several more processes. Please tell me.

besides Calibre.exe, add the Worker processes (they do lots of the conversion work ) calibre-parallel.exe

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by derei

I did that, but I don't know if only calibre.exe should be excuded, or there are several more processes. Please tell me.

All files with the extensions .cmd, .bat, .pif, .exe, .com, and .scr in the Calibre2 directory and sub-directories

What is the name of the process you're watching that makes you think that its MSE that makes Calibre's conversion slow?

BR

[derei]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

All files with the extensions .cmd, .bat, .pif, .exe, .com, and .scr in the Calibre2 directory and sub-directories

What is the name of the process you're watching that makes you think that its MSE that makes Calibre's conversion slow?

BR

Now I added pdftohtml.exe to exclusion list and the antivirus work had stopped. But the CPU usage has dropped too. It's obvious now that the av. was using it so extensively. Now I have only peaks now and then, not a consistent usage. Is that normal? Calibre works in "reprises" ?
I tried some other pdf files and those converted relatively fast (less than 1 minute), but I have two that seem to create problems.
I could provide one of them to the developers, but only as private submission and ONLY for development and programming purposes. It's a book that WAS available in digital format, for free, but now the online version has been retracted. Only printed version is to be found.

Thank you.

EDIT: - just noticed this:
- I cancelled the conversion job and I closed calibre, but pdftohtml.exe (actually 2 processes with this name) were still running until I closed them forcefully.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by derei

Now I added pdftohtml.exe to exclusion list and the antivirus work had stopped. But the CPU usage has dropped too. It's obvious now that the av. was using it so extensively. Now I have only peaks now and then, not a consistent usage. Is that normal? Calibre works in "reprises" ?
I tried some other pdf files and those converted relatively fast (less than 1 minute), but I have two that seem to create problems.
I could provide one of them to the developers, but only as private submission and ONLY for development and programming purposes. It's a book that WAS available in digital format, for free, but now the online version has been retracted. Only printed version is to be found.

Thank you.

EDIT: - just noticed this:
- I cancelled the conversion job and I closed calibre, but pdftohtml.exe (actually 2 processes with this name) were still running until I closed them forcefully.

The progress shown for Calibre conversions is not linear, it works in phases so you will see progress sit at 1%, then it will jump to something like 22%, 47% is another place it has a big think.

I don't normally convert PDF's with calibre, I've found that I get more consistent results from the Mobicreator program, and its faster, it creates prc files that calibre converts faithfully to epub. To get a reasonable epub still requires editing, but its fairly predictable so I use some editor macro's.

But I just ran some calibre PDF's to EPUB conversions - they only ran for a few minutes each - only one of them appeared to start pdftotml - it gobbled up one of my four processors - MsMpEng never got above 2%.

This is just a hunch. When I first started using calibre I had some issues with conversions gobbling up my system - I've found that the following settings get the work done and calibre doesn't impact other things - I'm running windows 7 on a 6G I5 with a wd spinning disk drives.

Preferences->Behavior->Job Priority = Low
Preferences Miscellaneous-> see attachment

BR