Calibre Freezing with Adding Books and Saving to Disk

[jamesgl]

I have been using Calibre for a number of years. It has always performed flawlessly.

I switched over to Calibre 64-bit version about one year ago.
I am currently running version 2.13

This morning, I tried to use the save to disk function – after selecting a couple of books, and no matter what I did, the program would continually freeze. It would freeze on every subsequent attempt when it was reopened.

In essence, the program continually freezes when I go to add books.
It also freezes when I tried to save selected books to disk.
As soon as I click on the tab to the right of the add book icon, the program freezes.
The same goes for save to disk options.

All of the books that I open by double-clicking on them, open normally, and the Calibre reader seems to work flawlessly as usual.

I ran the library maintenance function, and checked the database.
There were a couple of errors, which I told the program to correct.
The correction of these errors did not make any difference in the freezing function.

I am running Windows 7 with service pack 1 installed.
I ran chkdsk on my C drive, to make certain there was no corruption in my hard drive.
No problems were noted.

Next, I tried uninstalling Calibre using Revo Uninstaller.
Calibre is not listed with Refill UnInstaller.
It is however listed with the normal Windows UnInstaller.
I uninstalled Calibre using Windows uninstall.
The uninstall seemed to progress and work normally.

I invoked Regedit, and deleted all of the instances of "Calibre" That I found in the registry.

I reinstalled Calibre from scratch using the latest MSI file, and the same freezing problem on either save to disk, or add books – persists.

That problem is that if I go to add books, or if I try to save to disk, the program freezes and has to be terminated with the Windows pop-up window that says Calibre.exe has stopped working – the options are check online for a solution which does not work. And close the program.

If someone could point me in the right direction for solving this problem, I would be very, very grateful.

If you wish to contact me directly, please use incoming@pobox.com

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, and if you choose to help, additional thanks as well!

jamesgl

PS this is the problem signature when the program stops working:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BEX64
Application Name: calibre.exe
Application Version: 2.13.0.0
Application Timestamp: 549397bd
Fault Module Name: StackHash_6e4c
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 00000000
Exception Offset: 0000000000004244
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Data: 0000000000000008
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 6e4c
Additional Information 2: 6e4cc6cdb5501bbf066bb626efd6213d
Additional Information 3: 2e0d
Additional Information 4: 2e0d8aca5cad12e91db54d4d7e7213fd

Read our privacy statement online:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?link...8&clcid=0x0409

If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:
C:\Windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt

[BetterRed]

@jamesgl

1. Do you have a backup of your library folder, if you do then restore it, in its entirety.
   
2. Did you try restoring the database (thats metadata.db in file speak) - see attachment - it may take a while.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Calibre itself doesn't keep anything in the Registry, the only thing that's there is what the MS Trusted Installer puts there, and IMO that's best left alone.
   
   All the settings etc are either in its configuration folder or the database(s). Could be there's something in there that's gone awry (but I suspect its database) - Preferences->Miscellaneous->Open calibre configuration directory will take you to the folder.
   
   Close calibre and pack everything there into a zip and put that on your desktop. Then delete everything and start calibre it will take you through the Welcome Wizard, you may have to remind calibre where your library(s) is/are located.

If you have to take option 2, the zip you saved on your desktop will useful in resetting your preferences etc - come back to us if you need guidance.

If the answer to 1. was no, then you ought think about having a backup of your all your data.

BTW - IIRC Revo Uninstaller Free doesn't see 64 bit software, and IMO the pay4me Revo Uninstaller Pro isn't necessary with Win7, so I wouldn't waste my money buying it - I'd give it to Kovid If you want to give the registry an occasional dusting then I suggest CCleaner - many similar tools are far too aggressive and are liable to break things (i.e. they're chainsaws, CCC is a fretsaw).

BR

[jamesgl]

Hi BetterRed,

First, thank you VERY MUCH for taking the time to help me solve the problem.

Secondly, let me address each one of your questions individually in this reply.

Yes – I do have a backup of the library folder. Backup is made every evening automatically at 2 AM. Restoring the library folder from my daily backup, has not made a difference. The program's behavior continues to be freezing. By freezing I mean when you for example click on add books, for a moment the hourglass appears, and then eventually if you move the mouse the window grays out slightly. And then eventually the warning from Windows comes on that the program has stopped working.

Question 2 – yes I did. I restored the database file or I should say I allow the program to reconstruct the database file from the individual books that were in the library. This made no difference in the program's behavior. It still freezes up after the database reconstruction from the books contained within the library. By the way all of the books are contained within multiple subdirectories . The library itself is the directory immediately above that – that contains all of the subdirectories.

Number 3 – I'm going to start with number three. And I will get back with you when I have a result… Probably sometime later on this evening.

Once again I want to thank you so very much for taking the time to work with me on this problem!!

jamesgl

[jamesgl]

Dear BetterRed,

I want to once again thank you for taking the time and expressing your interest in my problem with Calibre.

The bottom line at this point is that I think I am experiencing a 64-bit problem vs. a 32-bit problem.
Anyway… Here's what I did, and this is the order that I did it in.

I followed your number three suggestion as follows.

I copied the preferences/miscellaneous/Calibre configuration directory contents to a separate drive after I zipped it up.
I then deleted the Calibre configuration directory, and all of the subdirectories on the original drive.

I then went to the Calibre download webpage, and downloaded a new copy each – of both the 64-bit and the 32-bit versions of Calibre.

I then installed the sixty-four bit version of Calibre.

Exactly as you said it would – the wizard came up.

When the wizard asked me to choose a new directory for my library, I chose a completely different empty directory.

At that point, [before the actual selection was completed] Calibre waited a moment, then… the hourglass appeared, and then after about fifteen seconds, the window greyed out. The same Windows notification appeared.
The application has stopped working etc.

So in essence – the brand-new installed 64-bit Calibre client stalled out while I was in the wizard, and making an initial selection of which directory to use for the new library.

Just so you know, I am running a number of other 64-bit applications on this computer. Some of which are… Photoshop, Light room, SUPERAntiSpyware, Team speak 3 Client… Etc. All of the above applications run seamlessly. I haven't had any other problems with any other 64-bit applications.

I then went to the control panel and then uninstalled Calibre – 64-bit.

Then I installed the newly-downloaded 32-bit Calibre MSI file.

The installation went normally, and Calibre seems to be running normally. I seem to have all the normal functions. I can save selected books to other directories and I can add books in a normal fashion.

This begs the obvious question of why the 64-bit Calibre is having trouble running on my 64-bit Windows 7 installation.

I'm open to any suggestions and will be willing to do anything to help solve the problem. I do not honestly believe that I am the only one who is experiencing this.

Let me once again conclude by thanking you very much for your time and your effort!

jamesgl

[jamesgl]

I have two replies to your message. Please follow the thread downwards.
Thank you very, very much
jamesgl

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by jamesgl

I have two replies to your message. Please follow the thread downwards.
Thank you very, very much
jamesgl

Hi jamesgl - thanks for your detailed responses and well done for thinking of trying the 32bit v 64bit approach, can I ask what made you think of doing that?

If its any comfort you are the not only person to have ever had this sort of issue. There was a small flurry of them some months ago maybe even a year since where replacing a 64 bit install with 32bit one would solve an inexplicable problem. I can't recall one exactly like yours, but they were equally puzzling.

Thanks for your offer to do what it takes to get to the bottom of this, I'm going to take you up on it. Whilst you're not the first with this sort of problem/solution I for one have never been 100% sure of why a 64->32bit swap should work. And why so few users should be affected - if it was a building block issue we should all get it.

I should tell you firstly of what you will miss out on with 32bit. The ability to do complex and/or large conversions due to the reduced amount memory a 32bit application can address. I don't know of any metrics of how complex or how large - an Illustrated Bible might be a good rule of thumb. That's it, other than that there's no known difference between 64bit and 32bit - except bragging rights.

I must also tell you that you should be able to have both versions installed ie 32bit and 64 bit, you can only run one of them at any one time. Can you verify that - and that the 64 bit wedges.

Assuming that's OK, have you read this ==>> FAQ calibre Freezes Crashes can you confirm that none of the conditions listed apply to your setup

I suspect its some 3rd party program, Have you tried running 64 bit in Safe Mode with No Network - if it works there then that would more or less confirm that calibre and 'something' are in some sort of deadly embrace. If you want to post or send me a list of programs you normally run together, I'll try to suggest likely candidates - eg I would doubt it would be Photoshop or Lightroom, and I'm suspicious of SUPERAntiSpyware and TeamSpeak. Otherwise in my experience its best to remove everything, and then add them back serially and alphabetically (it may not be the 'smartest' way to do it, but often as not its the 'fastest' way to do it).

I think we're in different time zones, I'm currently GMT+11 - its just coming up to 14:00 now

BR

[kovidgoyal]

See http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq....s-occasionally

in particular the last point.

[jamesgl]

Good morning BetterRed,

I'm located in Elkhart Indiana which is Midwestern United States although I am on Eastern standard Time. My local time is GMT -5 hours. I've spoken with a number of ham radio operators in New South Wales.

Before we begin, to answer your question about why I tried the 32-bit version of Calibre, it is because the 64-bit version of Calibre ran perfectly on my computer up until somewhere between three and six months ago. I remember switching over to the 64-bit version [don't hold me to this but I'm thinking well over a year ago] and loving the way it ran. I'm guessing that at some point something I added to my computer that must have changed the environment for Calibre 64-bit.

Since the program would not be useful to me if I could not copy books to other directories, and since I love the functionality of the program, I crossed my fingers and hoped that the 32-bit version would run – which it does!
Sorry for the long answer to your question.

Okay… Before I do anything else, I need a bit of direction from you. I started Windows in the SAFE MODE.
The 64-bit version did not run – actually crashed – and disappeared – in Windows safe mode. By disappeared, I mean the program opens normally, and when I try to add a book, and I choose "add book from single directory" – either one book per directory or multiple books per directory – either one of those choices – the program simply seems to stop running, and then the window literally disappears.
In other words, it remains inactive for probably five or ten seconds, and then the entire window disappears in the safe mode.

The 32-bit version seems to run completely NORMALLY in the safe mode. The add book second and third choices produce an Explorer window in order for you to choose a directory. No problems.

I do run a Logitech mouse, and I also have a Wacom tablet that I use with gestures turned on in Photoshop and light room etc.

I am assuming – this is only an assumption on my part – that in the safe mode the drivers for Logitech and Wacom are not loaded. But I do not know this to be a fact.

One additional question about "stopping" programs. Before I embark on this, as there are a number of programs loaded on my computer – I'm not entirely clear about what is necessary to do – in order to – stop – a program.

Do you have to completely uninstall a program in order to consider it stopped?

I have a program called autoruns.exe.
The program lists everything that Windows loads, in line item format.
(I can email you the program if you would like to check it out.
It is 729,000 bytes in size.
Should be no problem to send via email.
As far as I know, it is public domain.

There is a checkbox on the left side of each line item.

If I uncheck the box, in theory– when I restart Windows – that particular driver, program, whatever… Is not going to load when Windows starts.
Is this an acceptable way to stop a particular program from loading?

Or is it necessary to run through a Windows/Control Panel/programming features/uninstall or change a program – in order to completely remove the program and then have to completely re-install it?

Is there some other direction you can suggest that I could further explore, before I begin to take programs off the computer's operating system one by one, and then re-install them. this is assuming that autoruns.exe is unacceptable to you .

Anyway… Bottom line… In the safe mode, the 64-bit still evidences crashing.
In the safe mode, the 32-bit version seems to work normally.
No problems noted with it.

And by the way… Calibre is one beautiful, beautiful piece of software .
I can't tell you how much my wife and I thoroughly appreciate Calibre!

Once again, many, many thanks for taking an interest in this problem.

One last thing . My wife and I are going to be visiting the kids in the grandkids for Christmas. So I will be gone on December 24, December 25, and December 26.

Warmest regards,

jamesgl

Email address =
incoming [at] pobox.com

[theducks]

Wacom tblet/mice is a known issue (See the FAQ)

IIRC there is a (newer) Logitec Driver issue (Use the Generic Windows Mouse driver)

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

Wacom tblet/mice is a known issue (See the FAQ)

IIRC there is a (newer) Logitec Driver issue (Use the Generic Windows Mouse driver)

- I note the Wacom Tablet issue is no longer specifically mentioned in the FAQ I have a vague memory that got fixed with Qt5.

That Logitech settings applet is a perennial PITA to many programs. And its bloatware, settings applets don't need to run all the time in the tray.

BR

[BetterRed]

@jamesgl - It'll take me a while to answer in detail - but the first thing I'd like you to try, if possible, is to unplug/uninstall the Wacom tablet and Logitech mouse, do a reboot, and then try the 64bit.

I'm hoping you have a spare generic mouse - I have a $2 VW beetle mouse on standby in case something goes wrong with my regular mouse - from memory I bought it at the barbershop

And kill that Logitech settings app, and kill Logitech Update service - their hardware is OK but they are the most annoying peripherals vendor on this planet.

Otherwise do as theducks says - use the generic drivers for the mouse.

Do you have any strange devices - eg. a hacked analogue IO card for your s/w radio, IP over packet radio - those were the days

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@jamesgl - It'll take me a while to answer in detail - but the first thing I'd like you to try, if possible, is to unplug/uninstall the Wacom devices (mouse and tablet), do a reboot, and then try the 64bit.

I'm hoping you have a spare generic mouse - I have a $2 VW beetle mouse on standby in case something goes wrong with my regular mouse - from memory I bought it at the barbershop

BR

Logitec Mice run fine with the MS (generic) scroll wheel mouse driver (most of my mice are the lower end Logitec)

I lost the ability to use all the extra button features of my 'Expert Mouse Pro' with W7 (no W7 driver)

[jamesgl]

Okay… Back from visiting the kids and the grandkids.

Merry Christmas to BR, and everyone else who is possibly following.

I uninstalled the Wacom tablet driver, unplugged the tablet, which happens to be an INTUOSpro small tablet.
Both uninstalls were done using the control panel/programs and Features/uninstall etc..

I uninstalled the Logitech set point.
I restarted the computer in safe mode.

The 64-bit Calibre application does exactly the same thing.
It locks up when you try to use either of the Add Book or save book to disk functions, and in the safe mode completely disappears – self closes – after about twenty seconds or so.

You cannot use the add book function.
You cannot save to disk.
You CAN read a book using the internal book reader.
And you can convert from EPUB to say Mobi. I have not tried other conversions to see if they work.

To my untrained eye the problem appears to be present when you attempt to access the disk to either read or write .

Again in the SAFE MODE – 64-bit will not run Wacom and Logitech drivers removed..
32-bit runs normally with both drivers – Wacom and Logitech removed.

Hope this helps establish a diagnostic course.

jamesgl

[BetterRed]

I assume the autoruns file you mention is the autoruns.arn file, save it and put it somewhere (eg dropbox, gdrive etc) and PM me the link or put in a zip and attach to post here.

I think we have eliminated the hardware options

Save to Disk and Add Books typically create directories, whereas a conversion won't - which suggests the problem is related to directory folder creation - which is curious.

Could you grab a text file (anything will do), anything with extension TXT and add it to an existing book that does NOT have a TXT format - just drag drop it onto the book details panel (where the cover is). That will add the file to an existing book folder - assuming it works.

If that works go into the library folder and create an author folder (eg ZZZ Author) if that works create folder in there (eg ZZZ Book), if that works copy a couple of files into the ZZZ Book folder. That's essentially what happens when you add a new book for a new author - if it works then ??? then how come calibre has a problem. If it doesn't work then at least we'll know its not a specific problem with calibre. Don't forget to delete XXX Author etc.

Another thing to try : create directory at the root of your system drive called something like CalTemp, then create an environment variable CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR that points to that directory (see [User Manual] Environment Variables

BTW I stumbled on a gadget last week called Rapid Environment Editor, its free, it sure beats that fiddly thing MS provide. Rapid Environment Editor - Screenshots

Given that you get the crash with 64 bit calibre in Safe mode but not with 32 bit calibre in Safe mode suggests to me its not another program. Firstly the other programs that would be running in Safe mode are minimal, secondly they are there for both the 64 bit and 32 bit versions.

I'm running out of ideas

BR

[cybmole]

can you not system restore windows to before this began happening.

then look at everything you installed or updated since then

the free tools in ccleaner are another way of checking start up programs, tasks, etc, check all of the tabs

what happens if you backup/ remove or rename or library. then do a clean install of calibre 64 bit ( i.e. wipe all app data folders before re-insatlling )- so that you have the program but no books. will the program then run without vanishing ?

logitech setpoint shoudl be OK - I use that with 64 bit calibre - no issues

are you running roboform - that is another possible culprit - it has to be configured to not mess with calibre by whitewashing the exes, maybe 32 bit is whitelisted but not 64 bit ?

outside of calibre can you randomly create, rename etc x folders with no issues ?