Calibre settings mysteriously lost

Sirtel · 03-05-2025, 01:43 AM

My computer crashed unexpectedly and after restarting it calibre had mysteriously lost all customizations. The library itself was intact. The configuration folder seemed intact as well, but calibre just didn't pick up anything from it. It seemed particularly strange, because I didn't even have calibre open when the crash happened.

I deleted the config folder and restored it from backup, then everything was working again. But I can't help but wonder what could cause calibre to lose the settings while the settings folder itself is still in place? Both the library and the config folder are on a local drive, no cloud syncing or networking.

I don't remember such a thing ever happening before, in my 13 years of using calibre. Weird.

kovidgoyal · 03-05-2025, 01:54 AM

Probably permissions on the folder or file corruption. If you ran calibre in debug mode you would likely have got more info

Sirtel · 03-05-2025, 02:07 AM

Yes, I only thought of it when I had already replaced the config folder.

Anyway, thank you for the reply. The conclusion to be drawn from here is, of course, that one should always, always have a backup. Things happen suddenly, seemingly without any reason, and then it will be too late.

03-05-2025, 01:43 AM	#1
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,432 Karma: 239219453 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Calibre settings mysteriously lost My computer crashed unexpectedly and after restarting it calibre had mysteriously lost all customizations. The library itself was intact. The configuration folder seemed intact as well, but calibre just didn't pick up anything from it. It seemed particularly strange, because I didn't even have calibre open when the crash happened. I deleted the config folder and restored it from backup, then everything was working again. But I can't help but wonder what could cause calibre to lose the settings while the settings folder itself is still in place? Both the library and the config folder are on a local drive, no cloud syncing or networking. I don't remember such a thing ever happening before, in my 13 years of using calibre. Weird.

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03-05-2025, 01:54 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,322 Karma: 27111242 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Probably permissions on the folder or file corruption. If you ran calibre in debug mode you would likely have got more info

03-05-2025, 02:07 AM	#3
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,432 Karma: 239219453 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Yes, I only thought of it when I had already replaced the config folder. Anyway, thank you for the reply. The conclusion to be drawn from here is, of course, that one should always, always have a backup. Things happen suddenly, seemingly without any reason, and then it will be too late.

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