Can't run/uninstall/delete Calibre

dwharrington · 03-11-2011, 09:20 AM

I've never had anything like this happen. I had Calibre 0.7.44 installed on a Windows 7 AMD 64 PC. It ran fine for a few weeks. Then one day it would only crash with some kind of Python error.

I tried to repair the installation, but that would slow the computer to molasses speed and crash. Then I tried to uninstall, and that slowed worse before giving me error messages that I don't understand.

Then I tried to manually delete the files under c:\Program Files (x86)\Calibre2. First my computer would lock up and go super slow, with estimated delete times of like 2 hours. Then I wouldn't be able to delete the files at all. I am getting strange IO error messages (screenshots attached) every time I try to delete Calibre2 files. Eventually, I was able to delete everything but the Lib directory under Calibre2, but those files still remain, and every time I try to delete them, uninstall Calibre, or Reinstall Calibre, my computer locks up.

What can I do to just get rid of this annoyance?

I tried posting this message several to the Calibre website bug tracker, but it never seemed to stick, which I don't understand. (As if an Admin were deleting them.)

pchrist7 · 03-11-2011, 09:44 AM

Hi there
First step is to reboot your computer.
Then you should check your disk(s) for any errors, AND correct them, if there'r any.
What Antivirus are you using ? You might want disable that while strugling with this problem.
DON'T use the Internet while antivirus is disabled.
Oh yes, are you THE administrator when doing all these steps ?
Don't have windows 7 myself, but vista,
One more thing: is EVRYTHING Calibre related, programs, library etc. located on the c: drive ?

Sorry that I don't have the magic solution for you.
Hopefully someone else can help you, but you might to give us all some more info.

Manichean · 03-11-2011, 10:12 AM

Moderator Notice
Moved to the appropriate subforum.

This looks to me to be a hard disk failure. Can you run a disk check (see the device properties)? Also, try to get a SMART status or some other hardware diagnostic- refer to your drives' manufacturer for instructions how to do that.
Apart from that: Is Calibre the only program affected by this?

dwharrington · 03-11-2011, 01:01 PM

Oy vey ... Maybe it is a disk problem. The computer is relatively new. I just ran chkdsk and it found some bad sectors. I still can't delete the Calibre files although now it's a different error message (I need permission from SYSTEM to do that).

Yes, Calibre files are the only files affected that I know of, though this computer has a lot of problems running a range of programs that might be due to something like this.

It's a work computer for a rural nonprofit in remote Honduras, so getting things fixed is a problem ...

Any advice? I know it's probably beyond the scope of this site.

chaley · 03-11-2011, 01:40 PM

I have had good luck repairing disk errors with spinrite (http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm). It tries *very hard* to get data from bad sectors, then remaps these sectors elsewhere. Of course, it can't get data back that is truly unreadable, but in many cases the data is actually there.

It can be bought online, which might make it available to you.

Note: it can take days to run on a large disk with lots of errors.

itimpi · 03-11-2011, 02:02 PM

Can spinrite handle SATA disks as found on most modern systems?

chaley · 03-11-2011, 02:09 PM

I have used it on SATA drives on a high-end machine purchased in 2009.

03-11-2011, 09:20 AM	#1
dwharrington Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle2	Can't run/uninstall/delete Calibre I've never had anything like this happen. I had Calibre 0.7.44 installed on a Windows 7 AMD 64 PC. It ran fine for a few weeks. Then one day it would only crash with some kind of Python error. I tried to repair the installation, but that would slow the computer to molasses speed and crash. Then I tried to uninstall, and that slowed worse before giving me error messages that I don't understand. Then I tried to manually delete the files under c:\Program Files (x86)\Calibre2. First my computer would lock up and go super slow, with estimated delete times of like 2 hours. Then I wouldn't be able to delete the files at all. I am getting strange IO error messages (screenshots attached) every time I try to delete Calibre2 files. Eventually, I was able to delete everything but the Lib directory under Calibre2, but those files still remain, and every time I try to delete them, uninstall Calibre, or Reinstall Calibre, my computer locks up. What can I do to just get rid of this annoyance? I tried posting this message several to the Calibre website bug tracker, but it never seemed to stick, which I don't understand. (As if an Admin were deleting them.) Attached Thumbnails

03-11-2011, 09:44 AM	#2
pchrist7 Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 6514 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3 3G+Wifi, Oasis	Windows ? -> reboot Hi there First step is to reboot your computer. Then you should check your disk(s) for any errors, AND correct them, if there'r any. What Antivirus are you using ? You might want disable that while strugling with this problem. DON'T use the Internet while antivirus is disabled. Oh yes, are you THE administrator when doing all these steps ? Don't have windows 7 myself, but vista, One more thing: is EVRYTHING Calibre related, programs, library etc. located on the c: drive ? Sorry that I don't have the magic solution for you. Hopefully someone else can help you, but you might to give us all some more info.

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03-11-2011, 10:12 AM	#3
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Moderator Notice Moved to the appropriate subforum. This looks to me to be a hard disk failure. Can you run a disk check (see the device properties)? Also, try to get a SMART status or some other hardware diagnostic- refer to your drives' manufacturer for instructions how to do that. Apart from that: Is Calibre the only program affected by this?

03-11-2011, 01:01 PM	#4
dwharrington Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle2	Oy vey ... Maybe it is a disk problem. The computer is relatively new. I just ran chkdsk and it found some bad sectors. I still can't delete the Calibre files although now it's a different error message (I need permission from SYSTEM to do that). Yes, Calibre files are the only files affected that I know of, though this computer has a lot of problems running a range of programs that might be due to something like this. It's a work computer for a rural nonprofit in remote Honduras, so getting things fixed is a problem ... Any advice? I know it's probably beyond the scope of this site.

03-11-2011, 01:40 PM	#5
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,324 Karma: 8012652 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	I have had good luck repairing disk errors with spinrite (http://www.grc.com/spinrite.htm). It tries very hard to get data from bad sectors, then remaps these sectors elsewhere. Of course, it can't get data back that is truly unreadable, but in many cases the data is actually there. It can be bought online, which might make it available to you. Note: it can take days to run on a large disk with lots of errors.

03-11-2011, 02:02 PM	#6
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Can spinrite handle SATA disks as found on most modern systems?

03-11-2011, 02:09 PM	#7
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,324 Karma: 8012652 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	I have used it on SATA drives on a high-end machine purchased in 2009.