Running Calibre on a Netbook

Agama · 08-15-2012, 04:16 PM

Does anyone have any experience of running calibre on a netbook PC? These typically have a 1.6MHz processor, 1GB RAM and run Windows 7 Starter Edition. Is this just asking too much from such a low spec'd machine?

BeccaPrice · 08-15-2012, 04:20 PM

I have a small Asus netbook with calibre on it and have had no problems. It's slow, but such is the nature of netbooks. I'm running Windows 7 Starter edition too.

Agama · 08-15-2012, 04:46 PM

How much RAM does calibre take? Does it end up thrashing the hard disk due to memory limits?

spindlegirl · 08-15-2012, 04:55 PM

My eeepc netbook has Linux running on it. and I use Calibre. I not only use calibre, I love calibre.

Lady Fitzgerald · 08-15-2012, 08:42 PM

I've run calibre on both an Acer Aspire One (a sorry piece of junk) and an Asus netbook. As you speculated, calibre does put a lot of demand on the system but, as long as you don't have much else running on the netbook at the same time. It will be slow, compared to a more powerful machine, but I feel it would be worth doing.

I never went into virtual memory (using the hard drive when RAM runs out) when using calibre on a netbook.

theducks · 08-15-2012, 08:54 PM

Throw in as much RAM as the machine/OS will support

A cheap upgrade (compared to a new unit

)

GeorgeH · 08-15-2012, 09:26 PM

I have Calibre on an Asus netbook that runs well, albeit a bit slow in comparison to my desk top. I don't know if it makes a difference but I also have 2GB ram in the netbook. OS is Windows 7 Starter.

RolandD · 08-16-2012, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agama

Does anyone have any experience of running calibre on a netbook PC? These typically have a 1.6MHz processor, 1GB RAM and run Windows 7 Starter Edition. Is this just asking too much from such a low spec'd machine?

I have an HP netbook with the same specs and use calibre on it all the time. The more books in your library the more memory it eats. As long as your library is not in the thousands, you should have no problems.

alanHd · 08-16-2012, 03:37 AM

I have calibre running on a netbook with over 10 000 books in my library. i use a 4gig SD card with ready boost enabled on windows 7 starter, it makes a big difference.

Agama · 08-16-2012, 04:19 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I'll think I'll go for it but will look for one with more memory than the typical 1GB, (though they seem to be a bit thin on the ground). It won't be my main machine and my library is only in 100's.

GeorgeH · 08-16-2012, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agama

Thanks for all the replies. I'll think I'll go for it but will look for one with more memory than the typical 1GB, (though they seem to be a bit thin on the ground). It won't be my main machine and my library is only in 100's.

My Asus, as purchased, only had 1 GB RAM so I bought a 2GB memory card and installed it myself. There's only one memory slot in this particular machine so I had to swap them out. According to the spec, max RAM allowed is only 2 GB.

snarkophilus · 08-16-2012, 07:29 AM

I'm using an Asus EEE 1005HA with WinXP and upgraded to 2GB of RAM. My Calibre library has approximately 800 books, and the netbook is more than happy running Calibre, Firefox and Sigil at the same time.

Cheers,
Simon.

Terisa de morgan · 08-16-2012, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agama

Thanks for all the replies. I'll think I'll go for it but will look for one with more memory than the typical 1GB, (though they seem to be a bit thin on the ground). It won't be my main machine and my library is only in 100's.

I am in the same boat (100's books, not the main machine) and a netbook with 1GB is ok, not great but ok.

theducks · 08-16-2012, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

I am in the same boat (100's books, not the main machine) and a netbook with 1GB is ok, not great but ok.

1G is not much RAM just for W7 (and Vista)

IIRC the OSsweet spot is over 2G.
Linux is happy with 1G (almost never see swap usage)
Calibre conversions routinely drives my 2G XP system into swapping if I have even just Firefox open.

Terisa de morgan · 08-16-2012, 11:54 AM

I have XP in my netbook, sorry, I didn't elaborare.

08-15-2012, 04:16 PM	#1
Agama Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2751519 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UK Device: PW2, Nexus7	Running Calibre on a Netbook Does anyone have any experience of running calibre on a netbook PC? These typically have a 1.6MHz processor, 1GB RAM and run Windows 7 Starter Edition. Is this just asking too much from such a low spec'd machine?

08-15-2012, 04:46 PM	#3
Agama Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2751519 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UK Device: PW2, Nexus7	How much RAM does calibre take? Does it end up thrashing the hard disk due to memory limits? Last edited by Agama; 08-15-2012 at 04:59 PM.

08-15-2012, 08:42 PM	#5
Lady Fitzgerald Wizard Posts: 2,013 Karma: 251649 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ, USA, Earth Device: JetBook Lite (away from home) + 1 spare, 32" TV (at home)	I've run calibre on both an Acer Aspire One (a sorry piece of junk) and an Asus netbook. As you speculated, calibre does put a lot of demand on the system but, as long as you don't have much else running on the netbook at the same time. It will be slow, compared to a more powerful machine, but I feel it would be worth doing. I never went into virtual memory (using the hard drive when RAM runs out) when using calibre on a netbook. Last edited by Lady Fitzgerald; 08-15-2012 at 08:44 PM.

08-16-2012, 04:19 AM	#10
Agama Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2751519 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UK Device: PW2, Nexus7	Thanks for all the replies. I'll think I'll go for it but will look for one with more memory than the typical 1GB, (though they seem to be a bit thin on the ground). It won't be my main machine and my library is only in 100's. Last edited by Agama; 08-16-2012 at 04:30 AM.

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08-15-2012, 04:20 PM	#2
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	I have a small Asus netbook with calibre on it and have had no problems. It's slow, but such is the nature of netbooks. I'm running Windows 7 Starter edition too.

08-15-2012, 04:55 PM	#4
spindlegirl Wizard Posts: 1,594 Karma: 21245891 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra h20, Paperwhite 2017, Phone & Tablet w Moonreader	My eeepc netbook has Linux running on it. and I use Calibre. I not only use calibre, I love calibre.

08-15-2012, 08:54 PM	#6
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,062 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Throw in as much RAM as the machine/OS will support A cheap upgrade (compared to a new unit )

08-15-2012, 09:26 PM	#7
GeorgeH Addict Posts: 373 Karma: 1138320 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kindle 3, Nexus 7	I have Calibre on an Asus netbook that runs well, albeit a bit slow in comparison to my desk top. I don't know if it makes a difference but I also have 2GB ram in the netbook. OS is Windows 7 Starter.

08-16-2012, 03:37 AM	#9
alanHd Addict Posts: 374 Karma: 1408579 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, Ipod Touch, Ipad Air	I have calibre running on a netbook with over 10 000 books in my library. i use a 4gig SD card with ready boost enabled on windows 7 starter, it makes a big difference.

08-16-2012, 07:29 AM	#12
snarkophilus Wannabe Connoisseur Posts: 426 Karma: 2516674 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Geelong, Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura 2, Sony PRS-T1, Sony PRS-350, Palm TX	I'm using an Asus EEE 1005HA with WinXP and upgraded to 2GB of RAM. My Calibre library has approximately 800 books, and the netbook is more than happy running Calibre, Firefox and Sigil at the same time. Cheers, Simon.

08-16-2012, 11:54 AM	#15
Terisa de morgan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,635 Karma: 12595249 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Device: Kobo Clara/Aura One/Forma,XiaoMI 5, iPad, Huawei MediaPad, YotaPhone 2	I have XP in my netbook, sorry, I didn't elaborare.