Cannot import library to new PC

[idiom6]

I'm trying to move a library from a PC running Win7, Calibre v4.23, to a PC running Win11. After failing the first attempt I uninstalled Calibre 7.?? and installed the same Calibre 4.23.

Every time I try to create an empty folder in the File system to import the exported library to, Calibre gives me an error saying the file isn't empty. I tried Calibre>Create/Switch Library>[NewFolder], then Calibre>Import/Export>Import, and again if I don't create an additional New Folder in the Calibre>Import/Export>Import dialogs, it says it's not empty. Once I create additional New Folders, the process of importing goes well until the end when it gives me an error message.

I want to preserve my various plugins and preferences, otherwise I'd just use the export as a Library itself, but the idea is to have this portable hard drive be able to go between my new PC and my old, still functioning PC. Please advise?

calibre, version 4.23.0
ERROR: Failed: Failed to import data. Click "Show Details" for more information.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\dialogs\exim.py", line 140, in run_action
  File "site-packages\calibre\utils\exim.py", line 362, in import_data
  File "shutil.py", line 270, in rmtree
  File "shutil.py", line 275, in rmtree
  File "shutil.py", line 273, in rmtree
WindowsError: [Error 32] The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process: u'C:\\Users\\[redacted]\\AppData\\Roaming\\calibre\\plugins\\annotations.db'

[theducks]

the log says: Being used?
Something may have it in use Explorer?
Don't put the new Library in a location the MS cloud backs up automatically (AKA a cloud drive)

[idiom6]

It's not the cloud, it's external drive d:\NewFolder. Or, d:\NewFolder\NewFolder.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by idiom6

I'm trying to move a library from a PC running Win7, Calibre v4.23, to a PC running Win11. After failing the first attempt I uninstalled Calibre 7.?? and installed the same Calibre 4.23.

Every time I try to create an empty folder in the File system to import the exported library to, Calibre gives me an error saying the file isn't empty. I tried Calibre>Create/Switch Library>[NewFolder], then Calibre>Import/Export>Import, and again if I don't create an additional New Folder in the Calibre>Import/Export>Import dialogs, it says it's not empty. Once I create additional New Folders, the process of importing goes well until the end when it gives me an error message.

I want to preserve my various plugins and preferences, otherwise I'd just use the export as a Library itself, but the idea is to have this portable hard drive be able to go between my new PC and my old, still functioning PC. Please advise?

calibre, version 4.23.0
ERROR: Failed: Failed to import data. Click "Show Details" for more information.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\dialogs\exim.py", line 140, in run_action
  File "site-packages\calibre\utils\exim.py", line 362, in import_data
  File "shutil.py", line 270, in rmtree
  File "shutil.py", line 275, in rmtree
  File "shutil.py", line 273, in rmtree
WindowsError: [Error 32] The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process: u'C:\\Users\\[redacted]\\AppData\\Roaming\\calibre\\plugins\\annotations.db'

WindowsError: [Error 32] The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process: u'C:\\Users\\[redacted]\\AppData\\Roaming\\calibre\\plugins\\annotations. db'

Looks like the file in question is that one, I don't know why creating a new library would need to access that file. Maybe it looks for it when creating the annotations related tables in the library metadata.db… except you're running calibre 4 which didn't have those tables…

BR

[idiom6]

I did make the mistake of installing the latest Calibre first and failed to import there. Found something online that said to try importing to the same version so I uninstalled v7 and installed v4.23, but maybe the uninstall wasn't clean? Not sure how to make it more thorough.

[BetterRed]

The error is not happening at the point of creating the folder for the library, it's happening at the end of import… IIRC the last thing imported is the calibre configuration… which is at ==>> C:\Users\[redacted]\AppData\Roaming\calibre\

But its already there as a result of your previous Import with version 7.

What happens if you run calibre?

BR

[idiom6]

What do you mean, if I run Calibre? I open it after it forcequits itself after the import error, and the library is empty.

[BetterRed]

Maybe it Imports the Configuration folder first, I'm not a developer, so I'm guessing. And I have never used Export/Import in anger, I do that sort of thing manually so that I can see what I'm doing.

Try renaming "C:\Users\[redacted]\AppData\Roaming\calibre\" to "...\calibre _save", delete those New Library folders, and try the Import again.

BR

[idiom6]

I'll give that a go! Thank you!

[idiom6]

Not sure whether to laugh or cry. The folder and contents exist, but when I click on it to rename the Calibre folder to Calibre_save, Windows gives me an error message saying "Windows can't find C:\Users\[redacted]\AppData\Roaming\calibre_save\"

[BetterRed]

In Windows File Explorer navigate to the C:\Users\[redacted]\AppData\Roaming\\appdata\ folder, move the selector to 'calibre', press F2 key, press End key, type '_save', press Enter key.



BR

[idiom6]

Oh, that worked to rename the file! When I opened up Calibre again, it auto-created another roaming\Calibre Library, so I chose my external drive and created a Calibre Library folder there. Starting the import, we'll see how it ends...fingers crossed!

[idiom6]

Not sure what to make of this: so I created a new folder called CalibrePort inside the d: Calibre folder bc the import dialogue said it wasn't empty (it had a folder called John Schember that auto-populated). Once the import was done, an error message popped up saying

calibre, version 4.23.0
ERROR: Failed to create library: Failed to create calibre library at: u'E:\\Calibre'.
You will be asked to choose a new library location.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\main.py", line 161, in get_library_path
  File "os.py", line 150, in makedirs
  File "os.py", line 157, in makedirs
WindowsError: [Error 3] The system cannot find the path specified: u'E:\\'

I *think* that's because the original Calibre library on my old PC was on the E drive.

So I chose a new library location. It finished, and the settings had all imported, all the plugins and layout tweaks - but no books. I quick switched from the "you have to choose a new library location" library to the original intended CalibrePort, and that has everything.

Can I safely remove and delete the folder I created for "you have to choose a new location?"

[BetterRed]

General advice: Whenever you are not sure if its safe to remove something, rename it or move it. Do whatever you need to do in order to convince yourself no harm has been done, maybe even wait for a while (days, weeks) before removing it.

BR

[idiom6]

Good advice. Thanks for all your help! Now to decide whether it's worth upgrading to Calibre v7...