Calibre taking 30+ minutes to start with 20K book library - Page 3

DNSB · 11-24-2025, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Well, I've never had a single problem on any of my computers (and there have been 6 or 7 of them) dating back to 2011 when I started to use calibre. But I'll keep it mind in case of any future issues. For now, they can stay where they are.

I suspect Jon is confusing having a calibre library in the Users\<username> directory and having a calibre library in the Users\<username>\Documents directory. At one time the Documents directory was the default when installing calibre. After Microsoft decided syncing the Documents directory to OneDrive by default was a good idea, the default library location was changed.

theducks · 11-24-2025, 05:59 PM

I have my intake library (empty) on another PC (also on wired 1G network). It takes 5 seconds to switch to it. and 9 seconds to switch back to Main.

It does take longer if Intakes HD is spun down.
I do know about the caution on using Networked drives and found no issue if I only Pull from the remote drive. YMMV and not recommended over WiFi

DNSB · 11-24-2025, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

I have my intake library (empty) on another PC (also on wired 1G network). It takes 5 seconds to switch to it. and 9 seconds to switch back to Main.

Is your second PC is actively scanning the library?

theducks · 11-25-2025, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Is your second PC is actively scanning the library?

I am not sure what you mean by that. No, I Switch Libraries from the Main PC, select books: Copytolibrary: Main

At no time are both in use (Intake Calibre is not running) in the GUI. This has been solid for me over 5 years.
OTOH If I tried Using Intakes Calibre to Push the entries to the Main DB
, I got random GUI locks (Main Calibre is NOT running

Again for the Lurkers: This is NOT an approved use. forget and leave an instance of Calibre active on the other PC can result in possible corruption. Do at your own peril.

Luna · Yesterday, 11:18 AM

Original poster here!

Update: I've done extensive troubleshooting and found the root cause:

/Applications/calibre.app/Contents/MacOS/calibre (Terminal) : 2-3 seconds
/Applications/calibre.app (or Finder) : 30+ minutes

The bottleneck:
spctl -a -vv /Applications/calibre.app hangs for 10+ seconds (should be <1 sec). System logs show syspolicyd stuck in a progress callback loop during trust evaluation. Console trace shows 15-second gap when loading QtCore framework.

What I've tried (all failed):

Removed quarantine, cleared all trust/policy caches
Safe Mode + SIP disable: deleted SystemPolicy*, gkopaque, TCC, certificate stores
Fresh Calibre install
syspolicyd restart/reset
NVRAM reset

Verification:

Other Qt apps (like Telegram Desktop) start instantly via Finder
codesign --verify --deep: valid
Calibre has 85 frameworks vs Telegram's 33

Something in Calibre's bundle structure triggers a macOS LaunchServices/syspolicyd evaluation loop that doesn't occur with Terminal launch. I have detailed logs if helpful.

Is there a known issue with large Qt bundles or embedded Python frameworks?

kovidgoyal · Yesterday, 11:40 AM

Nope no known issues and indeed if there were such an issue it would affect a lot more people and be reproducible for everyone.

Luna · Yesterday, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Nope no known issues and indeed if there were such an issue it would affect a lot more people and be reproducible for everyone.

Could Calibre's large number of embedded frameworks (including Python.framework) trigger a macOS trust evaluation issue on certain system configurations? The direct executable bypasses this completely.

theducks · Yesterday, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luna

Could Calibre's large number of embedded frameworks (including Python.framework) trigger a macOS trust evaluation issue on certain system configurations? The direct executable bypasses this completely.

If there were issues... A lot of users would be howling. (see image just snipped)

BetterRed · Yesterday, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

If there were issues... A lot of users would be howling. (see image just snipped)

Not much use without the number of the active installs at the top of the page where you took your clip ==>> calibre - Usage Statistics for calibre

Active MacOS users = 476,239

BR

DNSB · Yesterday, 04:24 PM

A bit of quick juggling of the numbers suggests that while ~476,239 people are using calibre on Macs, ~286,000 people are using calibre 8+ on Macs. I tend to agree that if it was an issue with most MacOS installs, the screaming would be loud.

theducks · Yesterday, 06:08 PM

FWIW one of my Libraries (Intake) is on another computer. When I start Calibre, that computer WAKES, even though Main is the active Library.
Maybe you have a similar configuration BUT the computer is hard OFF or missing from your network.
Look at the switch List (right click the Library icon). You can 'Delete' that one (it only removes the switch link in Calibre)

Hmm

I wonder what happens if you have a Connect To Folder (device) connection (on the Connet share icon)that was not previously ejected and the target is not ready. Is this a timeout wait?

TobyReads · Today, 10:02 AM

I'm on Windows 11 and have been experiencing this problem for the past few months. Strangely, the startup time gets longer and longer. It started with about 30 secs. Now it's 4-6 minutes.

I have 486 books in my library. Checked the database. No errors.

I used to run the library from OneDrive. Moved it out of OneDrive. Makes no difference.

Cleared the cache. Makes no difference.

I whitelisted all Calibre folders in Windows Defender. Makes no difference.

Lastly, a huge thank you to all the developers of Calibre. Amazing application.

JSWolf · Today, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Not much use without the number of the active installs at the top of the page where you took your clip ==>> calibre - Usage Statistics for calibre

Active MacOS users = 476,239

BR

But how many active MacOS users are able to run the latest version?

Yesterday, 11:18 AM	#35
Luna Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2025 Device: Kindle Voyage	Found the root cause I think! Original poster here! Update: I've done extensive troubleshooting and found the root cause: /Applications/calibre.app/Contents/MacOS/calibre (Terminal) : 2-3 seconds /Applications/calibre.app (or Finder) : 30+ minutes The bottleneck: spctl -a -vv /Applications/calibre.app hangs for 10+ seconds (should be <1 sec). System logs show syspolicyd stuck in a progress callback loop during trust evaluation. Console trace shows 15-second gap when loading QtCore framework. What I've tried (all failed): Removed quarantine, cleared all trust/policy caches Safe Mode + SIP disable: deleted SystemPolicy*, gkopaque, TCC, certificate stores Fresh Calibre install syspolicyd restart/reset NVRAM reset Verification: Other Qt apps (like Telegram Desktop) start instantly via Finder codesign --verify --deep: valid Calibre has 85 frameworks vs Telegram's 33 Something in Calibre's bundle structure triggers a macOS LaunchServices/syspolicyd evaluation loop that doesn't occur with Terminal launch. I have detailed logs if helpful. Is there a known issue with large Qt bundles or embedded Python frameworks?

Yesterday, 06:08 PM	#41
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,324 Karma: 62025226 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	FWIW one of my Libraries (Intake) is on another computer. When I start Calibre, that computer WAKES, even though Main is the active Library. Maybe you have a similar configuration BUT the computer is hard OFF or missing from your network. Look at the switch List (right click the Library icon). You can 'Delete' that one (it only removes the switch link in Calibre) Hmm I wonder what happens if you have a Connect To Folder (device) connection (on the Connet share icon)that was not previously ejected and the target is not ready. Is this a timeout wait? Last edited by theducks; Yesterday at 06:13 PM. Reason: corrected Copy -> connect

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11-24-2025, 05:59 PM	#32
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,324 Karma: 62025226 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I have my intake library (empty) on another PC (also on wired 1G network). It takes 5 seconds to switch to it. and 9 seconds to switch back to Main. It does take longer if Intakes HD is spun down. I do know about the caution on using Networked drives and found no issue if I only Pull from the remote drive. YMMV and not recommended over WiFi

Yesterday, 11:40 AM	#36
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,653 Karma: 28549046 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Nope no known issues and indeed if there were such an issue it would affect a lot more people and be reproducible for everyone.

Yesterday, 04:24 PM	#40
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 48,614 Karma: 174510110 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	A bit of quick juggling of the numbers suggests that while ~476,239 people are using calibre on Macs, ~286,000 people are using calibre 8+ on Macs. I tend to agree that if it was an issue with most MacOS installs, the screaming would be loud.

Today, 10:02 AM	#42
TobyReads Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2025 Location: Denmark Device: None	I'm on Windows 11 and have been experiencing this problem for the past few months. Strangely, the startup time gets longer and longer. It started with about 30 secs. Now it's 4-6 minutes. I have 486 books in my library. Checked the database. No errors. I used to run the library from OneDrive. Moved it out of OneDrive. Makes no difference. Cleared the cache. Makes no difference. I whitelisted all Calibre folders in Windows Defender. Makes no difference. Lastly, a huge thank you to all the developers of Calibre. Amazing application.