Help, Calibre closes on its own

[medxman]

I just loaded the latest verison of Calibre 1.7.0 and when I go to "add" a book (just click on red "add" button) it quickly shows a windows explorer window (to select the file to add) and then closes the program. It does the same exact thing if I try to add a plugin to the program by choosing preferences > plugins > load plugins from file (it brief shows explorer window to find the file & then closes Calibre immediately). Running Windows 7, all latest win updates, admin privileges and tried uninstalling & reinstalling program and manually installing plugins via command line as well as turning off all antivirus software and tryied safe mode.....all with no success. Checked with the developer and he has no more ideas after checking all the things he wanted me to check (see here for list: http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq....s-occasionally ). Please help. Thanks.

[GoSharks]

Since you've gone through all those other steps you've probably already done the basics... but just in case, have you defrag'd and cleaned your registry?
Also, does this happen with any other programs on your computer?

[theducks]

You cleaned the registry and all the other FAQ recommendations

Did you get a Fresh download to re install?

Did you try to create a New (empty) Library and see if you could successfully add a book?

[medxman]

@ Go Sharks: yes, defrag & registry cleaning. And no, this does not happen with any other programs.
@ theducks: Yes, downloaded new installer & tried. Also uninstalled it and tried version 1.6.0 and same results. Tried reinstall v.1.7.0 again as well as try safe mode once more and no luck. And no luck with creating a new library either. Also, forgot to mention that I previous had tried running “repair” under the programs&features panel in windows (installed files area) and that didn't work either. No success yet. Any other ideas folks?

[BetterRed]

@medxman - long shots

1. if you are running 64 bit calibre try installing the 32 bit version, or vice versa

2. trying installing the portable version

BR

[theducks]

Is it really closing (calibre.exe gone from the task manager)
or did the UI jump to a (now) non-existent display ?


Calibre Portable may be your only other option

I can't find the CLI switch for starting with a USER defined 'temp' folder.
Many tasks need to use a 'temp' folder. The system default may be blocking silently. (usually cause a debug/error message)

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

Is it really closing (calibre.exe gone from the task manager)
or did the UI jump to a (now) non-existent display ?


Calibre Portable may be your only other option

I can't find the CLI switch for starting with a USER defined 'temp' folder.

Maybe because its controlled via an environment variable - CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR

BR

[medxman]

@BetterRed
Neither solution worked. (I'm running 32 bit, Win 7 (all latest service packs & updates)). Also, 32 bit can not run 64 bit apps, right? (didn't try installing 64 bit)

Any other ideas?

[medxman]

@theducks: the program closes (the process is closed in task mgr); and portable did not work - same result. and NO error messages.

I thought at first maybe it was having issue with a directory path, but verified the path of the calibre program and library folder. As I noted originally, when I click on the 'add' red button (or try to add the plugin from a file), it flashes the windows explorer window (just like when you download & save a file so you can put it where you want) for about 1 second and then both it and the program window just close. No error message at all.
Also tried running in compatibility mode with: 1) win XP serv pack 3 and 2) admin privleges 3) and both of them checked, for calibre.exe file and no luck either. Damn, what a pain in arse!

[medxman]

Also, the windows explorer window that pops up for 1 sec is opening to my user folder. ( i.e. C:\users\John ).

[theducks]

Originally Posted by medxman

Also, the windows explorer window that pops up for 1 sec is opening to my user folder. ( i.e. C:\users\John ).

That just might indicate a (incorrect) file association problem with the files that calibre tries to write into temp

This is acting more like a System problem

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by medxman

@BetterRed
Neither solution worked. (I'm running 32 bit, Win 7 (all latest service packs & updates)). Also, 32 bit can not run 64 bit apps, right?

Correct

Any other ideas?

Not really - the fact that you have the problem in Safe Mode cuts out most of the obvious causes, but...

Have you installed any other software of late ? If so you could try uninstalling it/them.

Do you run any gadgets that modify the standard file open dialogues - I'm thinking of things like Listary and like and are they able to auto download and install updates.

If you sort the Program Updates list by install date you might spot something.

====================

Strange things happen.

The other day I was having problem viewing a particular video with my normal video player - MPC. A friend suggested I try BS Player, I installed it but it had the same problem as MPC. I then discovered that WMP had no problems with the video

So I then went to add some books to a comics library, on that library I add books via the undocumented Send To method. Normally calibre gets focus, with the book I Sent at the top of the list, and it becomes the topmost window. Now calibre got focus, the book was at the top of the list, but it was still lurking behind my file manager.

Tried a couple of other Send To's I regularly use - they behaved as expected.

So I thought, it has to be that BS Player I installed. Uninstalled it - same thing. Cleaned the registry with cCleaner and restarted windows - normal Send To service was resumed.

I can't be bothered installing/uninstalling it again and examining the registry entries that cCleaner removes - especially as it didn't solve my video problem. I believe BS is short for Back Spline - I can think of an alternative - cCleaner was originally called Crap Cleaner.

==============

Late breaking thoughts

Try giving Calibre its own temp directory - see http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/cust...ment-variables

If you open the calibre config window in Preferences->Miscellaneous where does it take you.

BR

[Sabardeyn]

Hmm, way off the beaten path here, but did you have a temporary drive available and use that last? So Windows is trying to access a path on, for instance, Drive P:/folder1/folder2/filename? However your normal drive lettering only goes up to H:/? You can get something similar with removal data storage disks.

I once ran across an impossible drive path issue that caused odd reactions in an Open/Close File dialog like you've mentioned. Think I had to re-install the drive, reset the dialog's path to C:/ and then remove the drive once again. This would have been on WinXP.

[medxman]

@BetterRed:
-Nope, have not installed anything new – just caliber
-Nope, no special gadgets. I like my pc running as lean as possible. No junk = fewer problems. (just like less gov’t = less BS, but that’s a totally different subject)
-Checked the ‘program updates’ again and nope, nothing suspect.
-Preferences > Misc > takes me to a window with various options starting with:
“Max. simultaneous conversion/news download jobs:” (which is set to 3). I can click on and change any of the options on this screen.
- Tried changing temp variable using the mobile Calibre (used the bat file as well as trying manual set before executing calibe.exe …. No luck
@ Sabardeyn:
Nope. Even reinstalled the program 3 times with ver 1.7.0 and once with 1.6.0 and once with mobile calibe and all give same result. All check drives & settings in windows. No temp drives were set at the time and none found, and did not have any external drives (usb, ext HD, etc) hooked up when I installed the program. … ugh!

Any other tricks out there? I’m about ready to trash Calibre and use something else. To bad too, as everyone says they really like this program.

[medxman]

And truthfully, I know my pc very well and highly doubt it's a conflict of sys config issue....but, of course, I could be wrong. You never really know for sure with computers.