Calibre not launching. NUL file missing in windows

[0pti]

C:\Users\USER>calibre-debug -g
calibre 6.6 embedded-python: True
Windows-10-10.0.19041-SP0 Windows ('64bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '10', '10.0.19041')
Python 3.10.1
Windows: ('10', '10.0.19041', 'SP0', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: en_GB
QPA platform: windows
devicePixelRatio: 1.0
logicalDpi: 96.0 x 96.0
physicalDpi: 108.73578595317724 x 108.85714285714285
ApplicationPaletteChange event ignored
Using calibre Qt style: True
ApplicationPaletteChange event received
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\utils\ipc\launch.py", line 18, in <module>
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'nul'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "runpy.py", line 196, in _run_module_as_main
File "runpy.py", line 86, in _run_code
File "site.py", line 82, in <module>
File "site.py", line 77, in main
File "site.py", line 49, in run_entry_point
File "calibre\debug.py", line 230, in main
File "calibre\gui_launch.py", line 73, in calibre
File "calibre\gui2\main.py", line 553, in main
File "calibre\gui2\main.py", line 565, in run_main
File "calibre\gui2\main.py", line 403, in run_gui
File "calibre\gui2\main.py", line 413, in run_gui_
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1027, in _find_and_load
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1006, in _find_and_load_unlocked
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 688, in _load_unlocked
File "bypy-importer.py", line 279, in exec_module
File "calibre\gui2\ui.py", line 46, in <module>
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1027, in _find_and_load
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1006, in _find_and_load_unlocked
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 688, in _load_unlocked
File "bypy-importer.py", line 279, in exec_module
File "calibre\gui2\jobs.py", line 22, in <module>
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1027, in _find_and_load
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1006, in _find_and_load_unlocked
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 688, in _load_unlocked
File "bypy-importer.py", line 279, in exec_module
File "calibre\utils\ipc\server.py", line 23, in <module>
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1027, in _find_and_load
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1006, in _find_and_load_unlocked
File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 688, in _load_unlocked
File "bypy-importer.py", line 279, in exec_module
File "calibre\utils\ipc\launch.py", line 20, in <module>
RuntimeError: NUL file missing in windows. This indicates a corrupted windows. You should contact Microsoft for assistance and/or follow the steps described here: https://bytes.com/topic/net/answers/...device-missing


Me not being tech savvy, just wanting to read some books, trying to get calibre to work. I don't know if this is a python problem, windows problem or something else. The null.sys file is present in "C:\Windows\System32\drivers".
Calibre will also not launch in safe mode

[DNSB]

A couple of quick questions.

If you open a command prompt and type:

echo hello > nul

and hit enter, does it just return to the command prompt or do you get an error message? If you get an error message, try the next suggestion.

If you run regedit and look at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servi ces\Null", what is the value for the Start item? It should be set to 1 for normal startup. If it is set to 4, the device is disabled.

As usual, you will need to restart after making any changes for them to take effect.

[0pti]

Wow. To think the problem was that simple and that I couldn't find it. Thanks a lot, that fixed it!

[DNSB]

Glad to hear someone benefited from my banging my head on this issue a few years back. Misery does love company!