Calibre can't access DB from Standard User, but does from Admin User (Win10)

[medownunder]

I hadn't used Calibre for a while, opened it successfully, saw there was an update so I installed that. It appeared to install successfully but on first launch it said the DB was corrupt, and when I followed the prompts to repair/restore the db these failed (both the Yes and No options failed).

I uninstalled, restarted Windows, and reinstalled from an Admin-type User Account, which then worked fine. But I want to use Calibre from my usual Standard-type User so I switched back to that. It has the original problem. Of course I can set Calibre to run as Admin, but then the library is stored in my Admin-type user which I don't want.

I think I may have switched my usual User Account from Admin to Standard Type since I first installed the earlier version of Calibre some years ago. Is this a known problem of recent Windows 10 updates, or of Calibre v5.18 (64bit)? Is there a fix?

Can you help? Many thanks in advance.

[kovidgoyal]

Fix the permissions on the files in the calibre library folder.

[medownunder]

Wow thanks for the quick response. And for your wonderful product!

I haven't worked with file permissions before so can you give me a quick tip or link to what that fix would look like?

[medownunder]

In Permissions for my User Folder it says that I have Full control.
What else can I try?

[kovidgoyal]

Look at the error message it will tell you what file has permissions issues, fixthe permissions on that file/folder.

[medownunder]

Thanks for the quick response!

The first error message is:

calibre, version 5.19.0
ERROR: Failed to create library: Failed to create calibre library at: 'C:\\Users\\Bryan\\Documents\\Calibre Library'.
You will be asked to choose a new library location.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\main.py", line 182, in get_library_path
File "os.py", line 223, in makedirs
FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified: 'C:\\Users\\Bryan\\Documents\\Calibre Library'

When I click "OK" and choose my Documents folder then I get:
"The library database at C:\Users\Bryan\Documents appears to be corrupted. Do you want calibre to try to and rebuild it automatically?"

When I click "Yes" I get:
calibre, version 5.19.0
ERROR: Failed to repair library: Restoring database failed, click "Show details" to see details
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\db\restore.py", line 129, in run
File "calibre\db\restore.py", line 286, in replace_db
File "shutil.py", line 261, in copyfile
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\Bryan\\Documents\\metadata.db'

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by medownunder

Thanks for the quick response!

The first error message is:

Spoiler:

calibre, version 5.19.0
ERROR: Failed to create library: Failed to create calibre library at: 'C:\\Users\\Bryan\\Documents\\Calibre Library'.
You will be asked to choose a new library location.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\gui2\main.py", line 182, in get_library_path
File "os.py", line 223, in makedirs
FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified: 'C:\\Users\\Bryan\\Documents\\Calibre Library'

When I click "OK" and choose my Documents folder then I get:
"The library database at C:\Users\Bryan\Documents appears to be corrupted. Do you want calibre to try to and rebuild it automatically?"

When I click "Yes" I get:

Spoiler:

calibre, version 5.19.0
ERROR: Failed to repair library: Restoring database failed, click "Show details" to see details
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre\db\restore.py", line 129, in run
File "calibre\db\restore.py", line 286, in replace_db
File "shutil.py", line 261, in copyfile
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\Bryan\\Documents\\metadata.db'

I would recommend moving your calibre library outside of your Documents folder. Windows attempts to protect that folder so it would be easier to disconnect the library (the Remove library option) from calibre, move it to a new directory (call it calibre ) in your C:\Users\Bryan directory so C:\Users\Bryan\calibre\Calibre Library and then reconnect the library to calibre (under the Library icon, Switch/create library, browse to the new library location and make sure the radio button for Use the previously existing library at the new location is selected.

After that, you can do the check and restore if needed on the database.

[medownunder]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I would recommend moving your calibre library outside of your Documents folder. Windows attempts to protect that folder so it would be easier to disconnect the library (the Remove library option) from calibre, move it to a new directory (call it calibre ) in your C:\Users\Bryan directory so C:\Users\Bryan\calibre\Calibre Library and then reconnect the library to calibre (under the Library icon, Switch/create library, browse to the new library location and make sure the radio button for Use the previously existing library at the new location is selected.

After that, you can do the check and restore if needed on the database.

Thank you David, your suggestion has fixed my problem! Much appreciated, clever man.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by medownunder

Thank you David, your suggestion has fixed my problem! Much appreciated, clever man.

That "security improvement" is the reason that calibre on Windows no longer defaults to using the Documents directory for it's libraries.

[ownedbycats]

Win10's ransomware protection has been known to cause issues with programs attempt to write to the user Documents folders. (To rather silly extents.) It can be disabled in Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection > Manage ransomware protection > Controlled folder access.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Win10's ransomware protection has been known to cause issues with programs attempt to write to the user Documents folders. (To rather silly extents.) It can be disabled in Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection > Manage ransomware protection > Controlled folder access.

What I have found is that on several occasions, updates reverted changes I'd made to those settings. After making the same changes a couple of times, I moved my calibre libraries and haven't seen any issues since.