[Solved] General input/output error on .doc or .pdf export

[amsharma]

Hello,

I am using OpenOffice 4.1 on Windows 7. I created a Ramdisk using imdisk software and set my Temp and Tmp environment variables to point to it. I configured OO using Tools->Options->Paths->Temporary files to this Ramdisk drive as R:\. After I set it up I get "General input/output error" every time I try to save in DOC format or export to PDF. If I set the "Temporary files" path to C:\Temp or some directory on the disk it all works smoothly. I don't think its a permissions issue as my browsers and all other software whose cache etc is on this Ramdrive work fine. Although if I check permissions on R:\ it does show all "Authenticated Users" have all permissions except "Full control". The "Users" group only has "Read, Execute, List" permissions. The Administrator and System account have all permissions.

The Ramdisk is created (initialized) whenever I boot the system. I am not sure what the issue is.

Regards
Amal

[RoryOF]

What happens if you save in .odt format?

[John_Ha]

... all "Authenticated Users" have all permissions except "Full control". The "Users" group only has "Read, Execute, List" permissions.

It does sound like a permissions problem preventing the writing of a temporary file to R:\... Could the problem be that a member of the User's group does not have permission to write a file to the R:\ disk which needs either Modify or Full access. I know you say that all authenticated users have all permissions, but permissions are strange in Windows ...

It might be worth testing by running Writer as an administrator - if it works OK, it is a permissions problem.

Or just give the "Users" group "full control".

[Bill]

Are you using a relocated system temp folder on the Ramdisk for AOO? Generally, users must use a separate user temp folder instead of the system temp folder. If you look at the default Temp folder in AOO, it's using the temp folder in the user's AppData, not the system temp folder.

[amsharma]

First of all, Thanks to all of for your superfast response on a weekend.

What happens if you save in .odt format?

No problem. It saves fine even if Temp folder path in OO is pointing to Ramdrive - R:\.

It might be worth testing by running Writer as an administrator - if it works OK, it is a permissions problem.

Or just give the "Users" group "full control".

I tried changing the permission but there was no improvement. The issue is I am unable to set the permission when the Ramdrive is created. My user id is itself an Administrator group id. It shouldn't give trouble though I will try running as Admin and let you know.

Are you using a relocated system temp folder on the Ramdisk for AOO? Generally, users must use a separate user temp folder instead of the system temp folder. If you look at the default Temp folder in AOO, it's using the temp folder in the user's AppData, not the system temp folder.

I didn't quite get what you mean by relocated but as I mentioned it could be any directory as Temp folder. It was earlier "C:\Windows\Temp". I wanted to keep Windows dir clean so I created a C:\Temp. I think it will work with any folder on my usual disk drives and if I remember correctly it was working with AppData temp folder too.

I am using OO on a 64bit Windows 7 in case that makes any difference.

Thanks.

[John_Ha]

It is strange that all works OK with .odt files but it fails with .doc files. And that it fails when creating a pdf from a .doc (but presumably creating a pdf from a .odt is OK???). The first suggests it is definitely to do with .doc files.

If I open a .odt file, Writer creates something like C:\Users\John\AppData\Local\Temp\sve64mos.tmp\sve64ujr.tmp which is the complete .odt file renamed as a .tmp file, and is the same size as the .odt file. But if I open a .doc file, Writer creates the a similar C:\Users\John\AppData\Local\Temp\sve64mos.tmp\sve64ujr.tmp file, but it is now zero bytes long. I wonder if AOO is writing a .doc tmp file somewhere it doesn't now have permission to use.

Picking up Bill's point, try creating a folder on the R:\ drive called R:\tmpAOO and pointing AOO temp to it instead of to R:\. This will separate your environment temp from AOO's temp location.

Also, test (In W7) r-click tmpAOO > Properties > Security > highlight your name > give it full control. Does it now work OK?

Also try googling general input/output error openoffice - I got 72,000 hits so you aren't the first to get the problem! THis is a very old item from Troubleshooting Common Problems

General error or General input/output error

This error message indicates that the files script.xlc and dialog.xlc could be missing or corrupted. In UNIX-based environments, look for them in the directory
$HOME/.openoffice.org<release>/user/basic
or, in Windows ®:
C:\Document and Settings\<username>\Application Data\OpenOffice.org<release>\user\basic

To fix the problem, exit OpenOffice.org (including the Quickstarter, if it is running) and copy the files as detailed below.

In UNIX-based environments, copy from the directory
<where_OOo_is_installed>/presets/basic/
to
$HOME/.openoffice.org<release>/user/basic

On a Windows® computer, copy from
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org<release>\presets\basic
to
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\OpenOffice.org<release>\user\basic

[Bill]

I've installed ImDisk Toolkit 20140721, set up the Ramdisk with a Temp folder and set user and system Temp variables to point to that folder on the Ramdisk. I get no errors when saving .doc files. The temp files are being written to the RamDisk Temp folder just as they were being written to the default user Temp folder.

I did notice that the ImDisk Toolkit has been updated weekly for the last 4 versions, so make sure that you're using the latest update.

[amsharma]

It is strange that all works OK with .odt files but it fails with .doc files. And that it fails when creating a pdf from a .doc (but presumably creating a pdf from a .odt is OK???). The first suggests it is definitely to do with .doc files.

If I open a .odt file, Writer creates something like C:\Users\John\AppData\Local\Temp\sve64mos.tmp\sve64ujr.tmp which is the complete .odt file renamed as a .tmp file, and is the same size as the .odt file. But if I open a .doc file, Writer creates the a similar C:\Users\John\AppData\Local\Temp\sve64mos.tmp\sve64ujr.tmp file, but it is now zero bytes long. I wonder if AOO is writing a .doc tmp file somewhere it doesn't now have permission to use.

Picking up Bill's point, try creating a folder on the R:\ drive called R:\tmpAOO and pointing AOO temp to it instead of to R:\. This will separate your environment temp from AOO's temp location.

Also, test (In W7) r-click tmpAOO > Properties > Security > highlight your name > give it full control. Does it now work OK?

Ok, I think I should give you more detailed information which I might have overlooked. I created a folder like R:\AOO which had all the permissions by default although Win7 says "Read Only" for most of the directories. It mostly stays like that even after I switched that off. I set security permissions as you mentioned. My problems persists but here are the specifics which are same as earlier:
- If I save an ODT file as "Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP" .doc AOO hangs. Stops responding and I have to close the program forcefully.
- If I "Export to PDF" then it gives "Error saving the document Test1: General Error. General input/output error."

Next time I start after trying to save as DOC file it asks me if I want to recover the document.

I had already searched a lot on Google for the "General input/output error" earlier and posted as I couldn't find any reference to AOO Temp path with that error. I am getting this error for over two weeks now. I was using C:\Temp drive as I couldn't hold my work. I thought it could be a bug so I posted.

@Bill - I installed imdisk about two weeks back after downloading so shouldn't be an issue. I am using "Version 1.8.2 - (Compiled Jun 19 2014)". You mentioned only system Temp variables. I hope you also changed the AOO "Temp files" path to point to the Ramdrive (obvious, but I mention just in case you didn't). This is the critical setting which is affecting the save & export process in AOO IMHO.

Thanks

[Bill]

@Bill - I installed imdisk about two weeks back after downloading so shouldn't be an issue. I am using "Version 1.8.2 - (Compiled Jun 19 2014)". You mentioned only system Temp variables. I hope you also changed the AOO "Temp files" path to point to the Ramdrive (obvious, but I mention just in case you didn't). This is the critical setting which is affecting the save & export process in AOO IMHO.

Did you download the ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver? The current version is 1.8.4 build 10 Jul 2014.

I downloaded ImDisk Toolkit 20140721 which is based on ImDisk 1.8.4.

Yes, I did change the Temporary file path setting in AOO Tools > Options > OpenOffice > Paths. The temporary files did appear in the RamDisk Temp folder instead of the default user Temp folder.

[amsharma]

Did you download the ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver? The current version is 1.8.4 build 10 Jul 2014.

I downloaded ImDisk Toolkit 20140721 which is based on ImDisk 1.8.4.

Yes, I did change the Temporary file path setting in AOO Tools > Options > OpenOffice > Paths. The temporary files did appear in the RamDisk Temp folder instead of the default user Temp folder.

Ok, I downloaded the newer version of ImDisk and now it seems to be working. I am able to save in DOC format and export to PDF with Ramdrive directory "R:\AOO" as my temp folder. That means there was some issue with ImDisk software. Isn't it? Although I didn't find anything about it anywhere on ImDisk site or on its forum.

Thanks
Amal