Restoring Zotero collection after re-installing Firefox

wertamaki

Hallo Everyone,

Is there a way to restore Zotero collection after re-installing Firefox?

Here is my story:
I had a problem with an operating system and had to format the drive and reinstall it (Windows XP SP2). Prior to that I saved my Zotero collection (unfortunately not a .RDF file, but a folder: "storage" and a file: "zotero.sqlite") to another drive.

After re-installing Firefox (version 2.0.0.5. as before), I have overwritten the content of "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\ApplicationData\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<randomstring>\zotero" with above-mentioned folder and file.

But this did not work. When I click on Zotero icon in Firefox, it is empty and the message says : "The was an error starting Zotero".

Does anyone have a solution to the problem?

Many thanks.

p.s. Zotero version I am currently using: 100b3r1

dstillman

Upgrade to the latest version of Zotero from our home page. The version on addons.mozilla.org is extremely outdated.

wertamaki

HooraY!!

Thank you, Dan for quick response. Updating solved the problem.

Good luck with your efforts.

wolterkabolter

Hey,

I did not work for me. I am working on Linux, but had to do a re-install. I saved my personal settings in the /home directory. What I have left is a directory "storage" with a lot of directories (but without files!) and also a directory zotero@chnm.gmu.edu but also with no files. Is there anyway I can find my library back?

dstillman

The storage directory itself isn't very useful without the zotero.sqlite database, which should be in the same directory.

Indi

A suggestion for the developers: Most people who take care to make backups do so of directories/folders where they intentionally store things, such as a "Documents" folder. An application that stores crucial data in an "invisible" place, as Zotero does, should have some measures in place to make sure nothing happens to that data. At a minimum, new installs should have no chance of overwriting user data. Better, there should be some kind of backup feature within the app, such as a "backup to Documents folder?" dialog on closing the app.

dstillman

An application that stores crucial data in an "invisible" place, as Zotero does, should have some measures in place to make sure nothing happens to that data.

Zotero saves data in the Firefox profile folder, which, along with being where all the user's bookmarks, history, and cookies are, is also within the user's home directory on all platforms. A standard backup setup would involve backing up the entire home directory, as a backup of only "intentionally" stored data would result in the loss of plenty of important data besides Zotero (like, say, e-mail, which is generally also stored within the Application Data/Application Support directory).

For users who prefer to store the data elsewhere, Zotero can be set in the preferences to store the data directory in any arbitrary folder on the system.

Future versions of Zotero will offer online backup.

At a minimum, new installs should have no chance of overwriting user data.

New installs of Zotero have no chance of overwriting user data. Zotero makes a backup of the database before it attempts a schema upgrade, and it also makes a backup of the database every time Firefox is closed.