Zotero 7: Zotero experienced an error updating your document

aszala

[Split from Word plugin - Zotero experienced an error updating your document.]

I experienced exactly the same issue as OP and I tried the same solutions with the same result. The only difference is that I *am* the Administrator.

Zotero (7.0, 64-bit), Word, and Windows are up-to-date. Today I switched from Zotero 6.x to Zotero 7.0; it also prompted me to go for x64 version (I was sure I had that one before but honestly, I didn't check before updating to 64-bit 7.0). This is when it stopped working.

ID: D1511267642 (opened a Word file with existing citations and trying to add a new one; the same issue happens on a fresh Word file too).

Microsoft® Word for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2407 Build 16.0.17830.20166) 64-bit

dstillman

(Please start new threads for new issues — the thread you posted to isn't related. I've moved this to a new thread.)

[JavaScript Error: "An unhandled exception occured. [getDocument:y:\zotero\word-for-windows-integration\build\zoterowinwordintegration\document.cpp]"]

See https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/could_not_find_a_running_word_instance

it also prompted me to go for x64 version (I was sure I had that one before but honestly, I didn't check before updating to 64-bit 7.0).

There was no x64 version of Zotero 6.

aszala

Hi, thank you!

Regarding https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/could_not_find_a_running_word_instance, I never had the "Could not find a running Word instance" error but I tried following the steps anyway.

1. Neither is being run as Admin (the "Run as admin" was never checked to begin with).
2. I store the files locally.
3. I changed it from "Never notify" to the option in the troubleshooting guide.
4. I am not using any security software (my Windows instance is "pure"; I use it exclusively to use MS Word).

Unfortunately, nothing changed when I did step 3.; the error is still there.

adomasven

I never had the "Could not find a running Word instance" error but I tried following the steps anyway

Yes, the documentation is slightly confusing now. The error will be correctly thrown in the next Zotero update.

I changed it from "Never notify" to the option in the troubleshooting guide.

You need to restart your computer.

aszala

I did restart my computer after step 3. Nothing happened.

Update:
No idea if it helps, but I'm providing a new ID after step 3: D180929079

adomasven

Does it fix itself if you (re)install the Microsoft VC redistributable? https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-160#visual-studio-2015-2017-2019-and-2022

aszala

I (re)installed the Microsoft VC redistributable from your link (and restarted the computer afterward :D) and no, sadly, the bug is still there.

adomasven

Does it work if you run Zotero in Windows 8 Compatibility mode?

aszala

Oh wow, this is interesting. Your solution (running Zotero in Windows 8 Compatibility mode despite using Windows 10) actually fixed the issue. Zotero now works (I tested adding new in-text citations and playing with "Document Preferences" - none of this worked before).

Thank you! :O Can I do anything to help you guys fix the issue without this workaround?

lp17863564

thanks，adomasven，run Zotero in Windows 8 Compatibility mode——work！

adomasven

@aszala If you now disable compatibility mode, does it stop working after restarting, or does it continue to work?

aszala

@adomasven I un-checked the "run in compatibility", restarted Zotero and Word, and voilà - it still works! Somehow using the compatibility fixed the issue even for no compatibility mode.

adomasven

If you restart your computer does it continue to work?

aszala

@adomasven Yes, I just restarted it and it still works, despite the compatibility mode being off.

Ra1an

this helped a lot. i was painstakingly reinstalling gfx driver, different office versions, zotero versions, and lastly windows versions (10 and 11), nothing worked. i wish i found this solution sooner. hope it gets solved in the next update. thanks

johnmy

@adomasven run Zotero in Windows 8 Compatibility mode also works for me, I think this solution should be added to https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/could_not_find_a_running_word_instance

adomasven

We're not happy with this as a "solution". We're looking for the reason why running Zotero in compatibility mode even once fixes this, and hopefully will have a proper fix that doesn't require compatibility mode. In the meantime, @aszala @Ra1an when you began troubleshooting this, was UAC set to Never Notify for you?

johnmy

For me, my win 11 UAC was set to Never Notify before I began trouleshooting this. After change to another level and restart the computer, it still doesn't work.

dstillman

@johnmy: Do you know how it got to be set that way? Did you do that yourself, or did you use some utility that did that (and perhaps other things)?

aszala

@adomasven Yes, before I was told to change it, it was set to "Never Notify". If I recall correctly, I think I set it like that when I was setting up the operating system about two years ago.

johnmy

@dstillman，the win 11 installation package was repacked, when I installed it, it was set to that way.

https://www.423down.com/13918.html
#账户控制UAC调整为从不通知

adomasven

@aszala do you remember what other options you changed, or if you've used some guide that you could link here?

aszala

@adomasven Sadly, I don't remember. I did not use a guide.

My goal was to have a "pure" Windows for MS Word only (with Zotero and Grammarly).
Reason: I normally use a dual-boot Linux, but sometimes I collaborate with people who aren't tech-savvy, so I must send them correctly formatted *.docx files or else they panic.

I just went through the options and disabled everything that looked like it could potentially turn out to be annoying in the long run, such as notifications or additional features I'd never use anyway (e.g., pre-installed Xbox software).

adomasven

@aszala @johnmy @Ra1an do any of you run any proprietary security software, like Cisco Secure Endpoint?

aszala

@adomasven I am confident that I did not install any additional security software (it's my private laptop).

adomasven

@aszala could you download Process Explorer. In Process Explorer in the View menu choose "Select Columns" and tick "Integrity Level". What is the reported integrity level of Word and Zotero (the top process)?

How and where is Word installed on your system (OfficeSetup.exe / via Windows App Store)? How and where is Zotero installed (default location / portable exe)?

aszala

@adomasven
The top processes:
Word: High
Zotero: High

Word: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\
I googled it up and downloaded the file. Definitely not the Windows App Store.

Zotero: C:\Program Files\Zotero\
Default location. It's not Portable.

adomasven

If you right-click Notepad and use "Run as Administrator" does it also run in high integrity level do you get an UAC prompt asking are you sure you want to run Notepad as Admin? If you run Notepad normally, does it have high integrity level? Does explorer.exe run in high integrity level?

aszala

In all cases, Notepad runs as High.

UAC does not pop up when I run Notepad as Admin.

Explorer.exe runs as High.

adomasven

Are you sure your UAC level is set to "Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer" and you had restarted your computer? Or did you change that option back?

aszala

@adomasven Oh, interesting! It was set to "Never notify" before we began this troubleshooting. Then I changed it to "Notify me only when apps...". Since then, I restarted the computer several times and I am confident that the last time I checked, it was still set to "Notify me only when apps..." (even after the restarts).

However, when I double-checked now, it seems like it set itself back to "Never notify" (I did not change that back myself, for sure).