zotero 7 for windows 64 crashes immediately (nothing appears on screen)

lamblab
I just installed the newest version of Zotero today (64 bit) on a windows 10 machine.

It seems to quit immediately when launched. Nothing comes up on screen, and the task manager does not show anything running.

I've uninstalled and reinstalled it a few times, restarted the pc in between, uninstalled zotero, installed firefox, and then reinstalled zotero.

I've tried running as administrator.

None of that changed anything.

I noticed that there is no difference when I try a standard install vs. a custom install (no options come up for a custom install).

There is no prefs.js file in the Zotero folder, and the Users/[me]/Zotero was not created by the installation. After I created one manually, a file was added by my next installation attempt, named: dump.sql. That's the only thing in the folder.

I've installed and used Zotero on other machines (I'm not sure if that was the newest version or not), and never had any problems with it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  • dstillman
    Is this an institutional computer? Are you running any third-party security software?
  • lamblab
    It is an institutional computer. I think all the security software is from microsoft (windows defender).

    Zotero was working for me here last fall (though of course the security settings could have changed).
  • dstillman
    edited 14 days ago
    The only current problem like this we're aware of is with Cisco Secure Endpoint, which has been preventing Zotero 7 from running. Cisco supposedly has a fix coming later this month. So you could check with your IT department if that might be running on your machine.
    There is no prefs.js file in the Zotero folder
    Which Zotero folder?
    the Users/[me]/Zotero was not created by the installation. After I created one manually, a file was added by my next installation attempt, named: dump.sql. That's the only thing in the folder.
    Wait, you're saying there's a dump.sql file in C:\Users\[username]\Zotero? What's the size? Can you ZIP it and email it to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread?

    And I assume you mean the startup attempt, not the "installation attempt"? The Zotero installer doesn't know anything about the data directory.

    But also dump.sql isn't something we create. You're positive you didn't create that somehow? Can you reproduce that being created? The only context for that in Zotero is the arbitrary name of a temporary file when following our manual DB repair steps.
  • lamblab
    Cisco might be the issue - we do use that and the secure endpoint seems to be installed and running.

    Is there any workaround in the meantime? (assuming IT wouldn't let me turn off the secure endpoint)

    I did follow the manual repair steps at some point - so I must have created the dump.sql then and forgotten (sorry!). Size is 0 KB.

    thank you for your help with this!!
  • lamblab
    a quick update - I was able to stop the cisco secure endpoint through the task manager, and Zotero now seems to be starting and working normally.

    Even if it cisco starts itself up again, I should be able to live with this until cisco comes through with a fix.

    thank you again for your help!

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