Upgrade Storagebacking up zotero
I'm trying to follow the instructions for backing up zotero onto a flash drive according your instructions. i went to preferences, opened the data directory, then moved up to the next level, to the file marked zotero. There was nothing called zotero-library. Assuming zotero and zotero-library are the same, I tried opening the zotero.sqlite file before I copied it, since the icon by it was blank, suggesting it had no program with it. A sign came up that said that windows did not know what program to open the file with. I assume that means copying it won't do any good. What is wrong here? deborah
If you, too, are using a custom data directory, it will say whatever the name you are using.
However, if, as I suspect, you are using the default profile directory, it won't have anything written.
Click on "show data directory" and then go up one level. It should be a folder that is simply "Zotero."
Before copying the Zotero folder (and, obviously all the sub-folders e.g. storage, styles, translators as well as the files like Zotero.sqlite etc.) make sure you close Firefox and Zotero.
Now, copy the Zotero folder and paste it in the new location (again, with FF and Zotero closed.
If you still have trouble, post back.
If you copied the correct folder, that _is_ a back up copy. To use it you need to direct Zotero to its location, or copy it to a new location and then direct Zotero to that location.
The backup copy cannot be accessed independently from the Zotero program.