Upgrade StorageLocating old library in old laptop’s HDD & adding it to the current library in new laptop
Hi all,
I’m trying to retrieve my old library in order to add it to the current one, but I have some issues.
I explain in detail the context, issue, etc. below.
It would be really brilliant if anybody could give me some advice on this. Do let me know if you need any further info.
Thanks in advance!
THE CONTEXT: my old laptop – where I had developed a big library using Zotero Standalone – recently broke down. I managed to retrieve the laptop’s HDD with all the data inside uncorrupted, which I can access through connecting it via usb to a new laptop.
In parallel, I’ve already installed Zotero Standalone in the new laptop and developed a new (different) library.
WHAT I NEED TO DO: I need to locate my old Zotero library from the old laptop’s HDD and MERGE it with the new library in the new laptop (i.e. add the old library to the new, rather than replace the new one with the old one).
THE ISSUE: I can’t find my old Zotero library in old laptop’s HDD (Local Disk F). I’ve tried to the following options, none of which is working.
1) I’ve explored
Local Disk F:\Users\<my username>
However I stop there, as there isn’t any ‘Application Data’ folder wherein it which should contain the directory: Zotero\Profiles\<randomstring>\zotero
2) I’ve explored inside the only back-up I had in my previous laptop (a folder called ‘Windows.old’) through the following path:
Local Disk F:\Windows.old \Documents and Settings\<my username>\Application Data\Zotero\Profiles\<randomstring>
However, I stop there, as there’s no 'zotero' directory wherein it (the one that should contain the zotero.sqlite file, the 'storage' subdirectory, etc.).
3) I’ve tried a search for the file name 'zotero.sqlite', but the laptop doesn’t find anything (which definitely surprises me, as I would expect it to find the 'zotero.sqlite' file from the new library, at least).
THE QUESTIONS:
a) how can I locate my old Zotero library in the old laptop’s HDD?
b) once I find it, how can I add it to the new library (i.e. without replacing the contents of my current active zotero directory)?
I’m trying to retrieve my old library in order to add it to the current one, but I have some issues.
I explain in detail the context, issue, etc. below.
It would be really brilliant if anybody could give me some advice on this. Do let me know if you need any further info.
Thanks in advance!
THE CONTEXT: my old laptop – where I had developed a big library using Zotero Standalone – recently broke down. I managed to retrieve the laptop’s HDD with all the data inside uncorrupted, which I can access through connecting it via usb to a new laptop.
In parallel, I’ve already installed Zotero Standalone in the new laptop and developed a new (different) library.
WHAT I NEED TO DO: I need to locate my old Zotero library from the old laptop’s HDD and MERGE it with the new library in the new laptop (i.e. add the old library to the new, rather than replace the new one with the old one).
THE ISSUE: I can’t find my old Zotero library in old laptop’s HDD (Local Disk F). I’ve tried to the following options, none of which is working.
1) I’ve explored
Local Disk F:\Users\<my username>
However I stop there, as there isn’t any ‘Application Data’ folder wherein it which should contain the directory: Zotero\Profiles\<randomstring>\zotero
2) I’ve explored inside the only back-up I had in my previous laptop (a folder called ‘Windows.old’) through the following path:
Local Disk F:\Windows.old \Documents and Settings\<my username>\Application Data\Zotero\Profiles\<randomstring>
However, I stop there, as there’s no 'zotero' directory wherein it (the one that should contain the zotero.sqlite file, the 'storage' subdirectory, etc.).
3) I’ve tried a search for the file name 'zotero.sqlite', but the laptop doesn’t find anything (which definitely surprises me, as I would expect it to find the 'zotero.sqlite' file from the new library, at least).
THE QUESTIONS:
a) how can I locate my old Zotero library in the old laptop’s HDD?
b) once I find it, how can I add it to the new library (i.e. without replacing the contents of my current active zotero directory)?
This is an old discussion that has not been active in a long time. Before commenting here, you should strongly consider starting a new discussion instead. If you think the content of this discussion is still relevant, you can link to it from your new discussion.
Before you try merging anything, you definitely want to have backups of both of your databases. https://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data#backing_up_your_zotero_library
I've located my old Zotero library - in fact, there were 2 different libraries stored in my old laptop!
This means that I now have backups for 3 different libraries.
I see the rationale behind your suggestion.
However, the most important part of my libraries are the pdf attachments, thus I need to merge (in this case, sync) not only data, but also files: would your suggestion work anyway?
If yes, could you provide me more details on how to proceed?
Many thanks!
The easiest route for you would be to use Zotero Standalone and Zotero in Firefox with separate profiles. Seems like you're already using Standalone, so download Firefox and install the Zotero add-on. The first time you start Zotero in Firefox it will ask if you want to use the existing data directory from Zotero Standalone. Choose No. (In fact, you can select to Choose custom data directory and skip the next step).
In Zotero for Firefox, go to Preferences -> Advanced -> Files and Folders and under Data Directory Location select Custom and click Choose. Now select one of the data directories you recovered as your data directory. Zotero will tell you to restart Firefox. Do so.
Once restarted, verify that the library that is being displayed is what you want to merge into your existing account. Under Preferences -> Sync, enter your credentials, uncheck "Sync automatically", and hit OK. Press the sync button in the top right corner of Zotero (green, circular arrow). Wait for everything to sync. This should upload your old library and download your new library, merging the two. You probably should not get conflicts, but if you get a few, resolve them. If you get a lot, let us know before trying to resolve a lot of them.
That's it. Now repeat that with whatever other data directories you recovered (starting with choosing a different data directory).
Once you're done, open your current library in Zotero Standalone and sync. Make sure that everything transfers. Check attachments, make sure they open.
P.S. If you don't want to sync the file attachments (e.g. because you don't have enough storage space), you can disable attachment syncing for all of these steps (do this when you're entering sync credentials). Then, you can just copy the contents of the "storage" directory from each of the recovered data directories into your current data directory. Do not copy and paste the "storage" directory itself, just the contents. Note, though, that you _should not_ get a message saying that some directory already exists, do you want to overwrite it. If you do get a message like that, you probably don't want to overwrite it and it may be more complicated to merge the attachments manually.
Again, can't stress this enough, make sure to keep un-touched copies of all of your data directories as backup.