Error starting zotero (firefox and standalone)

abeyhom

Zotero doesn't start.

The steps are reduced to : 1. starting zotero.

The response is a small window with an error message: "There was an error starting zotero" and a simultaneous sound is emitted by the computer.

The same happens when I start zotero standalone (version 4.0.23).

I have followed the procedure described at : https://www.zotero.org/support/reporting_problems#reporting_startup_errors; the Browser console shows the following (identical) messages:


"TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1404411079.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function _zoterowwwAll.bugly.1411506646.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function
_zoterowwwAll.bugly.1404411079.js:4478
TypeError: History.getState is not a function
_zoterowwwAll.bugly.1404411079.js:4478"

I have the latest zotero (4.0.24.1)and firefox (34.0.5)versions, and have restarted my computer (windows 7) a few times since the first error message.

Remarks: exporting (copying) the database to another computer with zotero installed is possible, and with the other computer (a laptop) zotero works just fine: I need however to be able to work on my main computer (the one on which zotero does not start).

dstillman

As I noted in the other thread, though, those errors are website errors, so they're not relevant to Zotero itself. Try the steps again and see if other errors show up. If not, you can try generating real-time debug output for the startup attempt and email that to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread.

dstillman

[Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80630002 (NS_ERROR_STORAGE_IOERR) [mozIStorageService.openDatabase]" nsresult: "0x80630002 (NS_ERROR_STORAGE_IOERR)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js :: Zotero.DBConnection.prototype._getDBConnection :: line 1134" data: no] zotero.js:820

Do you have your Zotero data directory in its normal location on a local hard drive, or do you have it on a network drive, in Dropbox, etc.?

Can you provide a Report ID?

abeyhom

Dan Stillman: My Datadir is in its correct location (I checked "extensionszotero.datadir" in firefox(about:config)), on a hard disk on my computer.

I can not provide a Report ID as I can not reach the Actions menu: as soon as I click on zotero in firefox, the "Alert" pop up window appears, and I have no access to zotero's functionalities.

dstillman

And this is just a normal local setup, not a server-mirrored hard drive in an institutional environment or something like that?

I can not provide a Report ID as I can not reach the Actions menu

Right, sorry.

Try checking your database integrity from the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences, which you can access via the Firefox add-ons window without opening the Zotero pane. Database corruption doesn't usually manifest itself this way, though.

dstillman

Oh, also, if you're running any security software, try disabling it temporarily.

abeyhom

Database checks ok (twice), the Hard drive is local and is accessed normally through "open data directory" in the Advanced → Files and Folders pane.

abeyhom

Dan Stillman: I have disabled both antivirus and firewall, as well as all other firefox plug-ins, and restarted firefox: it still doesn't work.

aurimas

Can you create a fresh Firefox profile, install Zotero. When you launch it and it asks if you want to share the data directory, say No. Let us know if you can start Zotero that way.

abeyhom

aurimas: I have created a fresh firefox profile (lets name it "B") and installed zotero without sharing the data directory (lets name it "RegDirB". zotero starts normally with the default (empty) database.
When changing the data directory in the Advanced → Files and Folders pane to my old zotero directory (lets name it "OldDirA"), I get however the same error message.
If I move back to the regular profile directory in the new profile ("RegDirB"), zotero starts again.
Starting firefox with the old profile again, zotero (with "DataDir"="OldDirA") does not start and gives the same error message.

aurimas

OK, instead of pointing profile B to OldDirA, what if you copy zotero.sqlite from OldDriA to RegDirB and leave profile B pointing at RegDirB. Presumably copying this file to another computer makes things work, so this might work too.

abeyhom

aurimas: OK - I describe below the successive steps I have undertaken.

1. I copied zotero.sqlite from OldDirA to RegDirB and left profile B pointing at RegDirB: zotero (new profile B) opens the old database (OldDataBaseA) correctly, but can not (evidently) reach the contents of the storage (stored pdf and other files).

2. I moved the whole zotero data directory (the old one or OldDirA) contents to another location (NewDirA) on the same hard drive, started with profile A (the old one) and pointed to NewDirA: same error as before.

3. I pointed, still in profile A, to the OldDirA (emptied when I moved the contents to NewDirA) and then started zotero which works just fine with a new, empty database.

In short: the zotero.sqlite works fine, the hard disk is accessible. Profile A is now pointing to NewDirA (empty database) and Profile B is still pointing to RegDirB with the zotero.sqlite from OldDirA.

So I tried another step:
4. I pointed profile A to another zotero directory, on an external hard drive on which I had previously saved the whole zotero directory (and which worked fine with my laptop): zotero opens with the old database and with the correct contents.

I then tried a further and last step:
5. I copied the contents of the zotero directory located in the external hard drive (the one with the backup copy which works) back to a new location on my computer (on an internal hard drive) and pointed profile A to this new directory; this took a little while though (copying and testing the contents) before I got the results: zotero works. In the process, I had to repair a few sectors on the (main) hard drive (on the desktop) where zotero was located: I guess this could explain the IO error.

Anyway: thanks to both you and Dan Stillman, your advice and hints helped me resolve the problem, although I am not sure where it originated.

aurimas

In the process, I had to repair a few sectors on the (main) hard drive (on the desktop) where zotero was located: I guess this could explain the IO error

Well, yes, that would be the root cause of this. I'm surprised that you were able to copy the files, but perhaps copying files is less error prone than accessing them repeatedly. This does point to a much bigger issue with your hard drive and you should definitely (1) make backups of everything immediately and (2) invest in a replacement hard drive.

abeyhom

aurimas: "you should definitely (1) make backups of everything immediately" - already done.
"(2) invest in a replacement hard drive" - on the way.

Thanks again