Upgrade StorageAll files gone - Cannot restore Libraries after installation on a 2nd computer
Hi,
I'm asking you for some help after I lost all my Zotero lib and couldn't get to restore them yet, despite having read related topics and advices. This happened 2 days ago, after I tried to install Zotero Standalone on a 2nd computer (B) and sync with the main computer (A), creating an online-account in between.
The problem in details:
> my main installation of Zotero Standalone is on the Computer (A) which runs under Win7Pro, Firefox 63.0.1 (now - I have no idea if there has been any updates in the last 3 days)
- Since I use it, I did not make any changes in the directories... except that of the pdf-files attached folder: I created on my desktop on (A) a folder which contains only PDF of articles added in Zotero ; this means each time I add a new one and get the PDF, I find out the PDF-file created/added automatically by Zotero (through "locate the file" command), cut it and paste it in my "Zotero-desktop" folder, and then re-establish a new link through the command options. I don't move/touch any other files in the storage folder!
I admit this doesnt appear to be a good idea, but everything always worked fine until now. Note that I didn't use the sync option before.
> 2 days ago I installed Zotero Standalone on a 2nd computer (B) (Win7,Family, Firefox update 63.0.1).
Thinking foolishly syncing my Lib from (A) to (B), I created an online account (through Computer (B)). Then got back to (A), opened Zotero Standalone, started connection for syncing with the new account. (Zotero was closed on (B) as I operated this)
- Then appeared something like "replace local data" or something like this: guess it, I more stupidly said "Yes" thinking that it would take the data/files from A and syncing them online (and then I could find them on B). yuhu. All things gone with wind...
So then:
> it seems that it erased effectively all files and data. Opening Zotero Standalone, on (A) as on (B) makes it like it's opening for the really first time with the welcoming messages.
Still got my PDFs in my desktop folder on (A). Sync is desactivated on both computers since.
What I did :
> I sought for SQLITE files in Zotero directory (which is still in the default location C:/Username/.../Zotero) to proceed to the backing up as described in your help-topics.
- only found usual folder except "storage" ( Cant find out it since!)
- sqlite files : only two of them in this folder: (sqlitejournal and the main sqlite).
The latter is up to 5Mo (I only had round 450 entries in my lib, not only articles but websites links too) which makes me think this DB is not empty but can correspond to the original one I'm willing to restore (?) ;
- timestamp is updating frequently and I have no back up of any sqlite files from before the incident. But still the size isnt moving, staying at 5Mo.
I tried to replace the older sqlite file following the steps described in help-topics. Didn't make any change. Still I have no "storage" folder, seems to me that this could come from that... ?
Do you please have any idea of what I can do to restore properly all stuff ? (If only I can?)
Maybe is it an issue with the zotero local profile?
Thank you by advance for anyone who will take time to respond. Will be appreciated.
All best,
I'm asking you for some help after I lost all my Zotero lib and couldn't get to restore them yet, despite having read related topics and advices. This happened 2 days ago, after I tried to install Zotero Standalone on a 2nd computer (B) and sync with the main computer (A), creating an online-account in between.
The problem in details:
> my main installation of Zotero Standalone is on the Computer (A) which runs under Win7Pro, Firefox 63.0.1 (now - I have no idea if there has been any updates in the last 3 days)
- Since I use it, I did not make any changes in the directories... except that of the pdf-files attached folder: I created on my desktop on (A) a folder which contains only PDF of articles added in Zotero ; this means each time I add a new one and get the PDF, I find out the PDF-file created/added automatically by Zotero (through "locate the file" command), cut it and paste it in my "Zotero-desktop" folder, and then re-establish a new link through the command options. I don't move/touch any other files in the storage folder!
I admit this doesnt appear to be a good idea, but everything always worked fine until now. Note that I didn't use the sync option before.
> 2 days ago I installed Zotero Standalone on a 2nd computer (B) (Win7,Family, Firefox update 63.0.1).
Thinking foolishly syncing my Lib from (A) to (B), I created an online account (through Computer (B)). Then got back to (A), opened Zotero Standalone, started connection for syncing with the new account. (Zotero was closed on (B) as I operated this)
- Then appeared something like "replace local data" or something like this: guess it, I more stupidly said "Yes" thinking that it would take the data/files from A and syncing them online (and then I could find them on B). yuhu. All things gone with wind...
So then:
> it seems that it erased effectively all files and data. Opening Zotero Standalone, on (A) as on (B) makes it like it's opening for the really first time with the welcoming messages.
Still got my PDFs in my desktop folder on (A). Sync is desactivated on both computers since.
What I did :
> I sought for SQLITE files in Zotero directory (which is still in the default location C:/Username/.../Zotero) to proceed to the backing up as described in your help-topics.
- only found usual folder except "storage" ( Cant find out it since!)
- sqlite files : only two of them in this folder: (sqlitejournal and the main sqlite).
The latter is up to 5Mo (I only had round 450 entries in my lib, not only articles but websites links too) which makes me think this DB is not empty but can correspond to the original one I'm willing to restore (?) ;
- timestamp is updating frequently and I have no back up of any sqlite files from before the incident. But still the size isnt moving, staying at 5Mo.
I tried to replace the older sqlite file following the steps described in help-topics. Didn't make any change. Still I have no "storage" folder, seems to me that this could come from that... ?
Do you please have any idea of what I can do to restore properly all stuff ? (If only I can?)
Maybe is it an issue with the zotero local profile?
Thank you by advance for anyone who will take time to respond. Will be appreciated.
All best,
(What sounds like happened is that Zotero on Computer A was already associated with a different Zotero account, likely some time in the past. You then put in new sync credentials and, after prompting you, Zotero overwrote the local data. In a standard set-up with just a single account involved, this would have just worked)
Unfortunately, I don't have that back-up...
It indeed sounds like a problem with the different accounts...
Does it mean I got to start all over again ?
This sqlite file seems to be the good one (mean size seems to correspond).
If you have any idea or leads to follow...
Thank you again.
That's what I feared..
Have a good day
that's the same thing I experienced. What I wanted to learn is that if there is a way to transfer citations from a word document to Zotero, which were initially preapred in Zotero as footnotes? It would be great! otherwise I will start to enter them manually and seems to take at least two days