Can't get Zotero to even open

ShahlaY

Dear Zotero,
I don't know why exactly, but suddenly I'm getting this error as I try to open Zotero:

Error: Error(s) encountered during statement execution: unable to open database file [QUERY: DELETE FROM itemTypesCombined] [PARAMS: ] [ERROR: unable to open database file]
Zotero.DBConnection.prototype.queryAsync<@chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js:668:10
From previous event:
TaskImpl_handleResultValue@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:396:7
TaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:327:15
TaskImpl@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:277:3
createAsyncFunction/asyncFunction@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:252:14
Task_spawn@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:166:12
ConnectionData.prototype<.executeTransaction/promise</transactionPromise<@resource://gre/modules/Sqlite.jsm:593:28
TaskImpl_run@resource://gre/modules/Task.jsm:319:42


Then, it gives me two options to quit or update. When I choose Update, it says that there's no available updates and quits the program anyway. I even uninstalled and installed it again, but didn't work. I don't need to recover anything. Just tell me how to make it work.

I have windows 8 and office 2016.

Thanks in advamce

dstillman

When's the last time you used Zotero on this computer? Something is preventing Zotero from opening your Zotero data directory. Usually that's security software, but there could also be a problem with file permissions in that folder. If you haven't tried restarting your computer, you should do that first.

Do you have a "Zotero" folder in your home folder (C:\Users\:User:\Zotero)?

ShahlaY

I've been using it for 2 months now and the last time was one week ago and it was fine back then. I have restarted my computer and it didn't work and I have that folder in my home folder. Everything seems fine, except for zotero itself. If it was my security software (NOD 32), it shouldn't have worked before.

emilianoeheyns

Perhaps another program has a lock on the file? Have you added the Zotero dir to something like dropbox?

A quick google shows you can see if something has the file open using http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/opened_files_view.html , and that you can see whether the permissions are OK using icacls (https://superuser.com/questions/364083/windows-list-files-and-their-permissions-access-in-command-line). I don't use Windows myself, so I can't test these.