Zotero installation on Mac failed

KayXX · October 26, 2019

Hi,

I was trying to install the desktop version on my macbook. Downloaded "zotero-5.0.76.dmg", but when i open it, after installation, no window showed up (ideally there should be a pop up window where i can drag the app into my Application folder).

I can see a folder named zotero in my finder sidebar under "location". But when I click on it, an error messge showed up:"“Zotero” can’t be opened because the original item can’t be found."

I tried to download the dmg file and run it again. Same result, and i just got another folder path in my finder sidebar which can't be opened...

I couldn't delete those zotero file paths either... There're four of those in my sidebar now

Has someone ever experienced this? Please help

dstillman · October 26, 2019

I think you're doing something wrong here, or something very strange is going on on your system — it sounds like you've somehow added aliases from previously open disk images to your Finder sidebar.

Can you take some screenshots of everything you're seeing, upload them somewhere (e.g., Dropbox), and provide a link here?

KayXX · October 26, 2019

Here are some of the screenshots: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rhrHNtbCRNA4G5m8DbP83oph4_ApWW4s

Notice: After opening the dmg file, it goes open->verifying->finished, then no window showed up, and I got another alias in Finder.

PS: delete alias option doesn't work either.

dstillman · October 26, 2019

What macOS version is this?

What you're seeing is totally bizarre, and wouldn't have anything to do with Zotero. This is just a stock .dmg, the same as countless other Mac programs. Something on your system is broken.

You should restart your computer, make sure you're running the latest version of macOS, and disable or uninstall any unusual third-party utilities you're running. If nothing else works, you may need to reinstall macOS.

dstillman · October 26, 2019

(And I would guess that you can remove the aliases in the sidebar by right-clicking on them and selecting "Remove from Sidebar", but the fact that they're showing up when you just open a .dmg means something is very wrong.)