After 5.0.80 update, all standalone installs freeze - even previously working ones (Win 7)

I've been using the standalone program v5.0.64 with a small library (~100 entries) on Windows 7 for some months. Then the 5.0.80 update was pushed. This resulted in startup freeze - process fires up (and keeps using CPU), but all I get is an empty window, or sometimes no window, w/o response. This will remain for an indefinite time until forcibly terminated.

The weird thing is that it appears to be retroactive. I have uninstalled Zotero, manually wiped every trace of related files I could find in the file system, removed the Word & OpenOffice plugins, moved the library to another location (so I assume Zotero can't see it when starting for the first time), and gone offline for good measure - although I never used syncing. But the same thing will now happen with fresh installs even of older versions, including 5.0.64, which originally ran fine. I've tried 5.0.64, 5.0.77, 5.0.78, and 5.0.80. No dice. Any ideas?

It appears that Windows is producing some kind of "AppHang_" trace records that I will be happy to attach, but I can't find any other error details.
  • Just to clarify, 5.0.80 was "pushed" the same way that all versions between 5.0.64 and 5.0.80 were pushed. For some reason — either because of a configuration change you made or some sort of networking issue — you just haven't received any of the updates since March.

    As for the hang, this isn't a general issue, so you'll likely need to debug this on your end. Have you tried moving the Zotero profile directory out of the way and letting it create a new one? You can also try in a new Windows user account.
  • Re updates - it is entirely possible that other updates happened in between, but 5.0.8 was the one after which things broke. The only sure end points I have are .64 (worked) and .8 (didn't).

    I have completely scoured the system for each new install; in addition to uninstall, that included manually removing everything in the system folders (user, app, local, roaming) and removing file associations from the registry.

    Further testing has now shown that there's some combined issue with version .8, and the state of the library:

    - .8 will always freeze, whether library is present or not. (BTW, seems I have to delete or zip the library to remove it from view - otherwise Zotero will find it wherever it is hiding on th drive!)
    - .77 will work, but ONLY if the library is absent. Bringing back the library while .77 is running and pointing it at the library location will prompt a requirement to update to .8, because the library can't be read by lower versions anymore. Following program restart, .8 will then freeze.

    My interpretation from that is that .8 for some reason is incompatible with my system, and that the library is now locked into .8 format and thus rendered inaccessible to me. Looks like unless there is a way to back-convert the library to a lower version (which I doubt), I'll have to recreate it from scratch :/
  • And another hour of fun has taught me that I have to turn off auto-update, otherwise the installation will ruin itself back to .8 at the earliest opportunity %p

    I guess it comes down to whether someone knows a way to convert an existing library to an earlier version format. Otherwise, I'd best get rebuilding.
  • One of the numbered sqlite.backup files (I believe zotero.sqlite.106.bak ) should be a pre-database update version of your library.
    Use these instructions: https://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data#restoring_from_the_last_automatic_backup to restore from that
  • @fgweller: There's no need to rebuild anything or spend hours on this. We'll obviously help you figure this out, but you'll need to be slightly patient.
    (BTW, seems I have to delete or zip the library to remove it from view - otherwise Zotero will find it wherever it is hiding on th drive!)
    No, that's not correct. Zotero looks in the default location, the custom configured location, and a couple old locations inside the Zotero and Firefox profile directories.
    .77 will work, but ONLY if the library is absent
    It sounds like this isn't actually what you mean. The issue here is freezing, and I assume that's only happening in .80, correct? .78 and later just upgrade the database, such that you'll get a message at startup that the database isn't compatible if you go back to an older version. Please clarify this, because if older versions are actually freezing, that would be a different issue (and much weirder).

    For the moment, you can swap in the zotero.sqlite.106.bak (or similar — use the highest-numbered one) with 5.0.77 to restore access to your library. Once you're set with that, we can try to figure out what's happening with 5.0.80.

    On that front, what exact version of Windows 7 is this? Are you running any third-party software that might be interfering?
  • @fgweller: Are you able to view debug output or error console output for the startup that freezes?
  • Also note that there's a ZIP version of the Windows build that may be helpful for debugging:

    https://www.zotero.org/download/client/dl?channel=release&platform=win32-zip&version=5.0.80

    You can keep 5.0.77 as the installed version and open zotero.exe from the extracted 5.0.80 folder to test things, and just switch back to the older DB afterward if necessary.

    The fact that it's upgrading the database is actually interesting, since it means that it's opening enough to do that. If you start 5.0.80 with Shift held down, it should start in Safe Mode. Does that make a difference?
  • Thanks for all the options. I sure would like to be able to keep up with future updates rather than be stuck on .77. If I can use the zipped version without compromising my precariously functional .77 install, then I will test how far I get with it. I will have to postpone it for a few days - get back to you on the weekend. Thanks again!

    Re "The issue here is freezing, and I assume that's only happening in .80, correct?" - No; the behaviour of .77 or older, when the compromised library is present, is exactly as .80 with or without library - freezing on an active process.
  • edited December 12, 2019
    Re "The issue here is freezing, and I assume that's only happening in .80, correct?" - No; the behaviour of .77 or older, when the compromised library is present, is exactly as .80 with or without library - freezing on an active process.
    But that's not what you said. You said this:
    Bringing back the library while .77 is running and pointing it at the library location will prompt a requirement to update to .8, because the library can't be read by lower versions anymore. Following program restart, .8 will then freeze.
    If it's freezing, how are you getting the message about the incompatible database and then going through with the upgrade?
  • Okay, that was unclear. In detail:

    I cannot install & start up .77 with the old database present; it will freeze on an empty window, like .8. What I CAN do is remove the database, then install & start up .77, which will use the default DB location. I then use the Preferences to point the program at the current location of the old DB (or restore it to its previous location and point at that). I gather that is the normal method to import an existing database to a new install?

    Zotero will then restart, as it does when the database location is changed, and it will do so successfully. But then it will discover that it can't read the database and prompt for an update. That done, the new .8 version will freeze on restart.

    However: if I then uninstall .8 and reinstall .77 while leaving the database in place, .77 will freeze on start. I can enter the cycle again by removing DB, starting .77, bringing the DB back while it's running, etc.

    So I guess the exact description of the situation may be: I) .8 will freeze; II) older versions will freeze if on start there already exists a DB which .8 was the last version to attempt to open. (That's assuming that .8 even gets to the point where it accesses the DB before it freezes.)

    I don't know why that doesn't happen when .77 reboots itself after DB location is changed, before prompting for version update. As you point out, one might expect that to be equal to II)...

    Debug info to be provided as soon as I have the time to try the various options.

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