Helping syncing old zotero account to new laptop

Hi! I have acquired a new laptop and would like to entirely sync my old zotero account onto it. I have a problem, though: I have had two zotero accounts since my last sync three years ago. This current zotero account from which I am posting has no saved data while the other account was updated three years ago. I have saved a lot of data since then and have downloaded my zotero library's contents onto my computer. I am now having trouble uploading the saved zotero library because, when I try to do so, the zotero app on my new laptop states that the files are incompatible. What can I do to address this?
  • the zotero app on my new laptop states that the files are incompatible
    What's the exact message you're receiving?
  • It says that the existing file is not a supported format. This surprises me because I downloaded these items off of zotero from my previous laptop. Is it usual that the data downloaded from a previous zotero is not easily transferrable to a new computer?
  • We really need the exact message, not a summary of it. But it sounds like you're just trying to use File → Import, which isn't something that works on a Zotero database.

    See Transferring a Library to understand how to do this properly.
  • The exact text reads "Error: The Selected File is not in a supported format." I apologize that I do not see a way to upload the screenshot here.

    I also read the helpful links you sent. I had downloaded the library from zotero and put it on an external drive. I have placed it from that external drive onto my new laptop. It is from that folder I am having trouble uploading the data into the new zotero.
  • I have placed it from that external drive onto my new laptop. It is from that folder I am having trouble uploading the data into the new zotero.
    Right, but you're trying to import the file, which isn't what the instructions say to do. You have to move the data directory into the location where Zotero is already looking on the new computer, as if you're restoring from a backup.
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