Zotero database cannot be opened

edgar.r.acosta

Data directory: C:\users\<my user id>\Zotero
I checked, and I do have access to that directory.
When dialog with error shows up, it gives me two options: "check for updates" or "quite". Both quit Zotero and I can't enter. I wish I could enter and maybe resolve it by placing the Zotero directory elsewhere, but I can't get to the settings. Please help

dstillman

If you're getting that, it means there's a problem with file permissions in that folder — which can include write permissions. That's a problem outside Zotero, and there's nothing Zotero can do about it. You'll need to fix the problem with the folder or files.

dstillman

(Security software could probably also cause this, though file permissions are more likely. Usually this happens if you move a data directory between computers or accounts.)

edgar.r.acosta

In the end, I simply deleted the Zotero folder and re-sync Zotero. My problem is solved. Thanks, anyways :-)

edgar.r.acosta

After re-syncing (and downloading my library from the cloud) I got an error linked to the following Report Id: 884521173
Then relocated my Zotero library from C:\users\\Zotero under my Documents folder, and I still get the error. What's going on?

dstillman

You certainly didn't need to delete your entire data directory, with many gigabytes of files, and redownload them all. This is a permissions problem on your computer, so that's where the fix needs to be, and there's no particular reason to think it won't happen again if you don't diagnose it properly. Even if you wanted to regain access to Zotero temporarily/quickly, deleting just the zotero.sqlite file would've been better rather than needing to download a huge number of files. (You may have permissions problems on the files as well, but you'd at least be able to open Zotero.)

[JavaScript Error: "Zotero-File-Modification-Time header not set in file request for 1/VGUU2MRK" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/storage/zfs.js" line: 109}]
[JavaScript Error: "Download request 1/VUVHCTIK failed"]

You'd get this sort of error on an institutional network where your connection is being intercepted by security software or a firewall. I'd guess security software was behind the permissions error as well.

Check the site certificate info for this site to check whether your connection is being intercepted.

edgar.r.acosta

Well, I'm using one of my work computer but I've used it in the past with no problems. Is there anything I can do?

dstillman

Assuming the site certificate info shows that your connection is being intercepted, you'd have to talk to your IT department.

Neither of these are problems in Zotero itself, and there's nothing we can do to fix them. Zotero needs read and write access to its data directory, and it needs network requests it makes to not be arbitrarily modified.