Upgrade Storagemaking backups of the zotero database
I've been rebuilding my computer after a hard disk replacement. In the process I've sort of stumbled on a way to put the zotero database folder and files in a location other than the default.
I have a folder of crucial and heavily-used files which I not only backup with mozy, but also backup daily to flash. It's a one-step process to back up this folder--which means that it actually gets done :-)
I had not been able to find my zotero files before my disk crash so they were not backed up, and I'm very lucky that I was able to restore my data from before the crash (They were not backed up because they are by default to be found in the 'applications' folder which is a hidden folder, and it took some doing for someone who isn't tech-savvy to find this location--it was on the list of things I was going to get around to soon, when I had time to figure it out).
In the process of reinstalling (and uninstalling, and reinstalling again, as i dinked around with how to solve my backup problem with zotero), I discovered that there is a way to redirect zotero to look for the database in a location other than the default, hidden one. I put the copy of my old data in my one step backup folder, then redirected zotero there. I've got my data back, and now it's where I want it :-)
You can do that redirect at 'actions' (the little gear icon at the top left) then choose 'preferences' and 'advanced' and under the 'storage' section click on 'choose' to tell zotero where you want it to look for data.
Of course you will have to have moved a copy of your data to your preferred location first. it's in the applications/mozilla/firefox/profiles subdirectory: the zotero folder will be inside a folder with a very cryptic number, so the most straightforward way of finding your data to back it up, whether you move it to a new location or back it up in the default location, is to do a windows search for zotero.sqlite.
I hope that ultimately it will be easier to find/backup zotero files, but till then perhaps this will be useful to someone else. I welcome corrections and improvements :-)
I have a folder of crucial and heavily-used files which I not only backup with mozy, but also backup daily to flash. It's a one-step process to back up this folder--which means that it actually gets done :-)
I had not been able to find my zotero files before my disk crash so they were not backed up, and I'm very lucky that I was able to restore my data from before the crash (They were not backed up because they are by default to be found in the 'applications' folder which is a hidden folder, and it took some doing for someone who isn't tech-savvy to find this location--it was on the list of things I was going to get around to soon, when I had time to figure it out).
In the process of reinstalling (and uninstalling, and reinstalling again, as i dinked around with how to solve my backup problem with zotero), I discovered that there is a way to redirect zotero to look for the database in a location other than the default, hidden one. I put the copy of my old data in my one step backup folder, then redirected zotero there. I've got my data back, and now it's where I want it :-)
You can do that redirect at 'actions' (the little gear icon at the top left) then choose 'preferences' and 'advanced' and under the 'storage' section click on 'choose' to tell zotero where you want it to look for data.
Of course you will have to have moved a copy of your data to your preferred location first. it's in the applications/mozilla/firefox/profiles subdirectory: the zotero folder will be inside a folder with a very cryptic number, so the most straightforward way of finding your data to back it up, whether you move it to a new location or back it up in the default location, is to do a windows search for zotero.sqlite.
I hope that ultimately it will be easier to find/backup zotero files, but till then perhaps this will be useful to someone else. I welcome corrections and improvements :-)
This is what I do:
I have my zotero database on a 120 gig USB portable harddrive (here is the 250 gig version: http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=317) that can be powered solely by its USB cord (no extra power cord required). Also on this harddrive is a copy of firefox portable with the zotero add on.
I carry this HD everywhere (in my backpack) and thus as long as I have access to a computer I can be working. This beats the heck out of requiring that whatever computer I am working on has a copy of endnote X.
I also have a account on mozy.com I use to backup my portable harddrive every night.
Finally, I made monthly DVD backups which I put in my office (I typically work from home).
Any good ideas?
maybe TrueCrypt is a solution for your security problem:
"TrueCrypt is a free open source on-the-fly encryption (OTFE) program for Microsoft Windows XP/2000/2003/Vista and Linux. It can create a "file-hosted container" which consists of an encrypted volume with its own file system, contained within a regular file, which can then be mounted as if it were a real disk. TrueCrypt also supports device-hosted volumes, which can be created on either an individual partition or an entire disk." (Wikipedia)
I thought about using it for encrypting my usb stick for a while. The only problem with this solution is, that you need admin rights on the computer to install the software as far as I know.