Can't start Zotero.

HollyP · February 12, 2012

Zotero has always worked well for me. However, now every time I try to use it is get an error message saying, "There was an error starting Zotero." I also receive this error message, "An error has occurred. Please restart Firefox." However, restarting Firefox, or the computer, doesn't help. The report ID is 1538669980. Any help anyone can give me would be most appreciated!

dstillman · February 12, 2012

(NS_ERROR_FILE_ACCESS_DENIED) [nsIFileInputStream.init]" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/translation/translator.js

(NS_ERROR_FILE_IS_LOCKED)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js

Check the permissions in your Zotero data directory.

HollyP · February 12, 2012

Thanks for your quick reply, Dan! Please forgive my ignorance about these things, but I don't where to find the Zotero data directory or what to check in the permissions.

HollyP · February 12, 2012

Dan, I found my data directory (I think), but don't see anything about "Permissions."

dstillman · February 12, 2012

This is almost certainly something that changed on your system outside of Zotero, so I'm afraid we can't help you beyond that. Talk to your resident computer expert or Google for Windows file permissions, the read-only flag, etc. This could also be due to security software on your system blocking Firefox's access to the filesystem.

Also note that you're using a beta version of Firefox (11)—if that's not what you mean to be running, you should switch to Firefox 10.

HollyP · February 12, 2012

OK, thanks Dan. If I try deleting both Zotero and Firefox completely from my computer and reinstalling them, will I lose my data library?

Also, does the data stored on the Zotero server include screen captures I've taken? My primary concern is to be able to retrieve the screen captures of Web pages.

dstillman · February 12, 2012

If I try deleting both Zotero and Firefox completely from my computer and reinstalling them, will I lose my data library?

No, as long as you don't choose the Firefox option to remove your profile data, but uninstalling Zotero is unlikely to help—the issue here is with the Zotero data directory, not the extension files.

Also, does the data stored on the Zotero server include screen captures I've taken?

If you're using file syncing, all attached files would be synced. Single-file attachments are viewable via zotero.org, so you can look at those for yourself. (Multi-file attachments will be viewable online soon.)

Your data is quite likely fine, though. Something just changed on your system to prevent Firefox/Zotero from accessing the Zotero data directory.

HollyP · February 12, 2012

Thanks again!

Oliver_Z · March 24, 2012

I had also the same error when starting zotero. It started to occur after updating to FireFox 11 in linux mint. What helped me was starting firefox as sudo (type sudo firefox in terminal). After doing so everything went back to normal. Next time you can start Firefox normally and zotero works again.

dstillman · March 24, 2012

Oliver: Starting Firefox as root is really not recommended and should not be necessary. If that fixed it, something was wrong with the permissions of the Zotero data directory and/or LibreOffice data directory, and you should fix those.