There was an error starting Zotero. (Chrome Stand Alone)

pmgross
I was running Chrome Standalone. A few weeks ago it simply did nothing when launching: uninstalled and re-installed OK. Same problem occurred today, nothing happened on launch: uninstall and re-install, now I get the error: "There was an error starting Zotero." As per other discussions the messages from the error console on startup are pasted below. Note: I have uninstalled and re-installed and rebooted many many times with no success (even tried Firefox version same problem). I also cannot find the data library anywhere (zotero.sqlite). Last attempt was version 4.0.9 instead of 4.0.9.1 still no luck. Major annotated bibliography assignment due at end of the week - HELP Please.

[unrelated errors removed — D.S.]

Timestamp: 3/08/2013 4:17:22 PM
Error: [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80630002 (NS_ERROR_STORAGE_IOERR) [mozIStorageService.openDatabase]" nsresult: "0x80630002 (NS_ERROR_STORAGE_IOERR)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js :: :: line 1105" data: no]
Source File: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/zotero.js
Line: 745

[unrelated errors removed — D.S.]
  • pmgross
    In desperation I have uninstalled and reinstalled a few more times. I now have a new error. Zotero opens a dialogue page "Zotero - Choose User Profile" however the box is empty so I cannot choose a profile; I have tried creating a profile (no joy just flashes briefly the Create Profile Wizard but disappears again; can't rename profile (does nothing); can't delete profile (nothing to select); can't Work Offline (must select a profile) What I CAN do is Exit ... thank you Zotero.
    PS When I try launch Zotero with -jsconsole at end of command line the dialogue box discussed above comes up no troubleshooting log. I have also installed Zotero on my son's laptop all OK abd tried copying the entire User\AppData\Roaming\Zotero folder to my corrupt machine - no joy.
  • dstillman
    That I/O error in your error report suggests that something on your system is preventing Zotero from accessing its profile and data directories, including to create a new one on startup, which it normally does automatically, after you had the uninstaller remove the old one. This could be due to security software or something peculiar about your computer/disk setup, such as some form of server-based profile mirroring. We're probably not going to be able to do much to help you debug this, since it's an issue outside of Zotero.

    Also note that, if you checked the box to have the uninstaller remove your data, it would have deleted your Zotero data directory as well (assuming it was in its default location). I'm not sure if it makes a backup copy anywhere, but if not you'll need to restore the data directory from a backup (or sync with the server, if you previously did so) after getting Zotero to start again.

    You might also try starting Zotero for Firefox—telling it not to share your existing data directory when it asks at startup (if you haven't run it before) or resetting the data directory in the preferences to the default (if you have)—and copying a backup of your Zotero data directory into its data directory.
  • pmgross
    edited August 5, 2013
    Dan - many thanks for your comments. I have uninstalled Chrome stand alone and gone to FireFox. All seems to be going well BUT I think I have a clue as to what might have gone wrong and just want to see if I should change anything with my current setup. I went to Zotero Preference to check where Data Directory was created (as you know I was not able to locate previously). It is in an offline folder:
    \\mbtdat1\appdata$\pmgross\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\0kla28ps.default\zotero
    Are there any dangers to this? Is this what you would consider a safe default location? You are right about my laptop, it is a work one which has a remote server which I periodically connect to via VPN (I have taken study leave this year so only occasionally connect). I suspect that a Sync process may have wiped the Data Dictionary but I'm guessing. Either way I have made good backups now and will watch that the Data Dictionary does not get corrupted/disappear. Thanks for your help.

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