Error Signing in and syncing

DitzyGoblin01
Hiya, just wondering if anyone else has come across this message and knows how to fix it?

"Zotero cannot access your login information, possibly due to a corrupted Zotero login manager database.

Close Zotero, back up and delete signons.* from your Zotero profile, and re-enter your Zotero login information in the Sync pane of the Zotero preferences."

I tried to do as it suggested but still nothing. It also won't let me add notes because of another error and recommends sending an error report - tried that 20 mins ago and still waiting for it to be "submitted"

Anything I can do to try get it back working???
  • dstillman
    Can you copy the contents of the other error into here?

    This could be caused by security software on your system, so try disabling that. If you've received any warnings about files in Zotero and chose to quarantine files, you may need to reinstall Zotero and ignore the messages. (That caused this error for another user. Some security software occasionally detects false positives in Zotero due to the browser-based Mozilla framework it uses.)
  • DitzyGoblin01
    Hiya, This is what the other error message says (copied and pasted from the error reporting which is where it tells me to go to report the problem if restarting Zotero doesn't work properly - can't report the problem either):

    [JavaScript Error: "[Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80570015 (NS_ERROR_XPC_CI_RETURNED_FAILURE) [nsIJSCID.createInstance]" nsresult: "0x80570015 (NS_ERROR_XPC_CI_RETURNED_FAILURE)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/utilities_internal.js :: Zotero.Utilities.Internal.md5 :: line 48" data: no]" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/utilities_internal.js" line: 48}]

    [JavaScript Error: "State check failed due to transaction in progress"]

    [JavaScript Error: "State check failed due to transaction in progress"]
  • dstillman
    OK, yeah, this all strongly points to security software.
  • DitzyGoblin01
    so I have Norton, do I disable it? I haven't received any messages about files that need to be quarantined or anything
  • dstillman
    Yes, it was Norton that caused this for another user. I'd try temporarily disabling it. If that alone doesn't help, try reinstalling Zotero from zotero.org.
  • DitzyGoblin01
    Hi Dan,

    So I've uninstalled Zotero and reinstalled it, as well as disabling Norton and it hasn't got any better. I'm now getting another error message (as well as the other ones):

    "The Zotero sync server did not accept your username and password.

    Please check that you have entered your zotero.org login information correctly in the Zotero sync preferences."

    My username and password are correct as I've used them to log into the website without difficulty.

    Any other suggestions? Sorry to be such a bother on a Sunday!
  • adamsmith
    try changing the password - some special characters have caused problems in the past, so maybe stick to letters and numbers.
  • DitzyGoblin01
    Just did that, no joy. The error message tells me to "delete signons*" from my computer - I don't know what this means but how do I it?!
  • adamsmith
    are you using Zotero Standalone or the Firefox add-on? I don't want to confuse you with directions for the wrong one.
  • DitzyGoblin01
    I'm using Standalone because I use Chrome instead of Firefox but I don't have linked to the browser.

    I've just noticed something else...went back through Norton Quarantine history and since 22 Nov it's been quarantining and blocking freebl3.dll...could this be causing the issue?
  • adamsmith
    there should be a file called signons.sqlite in your Zotero profile folder, which is one level up from your data directory
    http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data

    (so say if your data directory is at
    C:\Users\<User Name>\AppData\Roaming\Zotero\Profiles\<randomstring>\zotero

    you'd be looking in the <randomstring> folder. Delete that & restart.
  • DitzyGoblin01
    So I go to delete this and I'm getting this error: Error 0x80004002 No such interface supported. It won't let me delete the file.

    I also can't find a folder called randomstring.
  • adamsmith
    the folder consist of a randomstring of letters and number. it's not called randomstring. that's what the pointy brackets indicate.
  • DitzyGoblin01
    well I feel stupid - apologies! I have that folder open - I tried to paste a screen shot so you could direct me from there. There is the Zotero folder, a few .sqlite files such as content-prefs, cookies, permissions etc. also other files called marionette, extensions, parent. There's no signon.sqlite in that folder or in the zotero folder inside it.

    Sorry for seeming so computer illiterate!
  • adamsmith
    Dan would have to say for sure, but it is my understanding that without that file you would not have a Zotero password saved. Could you try adding that in the sync pane of the preferences again?
  • dstillman
    Don't worry about the signons file. It's not the problem.
    I've just noticed something else...went back through Norton Quarantine history and since 22 Nov it's been quarantining and blocking freebl3.dll...could this be causing the issue?
    Yes. If you read the thread I linked to above you'll see that it's the same issue, with the same file. It's a false positive, and you'll have to figure out how to tell Norton not to quarantine that file when you reinstall Zotero.
  • amyurick42
    I'm having the same error, and I uninstalled Norton and still have the same problem.
  • dstillman
    If Norton quarantined a file in Zotero's application folder, you likely will need to reinstall Zotero from zotero.org.
  • amyurick42
    Will I lose all of my collections if I reinstall?
  • adamsmith
    no, re-installing doesn't affect your data (collections) at all.
    (though, as a general rule, you should always have an up-to-date back-up of all your important data, including Zotero)
  • ikbenecht
    I'm having the same problem. Norton asked me to restart the computer some 24 hours ago because of a risk it detected and the problem started thereafter. Does this mean I cannot use Norton even after reinstalling zotero?
  • adamsmith
    you need to convince Norton to leave that file alone - I can't believe that wouldn't be possible, but I can't tell you details on how to do that, maybe another Norton user knows, though.
  • DitzyGoblin01
    Thanks lads! this fixed the problem and its working for me again!

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