zotero says there was an error in starting

influenzascotty
Report ID: 1667882727

Initially non eof the files in my folders were visible and a pop up window said there was an error in starting zotero.
After closing and re opening fire fox, i cannot seem to even launch the zotero tab.
It has a triangle sign with an exclamation mark in it.
When clicked, it just says there was an eoor in starting zotero
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  • adamsmith
    http://www.zotero.org/support/reporting_bugs#reporting_startup_errors
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    Hi there,

    I have the same issue: when trying to start zotero standalone I get the alert: There was an error starting Zotero.
    I pasted the link adamsmith posted in my terminal but I ended up receiving the same error message. (My firefox plug-in is not working anymore either)

    Any advice?
    Thank you!
  • adamsmith
    that link leads to instructions on how to report start-up errors.
  • dstillman
    From the debug output that zunami sent via email, it appears they have a corrupt database and need to use the DB Repair Tool.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    Thanks for your immediate feedback!
    Since I can not look for the Zotero directory via firefox nor the standalone (inexistent), I looked for 'zotero.sqlite'(2.2MB) directly, which showed up as an individual file and not part of a folder (is that maybe because I already tried to re-install zotero a few times). So the only back up I have now is on the server/zotero online.
    So is there a way to utilize my online library? And then how can I use it re-install Zotero standalone successfully?

    Thanks!
  • dstillman
    edited February 20, 2014
    In Firefox you should be able to access the Zotero preferences — in order to locate your data directory — even if you can't open the Zotero pane by going through the Firefox Add-ons window.

    If you haven't chosen a custom data directory, you can also just look in the default locations.
  • dstillman
    If you're sure that your online library has all your data, you can use Restore from Zotero Server in the Sync pane of the Zotero preferences (again, via the Firefox Add-ons window) or, if that isn't working, (back up and) delete the zotero.sqlite file in your Zotero data directory. For what it's worth, it doesn't look like you've synced any data since mid-January.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    I have found the data directory via firefox and I am currently backing it up. However, all 14 zotero.sqlite files indigate 'damaged'. So I guess it is better to restore it from the server anyways? - And delete the damaged zotero.sqlite files or the whole data directory even before restoring it from the server?

    Thanks!
  • dstillman
    How large are the .damaged files?

    Definitely don't delete the whole directory. You're at your file sync quota, so there's a good chance you have unsynced files in 'storage'.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    They are all either 67MB or 67.1MB large!
  • dstillman
    OK, so if you've added data since mid-January, try zipping one of those and uploading it to the DB Repair Tool, and follow the instructions from there.

    If you're sure your online library is up-to-date, you can just delete zotero.sqlite, restart Firefox, and sync to pull down data from the server.

    Don't touch the 'storage' directory in either case.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    Ok, So I tried to restore zotero in firefox from the server and then I got this error message: [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST) [nsIFile.remove]" nsresult: "0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/zotero.js :: _initFull :: line 542" data: no]
  • dstillman
    Do you have security software installed? If so, try temporarily disabling it.

    If not, provide a Debug ID for a sync attempt that's failing.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    edited February 21, 2014
    Hi,
    I don't have any security software installed on my mac! as for my debug ID it produced the following:

    [JavaScript Error: "[Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST) [nsIFile.moveTo]" nsresult: "0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/zotero.js :: moveToUnique :: line 1579" data: no]" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/zotero.js" line: 830}]

    [unrelated errors removed — D.S.]
  • dstillman
    1) We only need the Debug ID, not the output itself.

    2) That output doesn't cover a sync attempt.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    I see. Apologies.
    So I 'enabled' in the debug output.
    Then I tried to sync again and got the same error message:

    [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST) [nsIFile.remove]" nsresult: "0x80520006 (NS_ERROR_FILE_TARGET_DOES_NOT_EXIST)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/zotero.js :: _initFull :: line 542" data: no]

    When I returned to the Advanced pane in the Firefox Zotero Preferences after the syncing attempt the 'Output to Zotero Server' button is not active.
  • dstillman
    Try again. Restart Firefox if you have to. It definitely works.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    I tried again:
    1.'Enable' the debug output logging
    2. Sync: Restore from server.
    Firefox restarts
    3. I go back to the Advanced pane of Zotero Firefox preferences > General: 'Submit to Zotero Server' is not active.
  • dstillman
    If you want the debug output to persist through a restart you need to check "Enable after restart". But you don't need to do that. You already deleted your local database the first time you did the Restore from Zotero Server — which is just a database deletion plus a normal sync — so just start debug output logging and then click the sync icon in the toolbar, and then submit it after the error occurs.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    Great! So the ID i got is:
    The Debug ID is D1629644638.
  • dstillman
    edited February 21, 2014
    (3)(+0000000): alert() is deprecated from Zotero XPCOM

    (3)(+0001674): Opening database 'zotero'

    (1)(+0000001): Database file 'zotero.sqlite' corrupted

    (1)(+0000000): Saving damaged DB file with .damaged extension
    Wait, this shows that you got the corrupted DB message again — that's sort of the more important information here.

    There seems to be a major problem with your system, since Zotero is under the impression that your brand new database is corrupted (or your database wasn't actually erased — did you see an empty database?).

    I'd try temporarily disabling both auto-sync and file sync in the Zotero sync preferences, closing Zotero, and then moving the entire Zotero data directory to your desktop. Then start it up and make sure you don't get the corruption message and make sure you see an empty library with just the Zotero Quick Start Guide. Then, and only then, either use the DB Repair Tool to repair one of your damaged databases or click sync to pull down the server data (through mid-January). Finally, when you see all your library data and it's working normally, move the 'storage' directory from the old directory into the new data directory to restore your attached files.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    Ok, great! I am getting there.
    Now, I only dont know, if I should put the new, downloaded data directory into the data directory folder I had moved to my desktop or replace another zotero.sqlite file with it, which is now showing up, since I was able to open the standalone version (this other zotero.sqlite is showing up in a customized location I had chosen at one point in the past.) ?
  • dstillman
    edited February 21, 2014
    I don't really follow your question. When you moved the old data directory out of the way, Zotero would have created a new one and populated it with files. The only thing you want to do with that — and only after you've confirmed that everything in Zotero other than attached files is working normally — is replace its empty or nonexistent 'storage' directory with the one from the backup directory on your desktop.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    1. I moved the data directory (which firefox indecated) to my desktop.
    2. I opened zotero standalone, which was finally possible. It was empty - not even the Zotero Quick Start Guide.
    3. Then I used the DB Repair Tool where I uploaded the latest damaged zotero.sqlite file (from the folder I had moved to my desktop)
    4. I downloaded the new zotero.sqlite file from the DB Repair Tool website.
    5. If I put the new zotero.sqlite file in the data directory folder (on my desktop) as the DB Repair Tool website tells me to, and I restart Zotero standalone, nothing happens (If I try to sync nothing happens; if I try to sync 'from the server' under preferences, nothing happens either).

    However, I can now see another zotero.sqlite file in a custom location. Should I delete it and replace it with the newly downloaded one and try to sync the standalone version again?
  • dstillman
    If I put the new zotero.sqlite file in the data directory folder (on my desktop) as the DB Repair Tool website tells me to
    Well, it doesn't say that. It says to put it back in your data directory. All that Zotero cares about is the active data directory, which is the directory you see when you click Show Data Directory. Whether that's in the default location or a custom location depends on your settings, but Zotero doesn't know anything about the folder on your desktop. So when you have the repaired database, put it back in the active directory.

    Don't guess what folder Zotero is using. Just click Show Data Directory from the Advanced -> Files and Folders pane of the preferences.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    Great! Finally, my entries are showing up again and I was able to reinstall the Firefox plug-in!

    Thank you so much for your patience and help!

    The only error remaining when syncing the standalone version is the following: 652934437
  • dstillman
    You're still getting lots of errors that you shouldn't be getting.

    Can you restart Zotero, sync again, and provide another Report ID?
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    I synced again and this time it only showed me a triangle with exclamation mark saying:

    "You have reached your Zotero File Storage quota. Some files were not uploaded. Other Zotero data will continue to sync to the server.

    See your zotero.org account settings for additional storage options."

    I knew I was at my storage limit - but could that be the origin of the whole trouble?
  • dstillman
    No.
  • Naomi_Hanakata
    Hi There,

    I just got another Error Message:
    860622749

    Any idea?
    Help is highly appreciated!
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