zotero files will not open after crash

aziegler
My computer crashed and I had to wipe the harddrive. Before I did, I backed up my data two different ways: I used an external sync backup and I exported my zotero files to CD. I am back up and running, having reloaded my data from the sync backup. The data appears to be in C:\documents and settings\owner\application data\mozilla\firefox\v57w1n8s.default\ zotero. However, zotero won't open the files.
When I try to import them from the disk, it tells me that it doesn't recognize the file.
Obviously, I'd like to get my data back up so that I don't loose a years work. Help would be appreciated.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    How did you back up? Did you export to Zotero RDF, or did you make a backup of your entire data directory as recommended in the FAQ?
  • aziegler
    Both, I think. I know that I exported to a Zotero RDF, but then I also did a complete backup of all my user files with the Western Digital backup that is designed to transfer data between computers. When I look in the zotero subdirectories under documents and settings, I see the sorts of files I would expect if a program were saving screen shots: gif, js, png files. So I think the data is there.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    OK. The latter is what you want, as long as it includes the zotero.sqlite database. So, open Firefox, go to the Advanced pane of the Zotero prefs, and click on Show Data Directory. That's your current data directory, and that's where you need to copy the backed up zotero.sqlite and 'storage' files to. Close Firefox, copy the backup files there (after backing up and erasing whatever is there, which may be an empty database), restart Firefox, and, assuming you backed up your files correctly, you should see your data.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    A new documentation page: Troubleshooting Zotero Data

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