Moving Zotero storage location without starting Zotero

gpmartin
Hello all

I've received a 'There was an error starting Zotero' message, and after running the error console, it appears that there is an I/O problem with the location used for storage - which is currently on a server-mirrored drive on my university-administered computer. (I can paste the full error messages if that would be helpful, but essentially the problem is very similar to the one described here: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/45891/there-was-a-error-starting-zotero/).

I understand that the way to resolve this will be to move the storage to a location that isn't mirrored on a server in this way, i.e. elsewhere on the computer's hard disk. I should be able to do this - but of course the problem is that I cannot currently start Zotero, and so can't change the storage location via the Preferences menu. So my question is: is there another way to change the storage location without starting Zotero itself, so I can get out of my current Catch-22 situation?

Many thanks for your help in advance.
  • adamsmith
    edited April 8, 2015
    Have you tried moving the current Zotero data folder to a different location? Zotero would then try to create a new one and it may be more forgiving starting then.
  • gpmartin
    Thanks for the quick response. I thought of doing this, but was worried it might cause more problems than it would solve. If it's safe, I'll give it a go. What exactly should I move? Just the storage folder? The storage folder plus the zotero.sqlite file? Anything else?
  • adamsmith
    It's safe. move the entire zotero folder, i.e. the folder containing zotero.sqlite and /storage.
  • gpmartin
    Thanks. I tried this, and unfortunately received the same error message, even after a restart. I'm now trying to move the entire folder to my own home computer, which obviously doesn't have access to my work network, to see if it will start from there. It's taking a while to transfer as the folder's about 1.3GB (!), but I'll let you know if it works when it's finished.
  • dstillman
    You can delete prefs.js in the Zotero profile directory to reset the data directory.
  • gpmartin
    Thanks for the tip - unfortunately I couldn't locate the Zotero profile directory as described above on my computer, possibly because of the way my work computer is set up by my university's IT service. There was no Zotero folder in the roaming folder in appdata. There was one in the local folder, but this did not contain prefs.js.

    I did find a file called prefs.js in zotero\defaults\preferences - when I deleted this, and attempted to launch Zotero, nothing happened (no error message, and no process in the task manager). When I reinstated prefs.js and attempted to launch Zotero, the original problem returned.

    The folder has nearly finished copying to my home computer so I will try to run it on there shortly!
  • gpmartin
    Hello again

    Well the folder transfer to my home computer has now completed. I've changed the data directory location to the Zotero folder on the hard disk, and I am able to open Zotero and see all my records fine (phew!).

    I will now transfer the whole lot back to my work computer. Hopefully it will retain my data directory location preference settings and be able to open - if it doesn't, I will get back to you (I guess I'll have to do something about the prefs.js file on the work computer that Dan mentions).
  • dstillman
    unfortunately I couldn't locate the Zotero profile directory as described above on my computer
    Windows hides those folders by default. You should be able to tweak the settings, unless they're locked down. (It's not a problem when opening the directory from within Zotero, but it is when you're trying to find it manually.)
    Hopefully it will retain my data directory location preference settings and be able to open
    No, it won't. That's a local setting. You'll need to clear (the correct) prefs.js.
  • gpmartin
    Well as you predicted Dan, the error came back again when I transferred Zotero back to my work computer. I've looked in the Roaming profile folder for my user account (C:\Users\[me]\AppData\Roaming), but can't see it in there, and have changed the folder settings to show hidden files, folders and drives, and protected operating system files - but to no avail. I've also done a search for prefs.js but cannot find the right one (only various backups in the Zotero defaults directory).

    So I'm at a little bit of a loss as to what to do next! It could be that the system is locked down, but I can see most other system files, including ones that I would guess are much more system-critical than this. Any suggestions very welcome.

    Thanks all

    Graham
  • dstillman
    edited April 9, 2015
    OK, try this:

    1) Go to Start -> Run and paste in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Zotero Standalone\zotero.exe", with quotes. (Depending on your system, the Program Files path might be slightly different. You can right click on the Zotero Standalone shortcut and select Properties and copy the path from there if necessary.)

    2) Add a space after the .exe" and then add "-P" (without quotes).

    You'll hopefully then see the Mozilla profile manager, and probably a single default profile. Click "Delete Profile". On the window that pops up, it should tell you the full path of the profile. Note that, and then press Cancel and Exit, and go find that profile. (You can also copy the path and paste it into Start -> Run, with quotes and making sure there are no spaces around it.) That should put you in the relevant profile. Delete prefs.js and then start up Standalone.
  • gpmartin
    Hi Dan

    That's done it! Thank you ever so much. For information, in case it helps anyone else, the path to the profile was some kind of network location. This is beyond my limited IT knowledge, but it was along the lines of \\[myuniversity].ac.uk\root\staff\setting\w7\[myusername]\AppData\Roaming\Zotero\Zotero\Profiles\71949fcx.default. I guess this is why it didn't show up in the usual Roaming folder, or when I searched the hard disk.

    Thanks again for your help.

    Graham
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