Using Zotero on a new computer

dstillman
This discussion was created from comments split from: Using Zotero on a New Computer.
  • rebeccavmc
    I'm having the same issue with a similar situation: my employer gave me my laptop when I left the job but wiped it clean. I can't get my library to sync although I added the extension and see the items in the web library. Could it be that I was using Chrome and now am using Safari? Should I switch?

    Thanks!
  • adamsmith
    You also need Zotero itself installed, the software. The browser add-on never syncs.
    www.zotero.org/download/
  • rebeccavmc
    I installed the software but when dragging it into the folder it says that another older version exists (my library for PhD diss, my purpose for Zotero), and do I want to replace that with the new or keep both? There is no merge option, and I'm afraid to lose the old.
  • adamsmith
    what exactly is the message you're getting? You definitely should update Zotero, yes, and your existing library won't disappear on re-installing.

    @dstillman could you please split the convo with rebeccavmc off?
  • rebeccavmc
    Thank you for helping. It is exactly the message I virtually quoted above: to replace that with the new version of Zotero or keep both? It's the same message you get when saving a document with the same name of another.

    My concern is replacing it, since the earlier one on the "new computer" has none of my library content that is on line, and I'm not sure what I'm installing does either.

    I thought perhaps I received the message because the older was in Chrome and the newer one is in Safari (blank as if I'm starting for the first time). I can add Chrome but I've had issues with malware so wanted to try Safari since it looks like Zotero has made good adaptations for MAC and Safari.
  • adamsmith
    Rebeccavmc's last message:
    Thank you for helping. It is exactly the message I virtually quoted above: to replace that with the new version of Zotero or keep both? It's the same message you get when saving a document with the same name of another.

    My concern is replacing it, since the earlier one on the "new computer" has none of my library content that is on line, and I'm not sure what I'm installing does either.

    I thought perhaps I received the message because the older was in Chrome and the newer one is in Safari (blank as if I'm starting for the first time). I can add Chrome but I've had issues with malware so wanted to try Safari since it looks like Zotero has made good adaptations for MAC and Safari.
    I'd prefer to have the literal message rather than a paraphrase, but it sounds like it's a Mac system message, right? And the folder you're referring to is the application folder? If so, you can go ahead. Updating the application doesn't affect the library.
  • rebeccavmc
    I did as you said, and once I added my username/password information to preferences/synch, and clicked on the green synch button on my zotero page, it added my old library.

    Thank you!

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