Could not open connection to zotero.sqlite

dstillman
This discussion was created from comments split from: Data directory could not be found error after installation.
  • ngough
    I keep getting this error: Please help.
    Error: Could not open connection to H:\FDrive\Nancy\Google Drive\Gough Scientific Communication Services\BioSerendipity\Articles\Zotero\zotero.sqlite: 2153971714
    openConnection/</<@resource://gre/modules/Sqlite.jsm:945:16
    From previous event:
    ZoteroService@file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/Zotero/components/zotero-service.js:346:4
    @chrome://zotero/content/include.js:4:14
  • adamsmith
    You shouldn't put your Zotero database into Google Drive -- it can cause all sorts of malfunctions, including this one (though this problem could also be due to the fact that this seems like a network drive or so?)
  • bwiernik
    That error usually means that there is some problem with being able to access the drive (e.g., if you have a network drive that isn't connected). Check your drive connection.

    But, beyond that, you absolutely should not store your Zotero data directory in a Google Drive folder. That will certainly lead to database corruption and possibly data loss eventually. You should move your Zotero data directory somewhere else on your computer.
  • valentinaturrini
    Hello, i moved my Zotero data directory to my desktop yesterday. Everything seemed ok today, until now: i get this error

    Error: Could not open connection to C:\Users\Valentina\Desktop\ZOTERO storage\zotero.sqlite: 2153971714
    openConnection/</<@resource://gre/modules/Sqlite.jsm:945:16
    From previous event:
    ZoteroService@file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/Zotero/components/zotero-service.js:346:4
    @chrome://zotero/content/include.js:4:14

    Can you help me, please?
  • dstillman
    2153971714 is a generic storage I/O error. This is most common on a network filesystem (as for ngough above) but could also be due to a physical problem with your disk or security software interfering with Zotero's ability to access the disk.
  • ngough
    I am now using Google sync so Google is backing up my entire drive. This is not a network drive. I tried moving the entire zotero folder to the C drive and uninstalling and reinstalling and I get the same error.
  • ngough
    I have also tried manually opening the file that Zotero says it cannot access using Zotero and I get the same error. I don't seem to be able to make any choices. The software just closes without letting me try to tell it a different place to look for the files.
  • ngough
    I can access many other files on the same drive in the same folder containing Zotero.
  • ngough
    If it is helpful, the program appeared to be working fine earlier this week. The problem arose yesterday. The program worked on January 3.
  • dstillman
    I tried moving the entire zotero folder to the C drive and uninstalling and reinstalling and I get the same error.
    Can you provide the error message after that?
  • ngough
    There was an error starting Zotero.

    Error: Could not open connection to H:\FDrive\Nancy\Google Drive\Gough Scientific Communication Services\BioSerendipity\Articles\Zotero\zotero.sqlite: 2153971714
    openConnection/</<@resource://gre/modules/Sqlite.jsm:945:16
    From previous event:
    ZoteroService@file:///C:/Users/ngough/Zotero/components/zotero-service.js:346:4
    @chrome://zotero/content/include.js:4:14
  • ngough
    Could it be related to installing the Chrome extension? That seems to be when the problem started. Chrome seems to be putting the files somewhere different than where I was storing the files before.
  • dstillman
    No, this isn't related to Chrome in any way.

    Zotero is still looking on your network drive. You'll need to point it to your local hard drive. Does H:\FDrive\Nancy\Google Drive\Gough Scientific Communication Services\BioSerendipity\Articles\Zotero still exist? If so, the easiest option would be to simply move the Zotero directory to C:\Users\:username:\Zotero, and then Zotero should prompt whether you want to use that when you next start it up (assuming it can access the network drive enough to determine that the folder is no longer there).

    If that doesn't work we can tell you how to reset the preferences so it looks in another location.
  • ngough
    OK, I have Zotero open, but my library is missing.
  • dstillman
    Zotero needs to be pointed at the data directory that contains your files.

    What's the current data directory location in the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences?
  • ngough
    the default C:\Users\ngough\Zotero
  • dstillman
    edited January 5, 2018
    OK, and what zotero.sqlite* files do you see in that folder, and what are their timestamps and sizes? Is there a 'storage' folder, and are there folders within that with recent dates?

    Did you move your Zotero data directory somewhere else on your computer?
  • ngough
    zoter.sqlite-journal 1/5/2018
    zotero.sqlite 1/5/2018
    zotero.sqlite.77.bak 11/16/2017
    zotero.sqlite.1.bak 12/7/2017
    zotero.sqlite.bak 12/20.2017
    zotero(1).sqlite 10/24/2017

    Yes the storage folder with the subfolders and files is there and the folders are all dated 1/4/2018. Content inside is older.

  • ngough
    I don't understand which file is the "data directory".
  • dstillman
    You didn't say what the sizes of the zotero.sqlite files are.

    This is the data directory — the folder with zotero.sqlite and 'storage'. Make sure you're actually checking C:\Users\ngough\Zotero itself and you didn't accidentally copy "Zotero" into C:\Users\ngough\Zotero (to make C:\Users\ngough\Zotero\Zotero).
  • ngough
    File path C:\Users\ngough\Zotero
    file size zotero.sqlite 904 KB

    sqlite.1.bak 30,088 KB
    sqlite.uu.bak 30,348 KB
    sqlite.bak 30,296 KB
    sqlite-journal 89 KB

  • dstillman
    OK, close Zotero, delete zotero.sqlite (904 KB is an empty database), and copy zotero.sqlite.bak to zotero.sqlite, and then restart Zotero.

    Note that that's a backup from December 20th — I'm not sure if you've used Zotero since then, and if so what happened to your main database, but given that you had this both on a network drive and in Google Drive, all sorts of problems can easily arise.

    If you're missing data after restarting and it's not available when you sync (e.g., if you didn't sync after December 20th), you can check Google Drive's version history (if there is such a thing) for a more recent 30 MB copy of your zotero.sqlite.
  • ngough
    Thanks, let me give this a try. I'll report either success or failure.
  • ngough
    I found a complete version of the zotero.sqlite file on Google drive and copied that into the c drive folder after deleting the empty version. My files are back! Thanks.
  • AnniinaMattila
    I am also having a similar problem, getting the following error message:

    There was an error starting Zotero.

    Error: Could not open connection to \\...\home\a\user\Documents\Zotero\zotero.sqlite: 2153971714
    openConnection/</<@resource://gre/modules/Sqlite.jsm:945:16
    From previous event:
    Zotero.DBConnection.prototype._getConnectionAsync@chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js:1152:30

    I checked my zotero.sqlite and it´s not empty and has a recent date, and the file path should be fine for finding it, so I don´t know what could be the problem. I did have a Windows 10 update before this occurred, though, so maybe it has something to do with that?

    Anyone have suggestions on how to solve this?
  • dstillman
    @AnniinaMattila: If possible, you should move your Zotero data directory to your local hard drive. As noted above, having the data directory on a network drive can cause problems. Some people manage to do it successfully, but when it doesn't work there's not really anything else we can tell you.

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