Manually moving data directory to Zotero 5 location

dstillman
This discussion was created from comments split from: [5.0 Beta] Data directory migration not finishing.
  • themeda88
    I have a similar problem. When I load Zotero it comes up with an error message:
    Zotero attempted to move your data directory to a new default location, but the old directory is on a different drive and cannot be migrated automatically.

    It is recommended that you close Zotero and move your data directory manually.
    Then it tells me my current directory and asks me to migrate it to the C: drive directory Zotero.
    What stops me from doing that is that I don't want to put all my collections on my C: drive, which is a 250G SSD I use simply from OS and programs, but would like Zotero to use C: as a home directory and go from there to where I store my collections.
    So the question is whether Zotero will just migrate everything to C: or will it just direct Zotero to C: and from there to where the data is stored?
    Cheers
    Kevin Brewer
  • dstillman
    I don't want to put all my collections on my C: drive, which is a 250G SSD I use simply from OS and programs, but would like Zotero to use C: as a home directory and go from there to where I store my collections.
    I'm not sure what you mean by this. Can you say more?
  • themeda88
    I have my Zotero data on a large HDD. Zotero the programme is loaded on my C; drive in the appropriate Win10 directory. When I load Zotero it comes up with a Data Directory Migration Error. To whit:"Zotero attempted to move your data directory to a new default location, but the old directory is on a different drive and cannot be migrated automatically.

    It is recommended that you close Zotero and move your data directory manually.

    Current location: F:\ZoteroOld\Zotero\Profiles\0wf6tiif.default\zotero

    Recommended location: C:\Users\Kevin\Zotero"

    At the bottom of this are two 'buttons, one labelled "Show Current Directory and Quit"; the other "Not Now".
    The default location is on my programmes HD, which is a 250G SSD, which I don't want burdened by the huge collection of material that comprises my Zotero material because it simply won't fit. I want to leave the Zotero data where it is, on an external HDD, but perhaps move it to further up the directory chain (the present directory is as a result of a crash and reinstallation followed by reinstallation of Zotero after I built another desktop and migrated everything.


    I always ignore this screen and click it off via the X in the top right corner of the screen that contains the message. What I want to know is how I get rid of the error message and maintain my present directory and HDD structure.


    Cheers
  • adamsmith
    You can select a custom data directory in the advanced tab of the Zotero preferences under files and folders and that can absolutely be on the F drive, but I'd recommend storing it somewhere simpler such as F:\Zotero or so rather than in the old profile path -- for which there's very little use now. You'd then have to move over the files to the new location.
  • dstillman
    Yep. @themeda88, if you just close Zotero and move F:\ZoteroOld\Zotero\Profiles\0wf6tiif.default\zotero to F:\Zotero, when you restart Zotero I believe it should tell you that your data directory couldn't be found and ask if you want to use the default location or choose a custom location. You can choose the latter and then point it to F:\Zotero.

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