Database upgrade error

dstillman · August 25, 2023

This discussion was created from comments split from: Database upgrade error.

friedafeuerstein · August 25, 2023

Hey @kerrypettingrew, I got the same problem with my files and even deinstalling everything doesn't work. I am using a Mac. Do you know how I can fix the problem on here? I am not sure how DISM and SFC work and haven't done the before.
Thanks!

dstillman · August 25, 2023

Please start new threads for new issues — the thread you posted to was from someone on Windows, and it wouldn't have anything to do with your situation. I've moved this to a new thread.

Can you step back and explain, in your own words, the exact problem you're experiencing? We'd also want a Report ID. If you're not able to provide one, see Reporting Startup Errors.

friedafeuerstein · August 25, 2023

Thanks @dstillman, I will do this.

So my problem is: I had Zotero on my pCloud, than Zotero told me to move it away from a Cloud and so I did. The file for Zotero is now stored on my computer locally. I now wanted to open the application an Zotero told me this:

Datenbank-Upgrade-Fehler
Error: Errors) encountered during statement execution: database disk image is malformed [QUERY: SELECT item TypelD FROM itemTypes WHERE typeName='attachment'] [PARAMS: ] [ERROR:
database disk image is malformed]
Zotero.DBConnection.prototype.valueQueryAsync@chrome://zotero
/content/xpcom/db.js:731:13
From brevious event:
ZoteroService@rile:/Applications Zotero.app/ Contents
/Resources/components/otero-service.js:347:7
achrome gotero content/include.is 4 4

I already deinstalled everything and even deleted all files but I still can't even start the application. I have a backup on zotero.org, so it would be no problem for me to delete everything and start again with the backup. Can somebody help me to start the app again?

Thank you!

dstillman · August 25, 2023

Right, so you have a corrupted database — exactly why we say never to do this, and why the app made you move it.

You can try closing Zotero and copying one of the zotero.sqlite.bak automatic backup files in the folder to zotero.sqlite. Zotero will use whatever file is named zotero.sqlite when it starts up. But it doesn't really matter — if your data is all online, you could also just delete zotero.sqlite and start up with an empty database. Using a recent backup will prevent Zotero from having to download all your data again, though.

If you do use a backup, be sure to check the database integrity from the Advanced → Files and Folders pane of the Zotero preferences, since the backup might be corrupted as well. And if it is, you should just delete it and sync to pull down your data.

friedafeuerstein · August 25, 2023

Thank you very much, @dstillman! I got everything back. Since I only started to work with Zotero last week there wasn't much to download from the backup. Thanks for your help.