Understanding error report (1705155289)

RLifset
I have gotten an error report (#1705155289). I don't know how to interpret it. Is there a problem that I need to fix? I've pasted in the content of the error report below. I'm also getting this message: "The Zotero database “zotero.sqlite” appears to have become corrupted.", but I don't know if that is related.

[JavaScript Error: "database disk image is malformed" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js" line: 1189}]

[JavaScript Error: "Error(s) encountered during statement execution: database disk image is malformed [QUERY: DELETE FROM fulltextWords WHERE wordID NOT IN (SELECT wordID FROM fulltextItemWords)] [PARAMS: ] [ERROR: database disk image is malformed]" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js" line: 680}]

[JavaScript Error: "The connection was refused when attempting to contact wss://stream.zotero.org/."]

[JavaScript Error: "WebSocket connection closed: 1006 "]
  • dstillman
    Yes, the message means what it says — your Zotero database is corrupted. This usually happens because you've stored your Zotero data directory in a cloud storage folder or on a network share or external disk. You can try the DB Repair Tool, or if you've been syncing you can just close Zotero, delete zotero.sqlite from the Zotero data directory, and sync to pull down your data from the online library.
  • RLifset
    Before I started to follow your guidance, I received repeated messages from Zotero telling me that zotero.sqlite was corrupted and asking if I wanted to replace zotero.sqlite and resync my data. When clicked yes, I would get the same error message from Zotero. (Unfortunately, I'm not sure I got the wording of this message right --in the note here--and the message is no longer showing up, so I can't copy-paste here.)
    Now when I open Zotero, I have a blank library with this message "You are about to sync to an empty Zotero database. This could happen if you accidentally deleted the zotero.sqlite file in your Zotero data directory or the location of your data directory changed.

    If you continue, data in the ‘XXXX’ account will be downloaded to this computer. Your online library won’t be affected.

    If your Zotero data exists elsewhere on this computer, you should move it to the current data directory or change the data directory location to point to your existing data."

    I've read the Zotero documentation on "The Zotero Data Directory" and "Locating Missing Zotero Data" several times but remain confused. I'd like to download the data to my computer, but not have it end up in the default, i.e., on my C drive (which is too crowded). Up until these problems emerged, I have had the Zotero files on another drive ("F"), but I am not sure what to designate as the base directory and what path to use for the data directory. Is the data directory the storage folder?
  • dstillman
    edited October 1, 2023
    These settings are in Advanced for a reason — we document them, but if you're having trouble understanding how they work, you shouldn't use them.

    As I say, your database could be corrupted from keeping it on an external disk, for example if the disk is unmounted while Zotero is open. If you've been syncing, you can sync down your data from the online library. If you want to keep your data directory on an external disk, you can do that, but you should understand the risk of corruption.

    Note that you can set Zotero to download files "as needed" to keep from needing space for all your attachment files locally. An upcoming feature will also make it possible to configure how many days Zotero stores local copies of files in order to save disk space.
  • RLifset
    I try to avoid using the advanced settings for just the reason that you say. Regarding the cause of my problem, my Zotero folders are stored on a local hard drive, not on a network drive or in the cloud.

    When I tried to solve the problem by (re)syncing the data, I got repeated messages that zotero.sqlite was damaged and that I should re-sync. So syncing did not solve the problem.

    I uninstalled and reinstalled Zotero on my desktop computer and the problem disappeared for about a week and then reappeared.

    Here is specifically what happens. When I start using Zotero, I get this message

    "The Zotero database “zotero.sqlite” appears to have become corrupted.

    This generally occurs when the Zotero data directory is stored in a cloud storage folder or on a network drive. If you’ve moved your data directory to one of those places, you should move it back to the default location.

    Zotero can attempt to restore from the last automatic backup from 10/10/2023 at 10:58:33 AM.

    For more information on repairing or restoring the database and preventing further corruption, see https://zotero.org/support/kb/corrupted_database

    Restore from Automatic Backup [this is button] Cancel [this is a button]"
    If I click on Restore, I get this message:

    "The Zotero database “zotero.sqlite” appears to have become corrupted.

    Your data was restored from the last automatic backup from 10/10/2023 at 10:58:33 AM. The damaged file was saved to your Zotero data directory as “zotero.sqlite-12.damaged”.

    If your data directory is stored in a cloud storage folder or on a network drive, you should move it back to the default location immediately."

    If I click on cancel in response to the first message, I can briefly use Zotero, then the same message appears.

    Also, when I try to add a reference to Zotero using Zotero’s web-based add-in, I get this error message:

    [JavaScript Error: "database disk image is malformed" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js" line: 1189}]

    [JavaScript Error: "Error(s) encountered during statement execution: database disk image is malformed [QUERY: DELETE FROM fulltextWords WHERE wordID NOT IN (SELECT wordID FROM fulltextItemWords)] [PARAMS: ] [ERROR: database disk image is malformed]" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js" line: 680}]

    [JavaScript Error: "Error(s) encountered during statement execution: database disk image is malformed [QUERY: DELETE FROM fulltextWords WHERE wordID NOT IN (SELECT wordID FROM fulltextItemWords)] [PARAMS: ] [ERROR: database disk image is malformed]" {file: "chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/db.js" line: 680}]

    [JavaScript Error: "The connection was refused when attempting to contact wss://stream.zotero.org/."]

    [JavaScript Error: "WebSocket connection closed: 1006 "]

    [JavaScript Error: "The connection was refused when attempting to contact wss://stream.zotero.org/."]

    [JavaScript Error: "WebSocket connection closed: 1006 "]

    [JavaScript Error: "The connection was refused when attempting to contact wss://stream.zotero.org/."]

    [JavaScript Error: "WebSocket connection closed: 1006 "]

    [JavaScript Error: "The connection was refused when attempting to contact wss://stream.zotero.org/."]

    [JavaScript Error: "WebSocket connection closed: 1006 "]

    [JavaScript Error: "The connection was refused when attempting to contact wss://stream.zotero.org/."]

    [JavaScript Error: "WebSocket connection closed: 1006 "]

    version => 6.0.27, platform => Win32, oscpu => Windows NT 10.0; WOW64, locale => en-US, appName => Zotero, appVersion => 6.0.27, extensions => Zotero LibreOffice Integration (6.0.4.SA.6.0.27, extension), Zotero Word for Windows Integration (6.0.3.SA.6.0.27, extension)


  • dstillman
    See the documentation page linked from the error message.
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