Zotero 7 and AppData\Local installation: Loop "Your computer must be restarted..";no admin rights

amarois
edited August 19, 2024
I have a professional Windows workstation without administration rights on which Zotero is installed by default on C:\Program Files (x86)\ by our IT department. Since no update could be done simply, I carried out a parallel installation of Zotero a year ago in C:\Users\mypersonnaluseraccountAppData\Local\ which did not cause any problems: everything had been working well for a year, updates were possible and I was using two Zotero profiles via the profile manager. When installing Zotero 7, I followed the same process:
- launch the Zotero-7.0.1_x64_setup.exe installer
- "No" to the Windows question asking if you want to make changes to the program..." (administrator mode)
- launch the installation wizard in C:\Users\mypersonnaluseraccount\AppData\Local\
- reboot the computer at the end of the installation

When I try to open zotero from C:\Users\mypersonnaluseraccount\AppData\Local\Zotero\zotero.exe, the message "Your computer must be restarted to complete previous upgrade of Zotero. Do you want to reboot now? if you receive this message repeatedly, choose No to completely remove the previous installation and start again. Your Zotero data will not be affected" systematically appears, after several "Yes" or "No".
I have the impression that the Zotero 7 installation process loops because it detects the other installation in C:\Program Files.
Finally, only the version installed in Program Files (x86) launches, with the profile manager; I have access to my data but I can no longer launch the version installed in AppData\Local

How to solve the problem in order to have zotero 7 in users\...\AppData\local and to be able to update the software simply?

Thank you
  • amarois
    I was able to solve the problem. The IT department updated the version installed in ProgramFiles to Zotero 7, and then I was able to install the same version in AppData. I'm back to the configuration I had before trying to install V7.

    However, this problem could happen to other users in similar configurations.
  • danleonhardt
    So Ive clicked no when it repreatadly asks me to restart my laptop but nothing has happened. Done it multiple times. You never gave a step after this to try and solve, very very confused and frustrated been trying for over an hour
  • dstillman
    edited October 7, 2024
    @danleonhardt: Could you provide a screenshot of the problem you're experiencing, and explain the exact situation you're in? There's a long, complicated description above that wouldn't apply exactly to you, so we really need to hear the exact situation you're in in your own words.
  • danleonhardt
    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u13899818/ghlhigj9p2o2q6wx5bfw.png

    That is what it continues to say, I have restarted my laptop with and without this button over 10 times and nothing has happened. Also fully shutdown my laptop a number of times. I have tried to uninstall the app to start again but cannot as this message pops up again and still nothing happens afterwards.
    Very unsure
  • tnajdek
    Could you please let us know what exact version of Zotero were you trying to install? There was a bug related to upgrades on limited access accounts prior to version 7.0.7.

    The posted screenshot is too small, so I can't see the message clearly. I assume it's: "Your computer must be restarted to complete a previous upgrade of Zotero. Do you want to reboot now?"

    To fix this, you can remove the entire target directory where Zotero is being installed and try the installation again.
  • danleonhardt
    I am not 100% sure which version but most likely the most recent one as it has only just started to occur the other day.

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u13899818/tltn715zd0i7mk60cff7.png
    That is an enlarged screenshot of what it keeps doing and a separate time to the first.
    How do I remove the target directory I see nowhere for this to be possible and as previously stated when trying to completely uninstall the app to download it again the same message appears and the same outcome follows.
  • tnajdek
    edited October 9, 2024
    The installer filer that you downloaded from zotero.org contains the exact version number.
    How do I remove the target directory I see nowhere for this to be possible
    You need to find the location where Zotero is installed, one way to do it, is to right-click on the Zotero icon, click "Properties" and then "Open File Location". You then need to remove that entire directory. Afterwards running the installer should correctly install Zotero.
  • dstillman
    @danleonhardt: And can you tell us the path you see after using Open File Location? (You can x out your username if necessary.)

    Also, is this on a computer where you don't have administrative access?
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