syncing using desktop and laptop

jaksval
All of the references in my Zotero library have disappeared. I thought I would be able to retrieve them because I have been syncing from my desktop. However, initially when I went into preferences on the laptop to sync, the green arrow whirled but no references downloaded. Then, when I clicked Preferences, it wouldn't let me back in.
Can anyone offer any suggestions, firstly about how to force Preferences to open and then how to ensure that syncing actually retrieves the references form the server? I'd be grateful for help.
  • dstillman
    For "lost" data (which is quite likely not actually lost), you generally want to start here:

    http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data
  • jaksval
    Dan
    In this case, I think it is. My laptop lost Windows, and all data was removed as part of the re installation. I then re installed Zotero.
    Val
  • dstillman
    edited December 4, 2009
    Ah, so the data didn't "disappear" so much as you wiped your hard drive. Well, if you just have a freshly reinstalled Zotero with an empty library, you should be able to just enter your login information in the Sync pane of the preferences and perform a normal sync. Something more complicated would've had to have happened for that not to work, but, regardless, you should be able to restart Firefox, go to the Sync->Reset pane of the Zotero preferences, and choose Restore from Zotero Server. Note that the sync icon might appear to freeze for a little while as it processes the downloaded data.
  • adamsmith
    OK. But you did sync? So the data isn't lost - it's just lost on that computer.
    I don't quite understand what "wouldn't let me back in" means here. If Zotero/Firefox crashes, you'll obvioulsy have to kill it and restart Firefox. You can open the Zotero preferences through Firefox's add-on menu, but I don't see how this would help here.

    Basically I don't have any idea what you have done and what exactly you are trying to do - please give us as precise a description of what's going on as you can and we'll most likely be able to help you.
  • jaksval
    Dan, your instructions worked - thank you.
    Adam, you don't need tear your hair out any more over this!
    Val
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