Zotero 7.0.19 not opening

dstillman Zotero Team
edited June 30, 2025
This discussion was created from comments split from: Zotero not starting after update to 7.0.16/7.0.18 on Windows/Linux.
  • ryanpienaar
    The program still wont open for me after installing 7.0.19
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    Can you say more?

    What OS?

    When did it stop opening?

    What exactly happens when you try to start it?
  • ryanpienaar
    Im on windows 11, hasn't been working for about 2 weeks and nothing happens when I try open it, no error message or anything just nothing happens. I have deleted everything and reinstalled and restarted
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    Two weeks or possibly less than two weeks? There was an issue for some people starting in 7.0.16, which came out on June 21st.

    Is this an institutional computer?
  • ryanpienaar
    It mightve been then, and yes it is
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    If you go to C:\ProgramData\Zotero\updates and sort by date modified, what's the date of the most recent folder?

    If it's on or after 6/21, can you zip that folder and either send the ZIP file to us at support@zotero.org (if it's under 20 MB or so) or upload it somewhere (e.g., Google Drive) and send a link, with a link to this thread?

    You can then delete the folder and see if Zotero starts up. But please do make a zip first so that we're able to see what's happening.
  • ryanpienaar
    When I open up program data there is no zotero file. I have redownloaded version 6 now and thats working
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    You're saying if you go to C:\ProgramData (not Program Files) there's no "Zotero" folder?
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited June 30, 2025
    Do you know if you installed Zotero with or without admin privileges?
  • ryanpienaar
    edited June 30, 2025
    Yes, there is a zotero folder in Program Files but not in ProgramData, and yes I installed as an admin
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited June 30, 2025
    Well, wait, have you used Zotero 7 on this computer before? Or were you using Zotero 6 previously?

    It shouldn't be possible to not have C:\ProgramData\Zotero if you've been using Zotero 7.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    Is your institution using third-party security software (e.g., from Cisco)?
  • ryanpienaar
    Its a new device, I installed Zotero 7 and it worked the first time about 3 weeks ago but sometime after that it stopped working. Yes we are using Cisco
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited June 30, 2025
    Oh, then this is likely Cisco blocking Zotero 7 from starting. There was an issue with that through earlier this year. It should be resolved, but it's possible Cisco is again blocking newer versions, or your IT department could have made some change. We haven't received any other reports of this, though.

    You could try installing Zotero 7.0.15 to see if that works, but if you don't have anything in C:\ProgramData\Zotero, Zotero was never updated from the initial version that you installed.
  • ryanpienaar
    7.0.15 also doesnt work, I'll be good stick with Zotero 6 because that works fine
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    You should talk to your IT department, point them to this comment, and ask them to make sure they're running the latest version of the Cisco software.

    Zotero 7 is a massive improvement over Zotero 6, we don't provide support for Zotero 6 anymore, and Zotero 6 will stop working in various ways over time.
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