How to get data after PC crash

STS1SS
OK, ZOTZERO is great, works perfect for me, never had any problems. This is great, but also bad as it never occurred to me to be concerned about losing this data.

So I have no backups like I should.

W7 crashed due to HDD bad sector, I worked through all the other issues, and it was not until I installed firefox that I realized uh oh, what about ZOTZERO? I's the only plugin I was worried about.

Well, I have done this similarly before, crash and install firefox and just take the Mozilla folder over to the new location.

This time though I installed ZOTZERO first, then thought to go get the entire directory, not sure if that is why I am having trouble this time.

As I mentioned when this has happened before I just install firefox and grab the folders. No problem. On this go 'round I am getting a javascript error from zotzero every time firefox starts, ZotZero was empty. So today I decide to take 10 minutes and fix it.

No luck.

So what I am looking for is, is there a way to just grab the appropriate files and physically move them?

I already did this, but what happens is the folders I have show up, but the listing that is in the center pane is empty and says there is an error.

Any help is great. I know this was kinda long but I thought I'd try to get the whole story out.

Thanks,

Joe
  • fcheslack
    try here
    http://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data
  • STS1SS
    Sorry should have said I have been thru the forums and the FAQ, and there.

    What happens when I grab the folder is I get the folders in my library, but it will not display the items, I get a nondescript error.

    Thanks

    Joe
  • adamsmith
    do you have a zotero.sqlite?
    How large is it?
    What type of errors are you getting? - "nondescript" isn't going to help anyone address your problem.
    Try going to preferences and check database integrity.
  • STS1SS
    OK first I did do the report. The report ID is 1474502281. But juts now, I assumed (I know, I know) it would not be used to help ME but rather the developers, and considering this is not a "real" problem but the result of a crash I did not think it would be too helpful to them.

    Next...

    do you have a zotero.sqlite? YES
    How large is it? 1756KB
    What type of errors are you getting? - "nondescript" isn't going to help anyone address your problem. SEE BELOW...
    Try going to preferences and check database integrity. IT SAYS NO ERRORS

    The nondescript error is exactly this...

    "An error has occurred. Please restart Firefox.

    You can report this error by selecting "Report Errors..." from the Actions (gear) menu."

    I don't know, not trying to be smart-ass here, but that's pretty nondescript in my book. I suppose I should have included the exact text

    So to recap again with the exact text etc., here is what happened/happens.

    1. W7 Crash.
    2. I did a physical backup of data, not via any backup routine or menu etc. The issue with W7 was a corrupt file.
    3. I installed ZOTZERO. (it is a newer version)
    4. I went to the previous location of the files and moved it over to the new profile directory.
    5. After a pause of several seconds I get this error when I start firefox: "A script on this page may be busy, or it may have stopped responding. You can stop the script now, or you can continue to see if the script will complete.

    Script: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/translate.js:244"

    6. Once I stop the script and Firefox starts I get the above mentioned message in the center pane, I can see my folders on the left side, but nothing where i normally see the items.

    From what it looks like there is a directory for each item. I think maybe the zotzero.sqlite file might be corrupt. I don't know, but I can see all the files in each directory.

    So anyway that is all I can think of to offer as information.
  • adamsmith
    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/unresponsive_script_warning
    short version: you need to continue the script, not stop it
  • STS1SS
    Hey Adam, thanks for keeping after this. That doesn't work either. I waited for about an hour and it just sits there...
  • adamsmith
    OK - try "reset translators and styles" in the advanced tab of the Zotero preferences.

    If that doesn't work, someone else has to look into this - probably you'll be asked to provide a debug ID for the first moments after trying to start Zotero, so you might as well do that right away:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output
  • STS1SS
    OK Adam, I very much appreciate your help.

    Yesterday, for no reason I will pretend to understand, I suddenly have all my data, the folders, the links and pages and cites, all of it.

    Several test restarts and what I have is the same situation I started with EXCEPT, I now can see all my data. So this means I am left with this very very very (you get the idea) long pause on startup of firefox. Not seconds, minutes, often over 10 and sometimes it NEVER lets me cancel that script.

    So I figured OK, I will properly do the backup within ZZ and uninstall/reinstall.

    I did that last night.

    This morning I decide its time to do a fresh DL of ZZ and start over.

    When the install is done and I go to restore the backup I find all my stuff there.

    Its working.

    I have no idea, but I am happy and I thank you for your persistence.

    I share this info as it may help someone else.

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