Constant "Please Check Database" error message

Anki Help
1

I’ve had this error pop up any time I try to sync anki for the last 2 weeks now: “Please use the Check Database function, then sync again. If problems persist, please force a full sync in the preference screen.” As a result, Im forced to full sync every time and it makes using anki on my other computer or tablets inconvenient.

I know there are other similar posts, but all of them are locked and none of the solutions have been helpful. I was wondering if anyone has any advice. Fixing this would be a godsend.

2

Let’s start with –

  1. Have you run a Check Database – like the error asks?
  2. What is the full text of the error?
  3. Have you done the rest of the things on the Troubleshooting Checklist? Troubleshooting - Anki Manual
  4. What is your complete version information for the install that is giving you this error? [please paste what you get from Help > About > Copy debug info]
  5. What/how many installs do you have syncing with your AnkiWeb account? What versions of Anki are those installs using?
  6. After the Check Database, have you done a full cycle of syncs (every device, plus the 1st device again) to get your devices in sync?
2 Likes
3

Hi, sorry for the late reply.

  1. Yes, I’ve run a check database, it doesnt change anything.
  2. Full text of the error is:
    Please use the check database function, then sync again. If problems persist, please force a one-way sync in the preferences screen.
  3. Yes I have tried everything in the Troubleshooting Checklist.
  4. Version ⁨24.06.2 (33a92379)⁩
    Python 3.9.18 Qt 6.6.2 PyQt 6.6.1
  5. I have 4 devices syncing with anki, but have only been able to use one device since this issue began. They are all the above anki versions + 2 ios versions from the apple store.
  6. I just tried this and discovered that one of my computers now will not sync even with the force sync function.
4

(2) There’s nothing else in the error box? That seems to be just the what-to-do part.

(4) I was looking for your complete version information – “[please paste what you get from Help > About > Copy debug info].”

(6) Let me walk through the steps again. Please correct me where I’m wrong.

  • On this one computer, trying to sync throws an error. Check database doesn’t make the error stop. And you eventually have to force a one-way upload of your data to AnkiWeb – which does work

    • (7) But if you sync again right away after that – same problem?

  • During this period of time, you have not been syncing any of your other 4 devices, so none of them had “received” that one-way sync from the computer with the issue.

    • (8) Now, you have synced your other devices and 1 of them is doing … something other than syncing. What happens when you try to sync?

    • (9) Did the other 3 devices receive that one-way sync successfully?

5

(2) Yes, that’s all that shows in the error box.

(4) Anki 24.06.2 (33a92379) (ao)
Python 3.9.18 Qt 6.6.2 PyQt 6.6.1
Platform: macOS-14.4.1-arm64-arm-64bit

===Add-ons (active)===
(add-on provided name [Add-on folder, installed at, version, is config changed])
AMBOSS add-on [‘0amboss_addon’, 2023-11-13T10:01, ‘None’, mod]
Advanced Browser [‘874215009’, 2023-07-01T12:55, ‘None’, ‘’]
AnKing Note Types Easy Customization [‘952691989’, 2023-05-31T08:30, ‘None’, mod]
Batch Editing [‘291119185’, 2019-06-02T11:47, ‘None’, ‘’]
BetterSearch [‘1052724801’, 2023-06-15T13:44, ‘None’, ‘’]
Calculate New Cards To Do [‘2014569756’, 2022-05-18T22:38, ‘None’, mod]
Clickable Tags v20 [‘1739176371’, 2022-01-30T15:58, ‘None’, ‘’]
Colorful Tags Hierarchical Tags [‘594329229’, 2022-09-15T08:06, ‘None’, ‘’]
Custom Background Image and Gear Icon [‘1210908941’, 2023-04-18T18:19, ‘None’, mod]
Delay siblings [‘1369579727’, 2022-06-03T16:05, ‘None’, mod]
Extended Tag AddEdit Dialog [‘1135507717’, 2023-06-04T12:24, ‘None’, mod]
High Yield Tags [‘1918380616’, 2023-01-10T12:14, ‘None’, ‘’]
Hint Hotkeys [‘1844908621’, 2023-04-14T07:13, ‘None’, ‘’]
Image Editor [‘307397307’, 2022-09-07T21:09, ‘None’, ‘’]
Mini Format Pack [‘295889520’, 2018-07-24T10:45, ‘None’, ‘’]
New Cards Counter [‘635082046’, 2022-04-20T13:37, ‘None’, ‘’]
No Distractions Full Screen [‘5049862214’, 0, ‘v4.1.8’, mod]
Opening the same window multiple time [‘354407385’, 2023-11-04T18:59, ‘None’, ‘’]
Review Heatmap [‘1771074083’, 2022-06-29T18:43, ‘None’, ‘’]
Special Fields [‘1102281552’, 2022-11-21T18:49, ‘None’, ‘’]
Speed Focus Mode auto-alert auto-reveal auto-answer [‘1046608507’, 2022-12-16T04:24, ‘None’, ‘’]
Straight Reward [‘957961234’, 2023-11-01T07:11, ‘None’, ‘’]
The KING of Study Timers [‘907028815’, 2022-04-20T11:14, ‘None’, mod]
True Retention [‘613684242’, 2017-11-19T13:43, ‘None’, ‘’]
Weekends and Holidays [‘1992008104’, 2022-12-19T18:24, ‘None’, mod]
link Cards Notes and Preview them in extra window [‘1423933177’, 2023-03-19T11:33, ‘None’, ‘’]
uworld_qid_to_anki_search [‘607963104’, 2023-01-02T09:39, ‘None’, mod]

===IDs of active AnkiWeb add-ons===
1046608507 1052724801 1102281552 1135507717 1210908941 1369579727 1423933177 1739176371 1771074083 1844908621 1918380616 1992008104 2014569756 291119185 295889520 307397307 354407385 5049862214 594329229 607963104 613684242 635082046 874215009 907028815 952691989 957961234

===Add-ons (inactive)===
(add-on provided name [Add-on folder, installed at, version, is config changed])
Anki-redesign [‘308574457’, 2023-02-04T11:43, ‘None’, ‘’]
AnkiHub [‘1322529746’, 2023-10-10T04:54, ‘None’, ‘’]
Image Occlusion Enhanced [‘1374772155’, 2022-04-09T00:15, ‘None’, ‘’]
Symbols As You Type [‘2040501954’, 2024-01-04T19:33, ‘None’, ‘’]

(6) Correct!

(7) If i sync again right after the forced one-way upload, I have the same problem & error message.

Actually, I have been syncing between all devices periodically but then decided to just stick to one device recently to keep things straightforward.

(8) The one device that is acting up (also a mac): forced sync does not seem to work on this device. I selected “download from ankiweb” but after some buffering is gives me the same error message “Please use the Check Database function, then [etc]”

(9) The other three devices synced successfully.

6

(4) I’m glad I pressed about the version info. You’d said you did everything on the Troubleshooting Checklist, but do you still have this problem with all of your add-ons disabled?

You’ve got several add-ons that haven’t been updated in years. I can’t guarantee that they are the cause of this – but they could easily be a factor. You should disable or delete the add-ons that aren’t compatible – probably a lot of them aren’t even necessary anymore. If they are things you need, there may be newer versions out there that work with recent versions of Anki.

Just know that if you’re able to get your database healthy again, keeping all of these around might just be a ticking timebomb until these issues start again. If you can’t adjust to that, your next best option would be to roll-back to an earlier version of Anki so you can continue using them.

(9) Since you have been able to force 3 of your devices to sync, that means all 3 of them and AnkiWeb have a completely updated version of your collection, right? I think you should –

  • Disable all of your add-ons (1-by-1 or otherwise start Anki while holding down Shift until you see the confirmation message – and do that every time you start until you’re clear of this issue).
  • Create a brand new profile on this computer, and sync it to AnkiWeb – downloading from AnkiWeb.
  • If that works, I think you should do the same on your other Mac.
  • Once you’ve got fresh profiles up-and-running on both of those systems, you can delete the old profiles.

If that doesn’t work, something more drastic might be necessary.

7

If this problem is still continuing, does disabling syncing of media change whether the error occurs or not?

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