FAQ: Troubleshooting 101 - Installation and Data File Problems (Quicken for Windows)
1) Let's start with some "Troubleshooting 101" to ensure the Quicken software is installed and updated properly.
What is the exact release number for your version of Quicken?
If clicking on Help / About Quicken does not show one of the following you are missing required software updates:
Quicken US version:
- 2017 ... support terminated as of 4/30/2020. See the Quicken Discontinuation Policy
https://www.quicken.com/support/quicken-discontinuation-policy
- 2018 - 2021 Subscription version ... Release R 27.1.37.67 *,
https://www.quicken.com/support/update-and-mondo-patch-20182019-release-quicken-windows-subscription-product
Quicken Canada version:
- 2017 - 2021 Subscription version ... Release R 27.1.33.7 *,
https://www.quicken.com/support/update-and-mondo-patch-20182019-release-quicken-windows-subscription-product
( * minimum required release number, may be higher, subject to change without notice)
Please do this even if you are on the latest release already:
Locate the US or Canada Mondo Patch file applicable to your version of Quicken in the links above.
Download it and save it to disk.
Open the Downloads folder. Right-click the downloaded patch file. Click "Run as Administrator" to execute the installation program.
This will replace all Quicken software modules with a known consistent release level and, hopefully, eliminate any software corruption or errors during installation as a cause of this issue.
Reboot Windows when done with the above and try Quicken again.
2) Validate
Validate your Quicken data file. It may have become damaged over time or if you ever had crashes, hang-ups or loops while running Quicken. Repeated crashes may eventually render a data file broken beyond the repair capabilities built into Quicken.
Even if you have run one or more of these steps before, please run this exact procedure, skipping no steps:
- Make a copy of your data file: Click File / File Operations / Copy. Do not change any Copy Option settings. Save file under a new name in same folder as current Quicken data file. (The Copy process appears to be performing a record-by-record copy of the data file and not just a simple binary image copy. This has been reported as recovering some otherwise not repairable files)
- If Quicken reports an error creating the Copy file ("File not copied") and you are using Q 2019+ repeat the Copy process, but this time press and hold SHIFT and CTRL while you click File / File Operations / Copy. When prompted "Ignore errors that prevent file copy?" click "Yes". Note: This may cause some data loss.
- Open the copied file in Quicken.
- Click File / File Operations / Validate and Repair. Click "Validate File" and "Rebuild investing lots", check to make sure the copied file is being validated. If you suspect that a damaged Quotes Price History causes your problems, also select "Correct investing price history" functions "Delete" or "Repair and Rebuild". Click OK. Let it run.
- Fix any errors logged as not repaired by Quicken.
- Click File / File Operations. Press and hold SHIFT+CTRL as you click Validate and Repair. The next popup should show "Supervalidate" somewhere in header or text. Click "Supervalidate File", check to make sure the copied file is being validated, click OK. Let it run. It might run for a while.
- Again fix any errors logged as not repaired by Quicken.
- Now close and restart Quicken using this copied and repaired file and try your failing action again. If it works, keep using the new file and abandon the old one.
- If that does not resolve the issue, restore your Quicken data file from a Manual or Automatic Backup taken prior to the problem first occurring, if necessary going back to older backups until you find a file that does not exhibit these symptoms.
https://www.quicken.com/support/how-backup-or-restore-your-quicken-data