How do I view old transactions from 10+ years of year-end backups?

JCPrius

I have been using Quicken since the 1990s and have year-end backups made when closing out the last year (a function that the program suggested) but I haven't been able to access them. I believe the error message said something like they were unreadable as they were created with an older version of the program. Well if that is true, what is the sense of suggesting those backups be made? How good are backups if you can't read them? I want a reliable way to archive my data that enables me to go back to previous years' transactions when I have a question. That seems fair enough.

UKR

What "older version of the program" have these year-end backup or archive files last been used with?

If it's Quicken for Windows 2010 or newer and you are now using Q 2019, there should be no problems opening them.
If the files are on CD, a networked drive or a cloud backup server copy them to your \Documents\Quicken folder first, then open them.
For files last used with Q 2009 or older please follow these instructions about file conversion:
http://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken

I recommend you use a different computer than the one with Q 2019 installed to perform the conversion steps. Installing one of the intermediate versions uninstalls any currently installed version of Quicken. You do not want to mess up your currently installed Q 2019 environment.

UKR

What "older version of the program" have these year-end backup or archive files last been used with?

If it's Quicken for Windows 2010 or newer and you are now using Q 2019, there should be no problems opening them.
If the files are on CD, a networked drive or a cloud backup server copy them to your \Documents\Quicken folder first, then open them.
For files last used with Q 2009 or older please follow these instructions about file conversion:
http://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken

I recommend you use a different computer than the one with Q 2019 installed to perform the conversion steps. Installing one of the intermediate versions uninstalls any currently installed version of Quicken. You do not want to mess up your currently installed Q 2019 environment.

Ps56k2

Guessing you used this screen....

What did you select for the various "options" ?

volvogirl

That's one reason we recommend not archiving old years or breaking them up.  Each time you upgrade you have to remember to also convert each file.