R26.23 Quicken loses View/Account Bar and Edit/Preference settings upon restart

sbrasel12

Each time I start Quicken I have to restore these settings that were set by default on Q2017:
- View/Account Bar: Docked and on right
- Edit/Preferences/Downloaded Transactions: Un-check Automatically add to register
Some settings, such as the register font, are successfully retained after a restart.

Frankx

Hi @sbrasel12,

Can you tell us what version and build of Windows you are running?

Did this just start happening, or has this been the case since you last updated Quicken?

Frankx

sbrasel12

Frankx,
This has been the case ever since I upgraded from Q2017 to Q2020 a few months ago. Windows 10, version 1903, build 18362.900.
Sam

UKR

1) Check if Windows Defender feature Ransomware protection is enabled.
If so, configure it to add Quicken as an "allowed app" without turning off Ransomware protection:
https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7857675/faq-windows-defender-controlled-folder-access

2) Please verify this:
In Windows Control Panel / System / Advanced System Settings / Environment Variables ensure that both the TEMP and TMP variables point to a valid and existing folder, typically C:\Windows\Temp or  C:\Users\your_username_here\AppData\Local\Temp

If they point to an incorrect or non-existent folder or drive change both variables to an existing folder on C:\ (or create one) and reboot Windows.

If the folder exists … does your Windows User Account have proper access rights to this folder?
If Quicken cannot create and use temporary files, all sorts of malfunctions will occur.
If the Temp folder is full of junk, clean it out. Delete all files and subfolders within the Temp folder structure that Windows allows you to delete. You may have to skip a few that are actively in use.

Make sure that files in the Temp folder are NOT accessed by cloud backup software at all.

Run CHKDSK /r on your C: - drive (or perform Error Checking from Windows File Explorer, Properties, Tools tab).

sbrasel12

UKR, thank you for the advice.
1) Ransomware section did not show up so I Windows-searched on it and launched it. Says something "not permitted by system administrator" even though this is a vanilla installation of Win10 Home on personal equipment. Antivirus is AVG Free.
2) The same folder is pointed to by TMP and TEMP variables existed. Cleaned it out.
3) WFE / Tools / Scan disk came out clean.

Rebooted. Launched Quicken, changed settings, restarted it. Settings again lost.
Sam

Frankx

Hi again sbrasel12,

Based on what you've told us, I suggest that you contact Quicken Support tomorrow or another day this week.  Here's the link - https://www.quicken.com/support#windows

Also, while it likely won't fix your problems, you might want to update to the latest version of Windows 10.

Good luck!

Frankx

Chris_QPW

Yesterday I was going to post to look for things that affect the directories where the user settings for Quicken are stored, but I stopped myself because I did some testing and found that the setting for if the Account bar is on the right or the left is actually stored in the data file, not external config files.  Interesting enough the width of the Account bar is stored in an external config file.

The same goes for the automatic transaction entry mode.

So that means you are looking for things that are directly affecting Quicken updating the Quicken data file correctly.

Things that come to mind after thinking about are:

1. Is the data file stored in a place where another program might mess with it like any of the "Cloud folders"?
2. Is there any program like a anti-virus or backup program that might be trying to get access to it when Quicken is closing?  Note that Windows 10's Defender doesn't cause problems.
3. Possible data corruption.  Run File -> File Operations -> Validate & Repair -> select Validate File -> OK.  Test for the problem.  If you still have it try File -> File Operations -> Copy... select defaults (you can change the name of the file if you like) open the copy and test it.

sbrasel12

Validate File found many problems with old accounts, but the symptoms persist. No known apps or cloud issues causing interference. I will contact Quicken support.

Chris_QPW

One last thought.  Test in a new data file.  If the new data file does the same thing then maybe one or more the Quicken program files has been corrupted.  In that case try this procedure to get a clean uninstall and then reinstall (do use the second method that gets the folder out of the way, I personally just delete them).
Using QcleanUI to Fix Installation Issues with Quicken for Windows

sbrasel12

Created a new QDF file. With this file, Quicken behaves as expected. In fact, the file came up with the same default settings of the three parameters at issue that Quicken has always used. So Quicken-subscription is reacting to the file it inherited from Q2017 by not only ignoring any changes made to the three parameters at issue during each restart, but also jamming in the opposite of the default values of the parameters.

sbrasel12

Quicken Support tried a few things, including an Easter Egg that will copy a file, errors and all (the copy did not complete). No luck. The Q2020 conversion process corrupted the file. Living with this very minor inconvenience is a small price to pay given that the file at issue contains 20+ years of transactions.

Frankx

@sbrasel12,

Very sorry to hear that.  When did you last backup?

Frankx

sbrasel12

The problematic conversion occurred 3 months ago. The cost of going to a backup that old exceeds the benefit of clearing the problem symptom (and it is not known whether converting from a slightly older file would not also result in the same corruption).

sbrasel12

Yet more problems cropped up with this file, where I was unable to download transactions to the majority of accounts. So I've learned that simply starting a new QDF file is not so problematic after all, especially if doing so fixes a host of file-related problems. And it gives one a fresh start on the category setup, one that is more in keeping with my present lifestyle than what I set up 18 years ago.