Two Computers But One Won't Update. Help Please.

genedoyleky

Quicken 2020 updates fine on my computer, but will not update on my wife's computer. Updates show when the app is opened, it downloads the update, but when I press the button to install it shows only a "There was an error, but will install the next time you open Quicken." But that does not happen. Both computers use the same User Name Email and Password. I called Quicken Support and the only answer they could give me was to uninstall the entire app and reinstall it. When I do an uninstall and reinstall, it will update, but only once. Updates a few weeks or months later still will not install. Help please!

lhossus

Given the error in the screenshot, a solution might be to transfer a copy of the successfully installed update from your computer to your wife's. I suggest doing the transfer by a) In the Applications folder, right click on the Quicken app and Compress the app; b) move the .Zip compressed file to the Applications folder of your wife's computer; c) double click on the .Zip file.

But this leaves the question as to why you are seeing this problem in the first place. Some possibilities and some ideas on how to investigate:
- there is a "significant" difference in the two computers that makes the one computer fail. Any thoughts on what might be different?
- perhaps there is a permissions problem. Attaching a screenshot of the Get Info of both the Quicken app and the Updater file might be revealing. - BUT I don't know how you might get the Updater file.
- perhaps comparing the Get Info information of the Quicken app between the two computers will be informative.
- perhaps running the Console app while doing the update will reveal a more detailed error message than just "an error occurred". Or maybe there is a detailed error message in the Quicken logs.

Greg_the_Geek

Does the Windows username on your wife's computer have a space in the name?

genedoyleky

No. I am using Macs. I do not have PC's. (By the way, I thought I was posting to a "Quicken for Mac" forum.)

Greg_the_Geek

My bad, I missed that it was a Mac problem.

lhossus

1) Please post a screenshot of the error message.

2) Where is Quicken installed on your wife's computer?

3) You could try dragging the Quicken app to the Desktop and running the install from there. Then drag Quicken back to the Applications folder.

genedoyleky

Ihossus—(1) Here is the screenshot (attached)—(2) Quicken is installed in her Applications folder (everything was installed using the standard Quicken installer)—(3) I will try your suggestion on your reply and get back to you if dragging the Quicken app to the desktop is successful or not.

genedoyleky

Ihossus—Moving the application to the desktop did not work. Also I forgot to attach the screenshot, so here it is ...

Edit: the screenshot shows the following alert:

Update Error! 

An error occurred while extracting the archive. Please try again later.

[Cancel Update]

lhossus

Given the error in the screenshot, a solution might be to transfer a copy of the successfully installed update from your computer to your wife's. I suggest doing the transfer by a) In the Applications folder, right click on the Quicken app and Compress the app; b) move the .Zip compressed file to the Applications folder of your wife's computer; c) double click on the .Zip file.

But this leaves the question as to why you are seeing this problem in the first place. Some possibilities and some ideas on how to investigate:
- there is a "significant" difference in the two computers that makes the one computer fail. Any thoughts on what might be different?
- perhaps there is a permissions problem. Attaching a screenshot of the Get Info of both the Quicken app and the Updater file might be revealing. - BUT I don't know how you might get the Updater file.
- perhaps comparing the Get Info information of the Quicken app between the two computers will be informative.
- perhaps running the Console app while doing the update will reveal a more detailed error message than just "an error occurred". Or maybe there is a detailed error message in the Quicken logs.

jacobs

@genedoyleky  This is an issue that surfaces every now and then which I don't think is your issue, but is worth checking…

Open your Applications folder. Sort by Date Added. Press Command+Shift+Period. (That command makes macOS temporarily show invisible files and folders.) Is there a hidden folder called Background, with a hidden file named background.png? If so, this is known to prevent Quicken from installing; discard it/them in the Trash. Press Command+Shift+Period again to toggle off showing invisible files. Now run the installer again; any change?

genedoyleky

Ihossus and Jacobs — Thanks for the suggestions. I will try them tomorrow and see if one or more works.

genedoyleky

Ihossus—Okay, your first suggestion worked (compress my app then open and install on my wife's computer. Regarding significant differences between the two computers, there was only one—my wifes computer security settings show her computer is encrypted in file vault, whereas mine is not. All other preferences in the info pane are the same.

Jacob—I tried your suggestion following your directions , but apparently I am not doing it correctly because when I went to Applications/Sort by Date Added/and pressed Shift+Command+Period, I got no results. Any additional thoughts? Did I do it correctly?

jacobs

@genedoyleky If the Command+Shift+Period trick didn't reveal any hidden files, then it means the hidden background file is not the source of your problem.

If you want to see the effect of the Command+Shift+Period, just go up one level to the root level of your hard drive -- you'll see lots of hidden files (in gray, with filenames starting with a period). then press Command+Shift+Period again and watch them disappear. 

genedoyleky

Thank you, jacobs—I did that and found what you were talking about. I have been using Macs exclusively since 1993 but I have never learned to go beyond simple tech skills, not into things like hidden files, using terminal, etc. Thanks again.

jacobs

Well, the beauty of the Mac is that there's usually no reason to wade into tech-laden stuff like hidden files or command line. But sometimes something goes wrong, and it's nice to know there are ways to go behind the curtain to get an issue resolved.