Can I continue using Quicken 2016 without upgrading?

gwedemeyer

I have Quicken 2016 Deluxe and it works fine. I have been denied online services but don't mind. I have put up with prompts to logon when scanning receipts into transactions. I learned that the error message I receive when opening the program will go away the 2nd time I click on the icon. Today while using program I get a prompt to upgrade and I cannot access the account bar.
I know that Quicken is trying to make it difficult for me to continue using 2016, and it is irritating, but is there any way around this latest obstacle?

garysmith87

I would try one, albeit annoying, thing.

Quit Quicken.  Shut down your PC.  Restart your PC.  Turn off your internet connection completely.  Then start Quicken 2016 again and see if that works for you.  

Quicken's DATA GUARANTEE, where they say you can access your data in whatever Quicken product you're using, isn't worth a hill of beans anymore.  

Somehow Quicken's servers are blocking old users.  It's a new problem...and personally, it's not right.  It goes against Quicken's own terms of service.  

Also, as an aside, I wouldn't try to scan any attachment directly from Quicken.  How about scanning outside of Quicken, saving the file to your desktop and then attaching the file to the Quicken transaction that way? 

gwedemeyer

I found that Ctrl + A will bring up the account list from which I can click on the account name. Not as convenient as having it in a sidebar, but still workable.
Also I found that although I cannot get rid of the upgrade screen, the account list is out of view down lower on the page.

Chris_QPW

garysmith87 said:

Somehow Quicken's servers are blocking old users.  It's a new problem...and personally, it's not right.  It goes against Quicken's own terms of service.  

This has always been possible in my opinion.  As soon as they started requiring the Quicken Id they had least control over you reinstalling.  It isn't much of a stretch to think that the control might extend past that at any time.  But frankly I believe that these problems aren't intentional.

As they change how Quicken interacts with the Quicken server (Quicken cloud dataset) I doubt they are thinking much about making sure that the old ways that Quicken 2016/2017 are connecting keep working.  They aren't even thinking much about keeping Quicken Subscription with a lapsed subscription being able to be reinstalled.  The current article assumes that one can download the current version and install it and then apply an old patch to go back to the version you are using before your subscription lapsed.  Reverse patching like this isn't really supported by the install, it mostly works, but if you have to go back past some major change it can fail to work.  So, one has to keep a copy of the install as it was before their subscription lapsed.  So that they can do a "forward patching".

@gwedemeyer try running Quicken with your network disabled.  With Quicken not being able to contact the Quicken server it should go into "offline mode" and hopefully not give you all these problems.  But note the first install always has to be done connected to the Internet because you have to log into a Quicken Id.

UKR

Are you saying the Account Bar is closed?
In the (usually blue) menu bar of tabs is there the word "Accounts" preceded by a triangle?
If the triangle is similar to ">", click the triangle to reopen the Account Bar.

garysmith87

Chris...

The issue here with this post is that this user didn't re-install the software.  He's using the same Quicken Deluxe 2016 he's used for years without re-installing it on a new PC.  At least there's no indication of that occurring. 

So, something changed on Quicken's servers where they are now blocking functionality in older versions...which is specifically AGAINST Quicken's Data Access Guarantee...where you'll always have access to your data (in manual mode) regardless of which version of Quicken you're using.

In this case, Quicken isn't making good on that promise...as he can't even access the Account Bar.  There's limiting access...and then there's crippling access.  This latest action for many users (new install of old software and just current old software users) is crippling access.  

Not cool.  

gwedemeyer

Tried starting Quicken Deluxe 2016 without internet connected. I got one window to logon to my account but when I closed it the screen showed up as it always had with the account bar docked on the left side of the screen. I backed it up and exited then reconnected the internet and the program started with the usual screen prompting me to log on to my account. I closed that window and the program started with screen showing warning "Attention! Important upgrade required for Online Bills", but account bar was restored docked along left side.
I guess problem solved for now.

Chris_QPW

garysmith87 said:

Chris...

The issue here with this post is that this user didn't re-install the software.  He's using the same Quicken Deluxe 2016 he's used for years without re-installing it on a new PC.  At least there's no indication of that occurring. 

So, something changed on Quicken's servers where they are now blocking functionality in older versions...which is specifically AGAINST Quicken's Data Access Guarantee...where you'll always have access to your data (in manual mode) regardless of which version of Quicken you're using.

In this case, Quicken isn't making good on that promise...as he can't even access the Account Bar.  There's limiting access...and then there's crippling access.  This latest action for many users (new install of old software and just current old software users) is crippling access.  

Not cool.  

Yes, I understood the situation.  I only added the part about re-installing and what happens with a lapsed subscription as "additional information".

The point is that I believe that Quicken Inc wants to make good on their promise, but only up to a point.
Or one might state it as "they under estimated the complications that might arise in the future".

When something like this fails there are two possibilities.

1. Purposely changing something to block the users.
2. They make changes for the current product without realizing that they are crippling the past products.

I don't believe any of this is caused by #1.

Quicken 2013 is the last version of Quicken that didn't have a Quicken Id.

One has been told that from Quicken 2014 to 2017, the Quicken Id is only used for registering the product, which has to be done to use it on the first run after installing on a new machine.

But one has to consider where this information came from.  It came from guesses by SuperUsers and statements maybe by the Moderators, it didn't come directly from the developers.  Neither has direct access to the code to study exactly what information is being exchanged at any time.

All the public announcements to the users seem to assume that there isn't any interaction after the registration, but that is clearly not the case.  It seems to be more a "hope" that is how it will work out than anything else.

I notice that @mshiggins' policy is to run Quicken 2017 in "airplane mode" (which basically disables the network) and has reported that she has no problems.

Yes, I definitely believe that Quicken Inc is making lots changes to their servers all the time.  And just like where the financial institutions make changes to their websites and Express Web Connect starts failing, it isn't intentional, but it is also something that they aren't going to actively looking for and fixing either.