How to generate a QIF file for v 2004/2013 with large data set?

boardtc

I have quicken data going back 20 years, about 12GB. I do not use any banking features and have generally been very happy using Quicken 2004. For the last couple of years, the performance of the software with my dataset has been annoying with it pausing while moving between things. So I have started considering upgrading (if there was an option without all the banking bells and whistles) / alternatives.

First of all, I want a .QIF file since it is more portable than the QDF file. But the export for QIF in Quicken 2004 hangs for me and I have to restart Quicken every time.

From https://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken I downloaded Quicken 2013 and it upgraded 2004 fine. My data opened ok but when I went to do a .qif export 2013 also hung :-(

When I was not able to find my list of scheduled transactions in 2013, and with them not mentioned in the help, I decided to uninstall and reinstall 2004. After using https://www.quicken.com/support/using-qcleanui-uninstall-quicken and trying uninstalls/reinstalls multiple times, 2004 will now not reinstall:

Quicken 2004 Installation
INSTALLATION ERROR
Quicken is unable to find one or more essential Files. You must uninstall Quicken then install Quicken again to continue.

I have the data in 2004 and 2013 forms.

Was the QIF export code worked on in later versions to work for larger datasets?

Any advice please on how I can get a qif file generated?

UKR

May I ask why you are still trying to create QIF files after converting your data file to Q 2013? It appears to me that you have reached your goal: get off Q 2004.

Now, if your Q 2013-converted data file still appears too big, due to too many years of transactions in it, carefully and after creating one or more offline (external USB device) backups, try a Year End Copy or a File Operations/Copy with a transaction cutoff date specified. Just remember: Once your data file has been split in two, there's no program available to intelligently combine the two pieces back into one.

Chris_QPW

First off there is no way that your data files are 12GB unless that is mostly attachments, and even then, that would be doubtful.  I would look again and see what the true size is.  Note that a QIF export doesn't include attachments, so that shouldn't the reason it hangs up.

If your data file really is really 12 GB in size and has no attachments, I would say it is wildly corrupted, and probably the reason you can't export a QIF file.
The first thing I would do is run Validate and Repair on it and see if finds and fixes the problem.

And note I wouldn't expect the performance to go up given newer versions of Quicken, maybe even a little bit of the opposite.  If you are having performance problems, then it is most likely something in the data file or the program itself getting corrupted.  If it is the program, sure reinstalling any version might fix that.

And you haven't said where exactly the performance problems are.  Year end copy does nothing for investment transactions, which where most people have performance problems for a lot of data.  And the non investment accounts have very little problem with large amounts of transactions.

And no, the newer versions of Quicken haven't change the QIF export/import in the way you are hoping.  They are more trying to get rid of it, not enhance it.  In Quicken Subscription they have removed all processing of QIF imports, transactions go directly into the register without any processing.

As for the uninstall/reinstall, Quicken can get hung up on the install if the last version of Quicken hasn't been cleaned out properly.  The usual fix is to use the QCleanUI procedure given here:
Using QcleanUI to Fix Installation Issues with Quicken for Windows

But note that folders they tell you to rename are listed as "Quicken", whereas the versions of Quicken that were created by Intuit would have Intuit instead.  Note you can just delete the folders instead of renaming them.

EDIT:  If you have TurboTax installed be careful not to delete any Intuit folder that is used by it.

boardtc

Thanks for engaging. Since you did I've had a rollercoaster of an experience.

TL;DR; I did not expect to say this but you are 100% right I have now reached my goal :) Very happy I am.

But I wasn't when you wrote! I was panicking. Your engagement inspired me to reinstall 2013, which I had not done. I had rashly dismissed and uninstalled it after not seeing the scheduled transactions and deciding it was not performant. But it was installed straight away and there was no issue. Another thing I did not mention was there were loads of overdue transactions starting from last July. They were back too when I reinstalled and I slowly came to the horrifying realisation that I had no data after 22 July 2021. My files were all saved in google drive (which is now streaming) and I did an additional zip backlog before conversion yesterday. I had such a sinking feeling. I went through my google drive in the browser and looked at the file history and nothing newer than 22 July 2021, it made no sense.

I was sure I had lost all since then, no chance back. Then I remembered I had another google drive linked machine which was offline, I brought it up still offline and it showed the same file dates! So my other machine that had before Quicken 2013 upgrade had the latest data was not using that file! I did not allow hope.

On the command line I ran a dir *.qdf /S from c: and couldn't believe it when it found a .qdf in My Documents and 4 backups from the last 4 weeks. 2013 converted this and it's 100% updated. Then right there the last icon on the toolbar was scheduled transactions!!

It output a qif file straight away too! But Quicken 2013 is performing where 2004 wasn't, so I'm happy!!! Very Happy.

Also, I apologise I got confused as I am working with my TB data now which is 12GB, my QFB is only 100MB and in 2013 it's now under 50MB.

boardtc

Thanks, @Chris_QPW, I just saw your post now. All is working for me!
I saw this Quicken online backup tool on my start menu and went to uninstall it and I just noticed in add/remove programs that Quicken 2004 is listed too:
Screenshot: https://snipboard.io/b7jIo5.jpg
I don't like this on my machine but don;t want to mess wiht a working 2013 either. What do you advise?

boardtc

I always used the same folder d:\applications\quicken to install each version so an uninstall was making me nervous.
I removed it manually after reading https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/removing-invalid-entries-in-the-add-remove-programs-tool-0dae27c1-0b06-2559-311b-635cd532a6d5
The key I deleted was Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\InstallShield_{54DE0B75-6CD9-44C4-B10A-1F25DA9899D8}
Now Quicken 2004 does not show in add\remove programs.

Chris_QPW

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