Requiring password to restore back up -- I didn't create a password

cyclones08

I opened Quicken on my computer and it ran an update which I approved. When it completed and I opened Quicken it asked to restore from a backup file. It must have been a significant update because the view of the program changed from when I had used it last. I never was asked to create a password for the file. I tried my quicken password and that didn't work. I reset my quicken password and tried that and it still didn't work. I tried the forget password link and the link didn't work. I just bought a new computer and needed to move all my data to the new computer so I moved my back up file and tried to use it to restore and start on my new computer and the same thing occurred. How do I fix this?

Quicken Deluxe
Version R39.23
Build 27.1.39.23
Windows 10 Home

tabloidtrisha

I'm just going to guess here. For the past several years a username and password have been required in Quicken. Having said that, I wonder if you have to buy another subscription because you are using a new computer. My experience with most software licenses are only good for one operating system. I could be wrong about this situation. Probably best to go to Help>Report a Problem within Quicken. There is also a phone number in that interface to contact Customer Support. BTW your login to Quicken might be the same as your username and password to log into Quicken.com. Your vault password may be different.

mshiggins

@cyclones08
A new subscription is not required to run Quicken on a new computer.

The problem where the sudden appearance of a data file password in a file that previously had no password has started occurring more frequently since September 2021.  The standard fix for the sudden appearance of a data file password is to restore successively older backups until you find a backup that does not require a password. 

Here is a link to an earlier discussion of the issue with details on finding a good backup. 

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20200728/#Comment_20200728

cyclones08

I haven't backed up in a long time. I will lose years and years of data if I can't use this one. My program used to ask if I wanted to back up fairly often when I would close the program and it hasn't done that recently I've forgotten to do it. I need this one I have to work.

Roger Miller

@cyclones08

You can configure Quicken to perform an automatic backup after each session, from the Edit >> Preferences menu, as shown below:

The default folder to store backups is Documents\Quicken\Backup.

You can set a reminder to perform a manual backup by checking the "Manual Backup Reminder" box, as shown above.

Also, Quicken should save a backup of your data file each time you update the program to a new version.

So, there is no really good excuse to not have frequent backups of your data file. This is critical.

UKR

cyclones08 said:

I haven't backed up in a long time. I will lose years and years of data if I can't use this one. My program used to ask if I wanted to back up fairly often when I would close the program and it hasn't done that recently I've forgotten to do it. I need this one I have to work.

Unless overridden by the user, by installation default, Automatic Backups are enabled and occur every 3 (5?) usage sessions.
In addition, while installing a Quicken software update when prompted to do so while running Quicken, an Automatic Backup will be created.
If you haven't done so already, look in the Backup folder. You might find a recent backup there which you can restore.

Jay123

Just got off the phone with support for an hour. I had same thing happen twice. first time they made me restore from an earlier backup and lost months of work, got it all updated thru 4/1/22. did a back up and went in today and both the file and the backup want a password. Support tier 2 could not repair. It is a known Quicken issue per tier 1 support. They don't know what is causing it. They said start a file from scratch. I will let the lRS know that that if they can unlock they can have the previous data. LOL

UKR

Jay123 said:

Just got off the phone with support for an hour. I had same thing happen twice. first time they made me restore from an earlier backup and lost months of work, got it all updated thru 4/1/22. did a back up and went in today and both the file and the backup want a password. Support tier 2 could not repair. It is a known Quicken issue per tier 1 support. They don't know what is causing it. They said start a file from scratch. I will let the lRS know that that if they can unlock they can have the previous data. LOL

And when it happened for the first time, you didn't set up your backup settings in Quicken to help protect you from data loss? Unfortunately, bad things happen ...

I recommend you review your backup settings in Quicken to ensure that you create a backup every single time you close Quicken. That minimizes the number of lost changes since the last backup, should you have to restore your data file again.

How to properly set up Quicken Backup
How to make Quicken create a backup for you automatically every time you close Quicken
What Quicken backups are available where?

For the sake of this discussion it is assumed that your Quicken data file is located in the Default (and recommended) place: C:\Users\username\Documents\Quicken

Review the backup settings available in Quicken (under Edit / Preferences / Backup).

In there you will find two types of backup: Automatic and Manual Backup.

Automatic Backup should be enabled and by default goes to a \Backup folder that's part of the folder which contains your current Quicken data file, e.g. \Documents\Quicken\Backup. Set it to create a backup after running Quicken [1] times and to keep [9] (or more, your choice) backup copies.
The file name for Automatic Backup files contains a date and time stamp as part of the file name, e.g. QDATA-2020-03-22.PM03.45.QDF-backup

To create a Manual Backup copy of your Quicken data file on an external device (USB-hard drive or USB memory stick recommended), put a checkmark at "Manual Backup Reminder" to enable the function and set "Remind me after running Quicken [xx] times" to [1].

Click OK to save the changes.

From now on, when you close Quicken using the red X button, you will get a popup window.

When you get this window for the first time, on some versions click the radio button for "Backup on my computer".
Change the Backup File name's drive letter and path to point to your external device so that it looks something like this: E:\Quicken Backup\QDATA-2019-04-01.QDF-backup
or use the Change button and work your way through the dialog.

Do not change the filename portion! Just overtype the drive letter and choose a backup folder name. If the folder does not exist, it will be created.

Also choose the option to "Add date to backup file name".

Every day when you run Backup or close Quicken, an additional backup file is created. Without the Add Date option you only have 1 backup copy which is overwritten every day ... and that may prove bad in a problem recovery situation.

Allow this backup to run to save the changes made on the screen.

Of course, once in a while you will have to go in and delete some of the oldest backup files, at your discretion, to avoid filling up your USB device.

One can never have enough backups of a Quicken data file. You now got the scars to prove it!

MadPunster

I have had the same thing happen, and I back up fairly often. Last night I went back about a month or so and was able to get one that worked. After spending a couple of hours re-entering that data and reconciling everything, I saved as a backup. Guess what? THAT file now says "Please enter your password." Quicken, you've messed something up and it needs to be fixed. There is plenty of evidence in the chats that the problem is on your end, not the users getting "corrupt" files.

Ps56k2

I would suggest that you actually create a Data File Password
to possibly prevent Quicken from creating it's own bogus password....

[Deleted User]

Could virus software be the culprit of these password errors?  It would be interesting to know which virus software is being used.  There could be a common theme.

Ps56k2

Damian said: Could virus software be the culprit of these password errors?

I think it is just the fragile Quicken software stepping on its own DB and corrupting the data file -
and it exhibits this as looking for a Password...
if it was just a real password - the Quicken Support staff could open the file... but I believe they can't -

[Deleted User]

@Ps56k2 - I was thinking that it might be possible for antivirus software to corrupt a Quicken data file?  In that respect not even Quicken support would be able to open the file.