Won't open data file (Q Win 2016)

Gobokat

As of Saturday AM 9/24 my Quicken 2016 won't display my local data file(s). The program seems to open any of 3 local copies of the same data file, display the home screen for a second and then go to only a grey screen with a blank white square in the center. I'm guessing Quicken took down an advertising or log-in server my program is expecting to see and thus is locking me out of my local data access. Anyone else having issues with 2016?
Yes, I have reinstalled Q2016 and patched up to R19. Yes, I have tried creating a new local file (I still have 'file' and 'help' menu items at the top of the screen, yes I have tried opening other quicken files from other computers and other data sets.

mshiggins

There is a discussion of this issue here:

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7918354/migrating-quicken-2017-from-old-to-new-computer-quicken-data-access-guarantee#latest

Gobokat

Thanks for the referring link - yes, the thread goes over exactly my issue with the final (TL;DR) result of, Quicken has closed the door to pre-subscription data access, if you can still open your pre-2017 data files make hard copies now or export to spreadsheets because you soon will be locked out of your data. FWIW I broke down and purchased a current subscription and 'instantly' had data access back so my issues were not data file corruption, but 100% Quicken deciding that their need for money was more important than my access to my data.

mshiggins

Sorry to be correct about this issue :-(. Using Q2017 myself and assuming my days are numbered. 

Gobokat

Yes, I was able to see in a communication log that a server "ofx-prod-brand.intit.com" is reporting "Temporarily overloaded" and thus not responding, returning "QFN kQFFinished: returns 67305975", which I'm guessing means failing to 'validate' a 100% bought and paid-for piece of software will not function.

Greg_the_Geek

I hate to be technical, but you bought a license to use the software under End User License Agreement.

From the Quicken 2017 EULA:

5. QUICKEN DISCONTINUATION POLICY AND TERMINATION OF SUPPORT

In addition to being governed by this Agreement, access and use of the Quicken Software, Quicken Online Features, and Ancillary Services are in all cases subject to Quicken's discontinuation policy. To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, Quicken reserves the right to discontinue all support for the Quicken Software, Quicken Online Features, and Ancillary Services, any of their discrete features, or any other features, online and other services or content accessible through the Quicken Software, Quicken Online Features, and Ancillary Services, at any time and for any reason.

Subject to the foregoing, Quicken expects to provide support through April 30, 2020 for the current version of the Quicken Software and certain features accessible through the current version of the Quicken Software. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue the supported versions, services, or program features if necessary due to changes in hardware or software that our products run on, or for other reasons.  More information about QuickenÕs discontinuation policy is available at https://www.quicken.com/support/quicken-discontinuation-policy.

FWIW, I agree that Quicken should not have stopped access to pre-subscription versions of Quicken.

Gobokat

Greg, FWIW I'm using version 2016 R19, not 2017, which I'm guessing has a similar clause, but let's be serious on two things, 1) no common (i.e. non-law degree) end users read all parts of the EULA, 2) who really conceives that a manufacturer would ever just kill their product because they can? Imagine purchasing a tape recorder which says that at any point in the future the OEM can cause the recorder to cease recording or playing back if it wants to, despite any degree of involvement with the item's continued operation. I'm not asking for Quicken to support my software, or provide me access to 3rd party data services, I just want the database engine installed on my storage device to continually open the database I created with it. Can you imagine Microsoft causing Windows XP to just stop booting or stop reading file systems?

Chris_QPW

In reality one has to really understand just a couple things about EULAs.  That they are written by lawyers in as broad a form as possible to protect the company.

And another thing to understand is that you can't compare things like a recorder to Quicken starting in Quicken 2014 and beyond.

As soon as you have to login to do anything one should realize that for various reasons it might not be possible to log in again.

I don't know for sure, but I don't think any of this was in intentional blocking of the old versions.  It was simply that they changed the way the logging in works both on the servers and in the current version of Quicken, and if they happened to break the old versions, well too bad.

Greg_the_Geek

FWIW, I've asked the Mods numerous times to investigate why you can't login to pre-subscription versions of Quicken only to hear nothing.

mshiggins

Greg_the_Geek said:

FWIW, I've asked the Mods numerous times to investigate why you can't login to pre-subscription versions of Quicken only to hear nothing.

I would sure like to know the answer. 

Chris_QPW

mshiggins said:

Greg_the_Geek said:

FWIW, I've asked the Mods numerous times to investigate why you can't login to pre-subscription versions of Quicken only to hear nothing.

I would sure like to know the answer. 

I think silence is an answer.

One could contact Quicken Support and see what they say, but I suspect it will be:  "Sorry we don't support that version, you will need to upgrade."