Crashes prompted Restore - Now with hundreds of "Unspecified Account" category

Yelnak

Experienced continuing crashes when categorizing downloaded AmX data. Assumed it was bad data file. I Restored file from backup, and ran Validate and Repair File.

Now I've hundreds of transactions which have a category of "Unspecified Account". What gives?

Version R45.13
Build 27.1.45.13
Windows 10 Home V 10.0.19045

Yelnak

BTW, these "Unspecified Account" categorized transactions only appear after Validate and Repair is performed.

Don't want to have to audit and recategorize hundreds of transactions! Please help?

Thanks

Quicken Jared

Yelnak said:

BTW, these "Unspecified Account" categorized transactions only appear after Validate and Repair is performed.

Don't want to have to audit and recategorize hundreds of transactions! Please help?

Thanks

Hello @Yelnak,     

I am sorry to hear about these problems with transactions categories changing, and with crashes, as well. Thank you for speaking with us about this here on the Quicken Community.

First, where is your current active data file located? You can check this by navigating to File > Show this file on my computer... in the upper menu at the top of the screen. Make sure that the data file is located on your computer and not on an external drive or cloud-based storage service, as this can cause erratic behavior and even data damage.

I saw that you had tried validating the data file earlier; have you also attempted a Super Validation? Navigate back to your original data file, then you can save a backup by navigating to File > Copy or Backup File... in the upper menu at the top of the screen, then proceed through the following instructions, if you haven't already:

1. Navigate to File
2. Hold CTRL + Shift and click Validate and Repair File...
3. Select Super Validate File
4. Click OK
5. Close the Data Log
6. Close Quicken (leave it closed for at least 5 secs)
7. Reopen Quicken and see if the issue persists.

Let us know if this helps.

Thank you,

Quicken Jared 

Yelnak

Hello Jared, and thanks for your prompt response.

So you know, I'd phoned support and "Irwin" and I ran through the SOP - data file is on C:\Quicken; VPN off; antivirus off. I've been a Quicken user since DOS, run a small property rental business, and image receipts. So, the data file is ~400Mb. The reason - keeping records of capital expenditures and direct expense transaction histories for taxable cost basis and profitability analyses.

Back to the tech support interaction yesterday, under Irwin's direction I ran validate and super validate sourcing from two different backups. Both caused the "Unspecified Account" recategorization - 482 of them. The date of the most recent of these is 4/6/2015. All 481 of the others have earlier dates.

Today, I'm going to attempt to restore from an even older backup and then validate to see if the recategorization reoccurs.

Should the issue persist, it seems I've two options:

a) From a data file that has not been validated, use a file copy to archive all data through 12/31/2015, then make another copy and then validate to see if the Unspecified Account recategorization does not take place.

b) Using a validated file, print a list of the 482 recategorized transactions, then load a non-validated file and identify the transactions' original categories, and then use that information to edit each transaction in a post-validated file back to the correct category.

As you can guess, I'm not happy with the prospect of having to do b), but what other options do I have?

BTW, the tech support ticket number is 9877710.

Is it the size of the data file with many years of history? If so/ or possibly, what's best practice when it comes to archiving for maintaining cost bases? What's an optimal data file size?

Thanks

Yelnak

> @Yelnak said:
> Hello Jared, and thanks for your prompt response.
>
> So you know, I'd phoned support and "Irwin" and I ran through the SOP - data file is on C:\Quicken; VPN off; antivirus off. I've been a Quicken user since DOS, run a small property rental business, and image receipts. So, the data file is ~400Mb. The reason - keeping records of capital expenditures and direct expense transaction histories for taxable cost basis and profitability analyses.
>
> Back to the tech support interaction yesterday, under Irwin's direction I ran validate and super validate sourcing from two different backups. Both caused the "Unspecified Account" recategorization - 482 of them. The date of the most recent of these is 4/6/2015. All 481 of the others have earlier dates.
>
> Today, I'm going to attempt to restore from an even older backup and then validate to see if the recategorization reoccurs.
>
> Should the issue persist, it seems I've two options:
>
> a) From a data file that has not been validated, use a file copy to archive all data through 12/31/2015, then make another copy and then validate to see if the Unspecified Account recategorization does not take place.
>
> b) Using a validated file, print a list of the 482 recategorized transactions, then load a non-validated file and identify the transactions' original categories, and then use that information to edit each transaction in a post-validated file back to the correct category.
>
> As you can guess, I'm not happy with the prospect of having to do b), but what other options do I have?
>
> BTW, the tech support ticket number is 9877710.
>
> Is it the size of the data file with many years of history? If so/ or possibly, what's best practice when it comes to archiving for maintaining cost bases? What's an optimal data file size?
>
> Thanks

Or, how about I create a category ("Unspecified Account Error Dump") and recategorize all of them into it?

Yelnak

Upon investigation, here's a data point - in all of the backups and prior to Validation, there is nothing in the category for all 482 transactions. Further, when I search for all Uncategorized transactions, none appear. What gives?

Yelnak

> @Yelnak said:
> Upon investigation, here's a data point - in all of the backups and prior to Validation, there is nothing in the category for all 482 transactions. Further, when I search for all Uncategorized transactions, none appear. What gives?

But not for all accounts....

Yelnak

@""Quicken Jared" Hello Jared... you see my posts above? Help? Thanks!

Quicken Jasmine

Hello @Yelnak, 

Thanks for providing more information. 

Please be aware that this is a public internet forum. Therefore, responses will not be immediate and are expected to be delayed up to 48 hours due to this not being a live chat. If you prefer an immediate response/assistance, then we recommend contacting Quicken Support directly. The Quicken Support phone number can be found through this link here. Phone support is available from 5:00 am PT to 5:00 pm PT, Monday through Friday.

In regard to this issue: Are you stating that the backup does not show the "unspecified account" issue? As in this issue is not present in previous backups?

I look forward to your response!

Yelnak

@Quicken Jasmine
Hello Jasmine,
To answer your question, yes.
And in response to pointing out that Support is available, you’ll see in my first response to Jared above I’d contacted Support - both the tech and his supervisor were unable to resolve the issue. Hence I came to this public forum seeking resolution.
Thanks for picking up the baton.

Quicken Jasmine

Hello @Yelnak, 

Thank you for providing more information. 

At this point, I suggest restoring from a backup where this issue is not present, validating the restored backup (using the instructions below), and then moving forward using the restored file. I do recommend that you first save a backup file prior to performing these steps.

Validate: 

1. File
2. Validate and Repair File...
   
3. Validate File
   
4. Click OK
5. Close the Data Log
   
6. Close Quicken (leave it closed for at least 5 secs)
7. Reopen Quicken and see if the issue persists.

Please let me know how this goes!

Yelnak

Yup. Already did that. Multiple times through multiple backups. Didn’t work.

Here’s the issue: Looking at the backup prior to Validate, there ARE 482 uncategorized transactions which never appeared as Uncategorized - on my Dashboard and when I selected Uncategorized transactions within each Account. It was only Validate which surfaced them.

Why Didn’t These 482 Non-categorized Transactions Appear Previously?

Lastly, I do not have a backup old enough with those transactions that have the 482 Uncategorized categories categorized.

So,it seems to me that unless you all have another answer, this bug is inherent to the app’s code - Q4W doesn’t show Uncategorized Transactions after an unidentified cause, and affected transactions are discovered only when running Validate.

Perhaps Account deletion is the culprit although I RARELY IF EVER delete an Account. Perhaps it’s an Account being renamed? Or something else. Having been a continuous Quicken user since 1984, I will be glad to assist in finding the resolution.

Thanks,
Yelnak

Quicken Jasmine

Hello @Yelnak, 

Thanks for providing more information. 

Due to the troubleshooting steps having not assisted us in reaching a resolution thus far, I recommend reaching out to Quicken Support directly as they can walk you through troubleshooting steps in real time and escalate the situation as needed. 

The Quicken Support phone number can be found through this link here. Phone support is available from 5:00 am PT to 5:00 pm PT, Monday through Friday. 

I apologize that I could not be of more assistance.