CRASHING or NOT RESPONDING CONSTANTLY

Dan123456789

Quicken randomly and regularly crashes of does not respond. This has been happening more and more on the latest releases of Windows 10 over the past two years. It seems to be related to larger QDF (Quicken data files). My primary personal file has data beginning in 1993. I have other data files that crash less often until the number of entries begin to grow. I don't have any crashing issues with any other program I run. I've tried to use the program on more than one hardware platform and the results are the same. Sometimes the program quits responding several times during a single update session. I've used the data file validation and repair tool many times but to no avail. The crashes occur randomly, sometimes when pressing save or hitting the enter key, sometimes when changing the tab, or sometimes when selecting a different account. Smaller data files crash less, but for what I'm paying for this program I feel entitled to have all my recorded data available at any time. Quicken does not say I must limit the number of records in my data file. Typically, the first indication of failure typically is the program rescales the display slightly. But this is not always the case. Sometimes the program hides the windows taskbar. Other times it simply quits responding to any input. Occasionally, but not often, it will begin to respond again if I wait a minute or two. Sometimes when I start the program opening my data file it completes that task within seconds. Other times I may need to wait a minute or two before my data file is ready for use. Occasionally my data file never opens. These crashes began about the same time Quicken became subscription based rather than software available for purchase. It sems the more the program is updated with features that are not required for Quicken's primary function, the more it crashes. Perhaps the programmers need to focus on repairing the bugs rather that add flash and splash. As I am writing this, I tried to access the program Help menu to view the latest release notes and guess what? The program rescales slightly larger, the windows taskbar is hidden, the MENU disappears, the wheel keeps spinning, Windows reports Quicken is not responding and asks if I will wait or want to close the program!

I can't be the only customer experiencing these issues. It's probably going to take a lot of us to report these issues before Quicken instructs the programmers to solve these issues or hires new programmers with the necessary expertise and skills to find the root causes.

I'm tired of paying more and more each year and getting less and less satisfaction.

kk_md

Following.... I have been having the same problem. I have to go into Task Manager and 'End Task'. Very frustrating.

Quicken Jared

Hello @Dan123456789 and @kk_md,   

I am sorry about this issue with crashes that seems to be affecting both of you. Thank you for letting us know about this here on the Quicken Community. 

I see that @Dan123456789 mentions this issue occurring on multiple computers, but I want to ask: have either of you tried uninstalling the Quicken software using the steps listed in this Support Article, then deleting Quicken from the Program Files (x86) folder? You may then reinstall the software after following those steps using the steps listed here. 

You may also try restarting your computer to see if this has any impact.

Let us know how this works. I hope to provide more troubleshooting steps, if necessary. 

Thank you,

Quicken Jared 

KKris

I have the same problem and have reinstalled Quicken multiple times, yet the problem crashes persist.

Quicken Jared

KKris said:

I have the same problem and have reinstalled Quicken multiple times, yet the problem crashes persist.

Hello @KKris,   

I am sorry about this problem that seems to be affecting you as well. I appreciate you letting us know about in this Quicken Community Discussion.

If you haven't already, I suggest you try signing out of your data file completely and then signing back in to refresh the registration token for your Online Connected Services. However, I do recommend that you first save a backup file prior to performing these steps.

1. Navigate to Edit
2. Preferences...
3. Quicken ID & Cloud accounts
4. Click Sign in as a different user (or it might say Sign in using a different Quicken ID)
5. Follow the prompts to Sign Out
6. Sign back in using your Quicken ID (email) and password

Let us know how this works.

Thank you,

Quicken Jared 

johnbelgerhome

I have the same problem over the last few days. When I called support the guy said one of your accounts is messed up so skip it. I doubt this was the right instruction. Tried. It’s validations, removed Quicken from one computer moved to another. Same problem.

Dan123456789

I'm no novice to fixing computer issues, Yes I have logged out and back in multiple times (I need to do this often as it usually fixes Quicken update issued when I get a 297 or other error from one or more accounts, And Yes I have completely uninstalled Quicken and reinstalled it, troubleshooting this problem that is the only reason I have installed Quicken on other computers I own. These are FRESH installs on OTHER hardware. The ONLY thing in common is my QDF which has been validated perhaps 100 times.

I can only assume that a 162KB QDF file is the root of the problem. I know other Quicken users who never had issues until their QDF file contained a lot of closed accounts, archived categories, and older active accounts (>10 years).

I'm hoping as I type this that Quicken will open my QDF after the second crash and restart today. It finally did but it took 2 minutes from the time I entered my password until the program was ready for use.

I do believe ALL of my issues began when Quicken was taken over by new ownership that forced users to be logged in to their server before Quicken would update accounts. In this era of "big data" I don't trust that collection of my information is more important to Quicken than stable operation and privacy. I don't opt in to having my data stored in their cloud nor want their cloud to make my data mobile or available on the web.

Numbers4Fun

I have this same problem. I see that Quicken has closed MANY articles on this topic, but it seems to be a persistent problem with no lasting "fix" from Quicken. I too wonder about the file size being the problem. I too have been using Quicken for decades, and I have noticed a change in the quality of Quicken's performance. At this point, Quicken crashes every time I use it. I also have sent Quicken's crash reports, but I don't do this every time and wonder what happens to my files. I have never had a response from Quicken.

jldavid47

This has to do with the unchecked growth in User Objects. Windows (any version) has a limit of 10,000 User Objects per process. Quicken programmers introduced a change/bug some months ago that allows User Objects to grow without bound (undoubtedly unintentionally). Once you get over 6,000 User Objects or so used by Quicken, the program starts to grind and eventually it just hangs and has to be killed and restarted. You can see this yourself by bringing up Task Manager, choosing the "Details" page, right click, hit "Select Columns" and choose "User Objects" (if you don't already see it. The growth rate is ridiculous and especially grows when a One Step Update is done. This issue has been brought up in other threads and they are aware of it. Nothing suggested by Quicken Jared above will work to resolve this. (I've tried). It wasn't like this until a few months ago.  I'm guessing you'd have to go back to at least R43.14 to see any improvement, but that's just a guess.

Dan123456789

Thank you jldavid47 for validating my concerns and giving me insight to the user objects issue. This is the first time I learned of a logical explanation. At least it seems like my fear of permanent damage to my QDF file is less likely knowing that it's windows that stops Quicken after Quicken attempts to perform User Objects operations that are beyond what is permitted in the operating system. I'll be monitoring that parameter now when I'm using the Quicken program.

It's unfortunate that there is not a way to separate the QDF data into a smaller active file (data set with fewer user objects) and historical data file that is only accessed when needed (perhaps by allowing two QDF files to be opened at the same time when I need to access data that is older than a few years - recent and historical). Or better yet, not using User Objects for program functions that could be implemented without creating User Objects even if it requires a major rewrite of the core program.

MangoMan

Same here. I use Quicken every day for bookkeeping and investments. File size is an issue and there doesn't seem to be a way to "simply" reduce it by archiving transactions because some transactions you want to keep available from the past and the issue of password changes over time. 

TReeve

I have been having this same issue. Quicken will just randomly crash just after I open it. I have tried rebooting my laptop ... and sometime that will help ... but generally it just keeps crashing over and over. If this continues I may need to find an alternative to Quicken but I have years of data in Quicken and don't want to give that up.

Greg_the_Geek

What is the full path to the folder that contains your Quicken data file on the hard drive? Do you have Controlled Folder Access enabled in Windows Defender?

FAQ: Windows Defender & Controlled Folder Access — Quicken

beetreaux

I have been having the EXACT same problems for a while. On top of the non-responsiveness and the crashes, when I manage to reopen the columns of my registers get shrunk to unreadable size and I have to reset all of them. I just checked "User Objects" on my file and they are 9,993. Quicken is STUCK. AGAIN! If there was a different accounting program, I would've started using it a long time ago. The unreliability of this program is so frustrating!

donna p

I am also having the crashing issue. Program crashed on me 5 times while trying to update. Finally got my information downloaded, but it is squirrely. Sometimes it leaves things out. I have to constantly audit the numbers - I am following 5 accounts which also have investments. It is tedious and I agree quicken used to be better, If I could find another program that downloads from brokerage houses, I would definitely dump Quidken. I have been a user since 1996. SO much for loyalty.

Ccube

I've also been having issues with Quicken struggling to start and often freezing or crashing, sometimes flashing the display at different scales. I've been thinking it might be my computer until now. It's extremely frustrating. Reinstalling Quicken doesn't solve the problem. I've used Quicken since 1994.

AmyCorrin

I have also been having the same issue for months. Following to see if the issue finally gets addressed. I have used the software for almost 30 years, I have never had issues like this. Different computers, reinstalling, nothing works.

eeyore6802

Yes mine continually keeps crashing on me and not even opening. I spent quite a few hours this past friday going over things and got stuff working. Then when i went to sync my data with the cloud it was telling me my membership expired and to renew. I'm paid up through sometime in March and still have a valid membership. Now today when I went to open the program it keeps crashing and won't even open now. I agree this is getting very frustrating and aggravating with what we are paying for this. And alot of times during the day with being at work I don't have the time to be talking to support to get this to work again.

Greg_the_Geek

Anyone having a problem with crashes have Controlled Folder Access enabled in Windows Defender?

FAQ: Windows Defender & Controlled Folder Access — Quicken

Also, you could try booting Windows into Safe Mode with Networking and running Quicken.

BMJ

Samething happen to me and no defender is not active as I use Bitedefender application. When I try to enter a transaction , it's delete it.

wcorsini

I have tried all the things mentioned. One contributor suggested the data file may be corrupt. I used the "validate and repair file" tool found under the File tab. It found many problems which it then fixed. So far, since than, I have had no crashes.

Charlie.DixonIII

I have the exact same problem. It all started within the past 60 days. I must close Quicken periodically to keep from losing work. The system appears to crash when other programs like DropBox update my files from another devices automatically. Or when outlook receives new emails. Nothing appears to fix the problem. I just enter a dozen or less items and then exit the software and then log back in to finish. I have actually been thinking of looking for a new service. I never had this problem until Quicken forced the annual subscriptions on me. I have used the software for over 20 years. Maybe it is time to look for a new vendor.

Lisamar

Yep same problems as described ever since the Quicken change of ownership. I'm a long-time user..over 20 years. The system crashes multiple times a day randomly. It seems to be very fragile at this point. I've tried all the suggestions on these boards to no avail. I've notified Quicken multiple times. No one seems to care.

dwatsonpt

I am also a long term user since the 90's and generally am satisfied. But this crashing is driving me crazy. Has been happening in the last few months even more. Oddly, my problem before this was that the budgets kept being destroyed or eliminated. Now, the budget for 2023 has lasted almost two months. Go figure.

Pat U

Having the same crashing problem here the last couple of weeks. Crashes occur in many different places, but more often during investment transactions. Long term user here as well.

Christian H

I'm having the same issues. I can't tell you how many times I've had it crash. You call customer service, wait a long time and then get connected to someone who can't help you. You then get pushed into a new queue for service by their advanced technical team in Guatamala who eventually solves the problem, only to have it happen again a month later. Rinse, repeat. Rinse, repeat. Etc. Hours and hours waiting.

Also note that the display resolution is very poor. Fuzzy text and numbers like we had to deal with a decade ago. I've asked multiple times about this. I finally had one guy in Guatamala say it's because the Quicken code is so old and incompatible with newer high resolution monitors. He said the only solution would be for Quicken to develop new code versus modifying the old code. I'm not sure if this is true or not.

MG99

Having same quicken random crashing. Another post suggested shortening data file name…did that, but still crashing (but data load and validation does seem faster), now going to try and save on my computer vs backup drive.

mwoods504`

Is anyone listening at Quicken. Constant daily crashes. Many faithful long time users are reporting the same issue with no hope for resolution. What does it take to have this issue resolved, a class action lawsuit? Refund of subscription costs? Answers and a dedicated support team being assigned to this would be appreciated.

msinha1925

Since this morning I am unable to use Quicken H&B with any file including older backups. Get the same crash message. I have reinstalled the program and rebooted my computer. It says "Quicken unexpectedly quit the last time it was run"
Please help

drbfrog

Same problem here and have talked to them multiple times. This is so frustrating and they dont seem to want to troubleshoot and provide info to the development team to resolve. Anyone had any luck out there??
@quicken_jared

MG99

Same issues…crashes sometimes on updates, crashes some times accessing long term accounts…validations don’t fix it, restores don’t fit it, …come on quicken get this fixed.