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Slow Start up & Irritating Message

Bob@53

The startup time (from password to program coming up) after many monthsand multiple efforts to fix continues to be irritatingly slow. It takes a full minute. NO other program is so darn slow to initiate. Yes, I’ve done the suggested “fix” of doing backup then the validation thing. Done it many times. It doesn’t help one bit! The validation report (attached) indicates all is well.

In the past few days there is now another irritating startup issue. A popup message appears during the startup And it has to be closed before the startup will complete. Below is a link to the screen shot of that message.

Apparently that same Quicken upgrade has started showing register dates in a new format, mdyy (e.g 6323) instead of 6/3/23. Most irritating. Hard to quickly read. Who else in the world uses such non-standard date display? Who (and why) at Quicken decided this was a good idea? If it is to be the future for some valid reason, why is the above warning given? It implies I need to change the “selected date format” which isn’t “suitable.” But, alas, there’s no clue as to how to change the format to come into conformance. Believe me, I’ve search for such “not suitable” date format to change to the bloody “mdyy.” To no avail. Can’t find such a setting to change and make the warning go away.

Any help additional help on slow start up and/or this silly date format problem is welcome.

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Rocket J Squirrel

The date format is a Windows setting. QWin will use the short date format that is set in Windows.

Bob@53

"Squirrel". Thanks so much. I unfarily accused Quicken creating the date format SNAFU. I now realize I had changed my system's "Short date format" in my Win11 Settings to get my Task Bar to show the date how I wanted it. That worked real well for my Task Bar's date display. Alas, it also messed with how Quicken displays dates. Who knew? My bad for blaming it on Quicken update. It was my doing at the Win11 system level. Thanks for the solution!! Ya' done good.

Now to the issue of slow start up time (a full minute for my Quicken application).

Rocket J Squirrel

Next is to determine whether the slow startup is due to the Quicken program or your data file.

Hold CTRL while double-clicking the Quicken icon. This will open Quicken with no data file and only File and Help menus. See whether it is fast or slow.

Then load your data file from the File menu and see how long that takes.

Bob@53

Good diagnostic. opening Quicken app without a data file (Holding Ctrl) produced the app instantly, only File and Help showing. But then when opening my data file, the same one minute delay to populate date. So, the question becomes, what in my data is causing it? The validation thing doesn't seem to help. Attached is that most recent Data Validation result

ValidationResults.pdf

Rocket J Squirrel

Look through both your accounts list and your category list for that ACCT_10c63. If you find it in either place, delete it.

Next thing to try is a File > Copy or Backup File > Create a copy or template. This is the only operation in Quicken which rebuilds your database record by record. It also leaves behind items which were marked deleted and so can reclaim some space.

After creating the copy, close Quicken and reopen it by double-clicking the new QDF file you just created. See whether that's any faster than your usual startup. If it is, you got lucky. You can use that file going forward, but you will have to reconnect your online accounts.

Bob@53

DId in fact find ACCT_10c63 in the Accounts. Deleted it. Also looked for same in "Catagories." Wasn't listed (or even hidden). Closed Quicken and opened again. Alas, no change in starup time. Still 55-60 Seconds.

Did the "Create a copy or template" creating a new file. Closed and opened that new file. No change. Still 58 seconds.

Also decided to do the "Create a copy or template" again and this time to NOT include "Investment Transactions" or "Attachments" (i.e.unchecked those boxes.) hoping that might reveal some clue. Opened that new file. No change. Still 58 secs.

My phone's stop-watch is getting a real workout, huh? But sorry, no solution. Appreciate your efforts. Any more rabbitts in your hat?

Just might have to live with a slow startup Quicken..

Rocket J Squirrel

Any more rabbits in your hat?

Running out of rabbits. Anyway, that trick never works.

Last ditch: try the Windows tweaks listed in this FAQ.

Bob@53

Aw, no more Rabbits? Still appreciate your efforts. Thanks.

Bob@53

Just for giggles and FYI, I did a year-end backup to 12/31/2022. Same result. That file was equally slow to load. Not that a year-end file is of any use to me.

Rocket J Squirrel

Maybe one last rabbit: where is your data file physically located? If it's anywhere other than a local drive on your PC, access will be slower.

NotACPA

@Rocket J Squirrel Maybe you should try pulling out squirrels instead of rabbits.🤣

Rocket J Squirrel

Hey hey hey! I resemble that!

Bob@53

Quiote from Squirrel: "Maybe one last rabbit: where is your data file physically located? " Well for for the past two months it been on a brand new PC, the program ("C:\Program Files (x86)\Quicken\qw.exe") and saved data ("C:\QuickenBackupFiles\BACKUP\ALDER-New.QDF" file which is a brand new SDS el speedo drive which has only 101MB used out of 500MB available. FYI, I also had the slow startup problem on the prior PC. Keep on looking for Rabbits, Squirrel This have become a challenge, huh?

markus1957

Try Edit>Preferences>Quicken ID & Cloud Account to sign in as a different user. Then sign back in.

Adding- try editing preferences to open to a different screen to see if timing improves.

GeoffG

Note that while not a speed increase, from what you display, your data file resides in your backup folder. It really should be in the Documents/Quicken folder.

Bob@53

Markus1957: I'm a scaredy-cat. Not sure I'm willing to do that after reading how it will permanantly impact the accoount's functionality. Namely, it says:

"Click the Sign in as a different User link to sign in as a different user. Once you perform this step, all the cloud data associated with this data file will be removed. You will no longer be able to get latest credit score / get the latest online bill / use Life Yield Tax Optimizer using the old Quicken ID, once you perform this step. You will have to re-register for credit score, online bills, Life Yield Tax optimizer and also re-sync all the data to cloud on the new user ID that you are signing in with."

Too scarey for my tastes. Unless I'm mising something, the "Cure is worse than the disease" so to speak. Appreciate the suggestion, however.

I'm going to try some other things first and will keep everyone posted.

Bob@53

MASSIVE DISCOVERY!!!! Tried turning off Windows Defender just for giggles. Indeed it was just for gigglges 'cause startup time was still 55+ seconds. Re-estabalised Defender Firewall. Then decide to see it the internet connect was somehow responsible. Had been using a Wi-Fi connection to the router for the PC's internet connection. Turned that Wi-Fi off and resorted to a hardwired LAN connection to the router. Still no change -- a 55+ second startup. So then decided to just unplug the LAN wire. Thus no internet connnection to the PC at that point. BINGO. Quicken App came up in few seconds. I mean only two or three seconds!!!! Of course there was no ability to get stock prices, to connect/download to credit card accounts, make payments, etc. BUT the application came up in a heart beat. Cool.

So now I know the cause, but not the solution. But that is one heck of a clue. Let the ideas flow. You guys are the greatest.

Bob@53

FYI, my Internet speed is quite OK. I can stream videos to the PC and another device (Laptop) fine. No problem. Tests show 750-840mbps.

Bob@53

P.S. As noted above, after unluging my LAN so there is no internet, Quicken opens instantly! Less than two seconds as noted above. I then simply plug the LAN back in and I then have all the internet capability in Quicken. But..... that's not along-term solution. Just addl. info for you problem solvers.
Cheers,,
Bob

Bob@53

Just more Info FYI: I have four credit cards set up for Online access to the card company's servers. I ONLY connect once a month when I download transactions into the respective registries. There is no "Do Updates on program Startup" (if that's even a choice.) Those updates (Downloads) seeem to work quite smootly when done maually each month . So the question becomes, why is my Quicken app so slow at startup if there's an internet connection but vitrually instant startup when there's no internet connection? Surely other Quicken user have simlar Online setups. Do they also have abysmally slow Qucken Startup issues? I somehow doubt it.
FYI, all four of my connections are via Express Web Connect.
This discussion on this Forum came to may attention. It it relevant? Is Quicken trying to connect (when I open Quicken) without me knowing it and maybe that's what slows the startup?
https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20339219#Comment_20339219

Rocket J Squirrel

There is no "Do Updates on program Startup" (if that's even a choice.)

There is, but you'd surely notice it if that was happening. It's under Preferences > Startup.

My QWin Premier opens quickly on 2 Win10 PCs without disabling the network. There must be some configuration issue on your PC.

Did you try the items in the FAQ I mentioned earlier?

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7915476/faq-are-there-any-windows-settings-that-can-improve-quicken-s-performance

Bob@53

Yes I see that now. That box, "Download Transactions when Quicken starts," has never been checked and is not now checked. Thus, in theory, QUicken only connects to those four credit card account when I do a manual "update". So, good thought but.... still searching for the cause of slow startup. Thanks for hanging in there on this mystery.
I see you are a "Superuser" which I'd concurr. But you are not with Quicken, right. Does anyone from Quicken monitor this forum? If so, sure would be great to hear from them.

Rocket J Squirrel

Did. You. Try. The. Windows. Tweaks.

There is not much left for Quicken employees to suggest beyond what has already been suggested. You are one guy and not everyone shares your issue. So it comes down to what makes your setup different.

Bob@53

" So it comes down to what makes your setup different." :Yup. Sure wish I could figure it out. Funny (NOT) I had the same slow startup on a prior PC that I retired about a month ago. Since I installed everthing on a brand new PC. Fresh install of Quicken, only tranfereing the data file. Grrr.

Greg_the_Geek

Just out of curiosity, what is the full path to the folder that contains your Quicken data file on the hard? Are you using OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Backup?

Have you tried creating a new Windows user account and running Quicken from there?

Bob@53

Greg-the-Geek: As already stated in this thread:
"the program ("C:\Program Files (x86)\Quicken\qw.exe") and saved data ("C:\QuickenBackupFiles\BACKUP\ALDER-New.QDF" file which is a brand new SDS el speedo drive which has only 101MB used out of 500MB available. "

No, I have tried creating a new Windows User accout and running it from there. Sounds like an interesting "test." Not sure I know how to confidently do that without messinhg up my current user account, but will give it a try and report back.

Bob@53

You ain’t gonna’ believe this. I was having issues with my printer/scanner not being able to scan and create fields to my computer. The computer could print just fine. My wife’s Laptop could print to the shared printer just fine. I could scan to a JPG or PDF files to HER laptop just fine. But the printer, even though it could “see” my PC listed, couldn’t scan a file to be saved on my computer.

I'd noted a printer error warning which suggested a Firewall issue. Within Windows Defender settings I found a bunch of printer services and just changed ALL of them to “allow.” Problem solved. I can now scan to PDF or JPG files right the computer.

Now, here the funny part. You ready? My Quicken now opens in a heart beat (2 seconds,most)!! No more 55 sec. delay.

I wish I could tell you exactly what/how I changed the Firewall settings, but I can’t. Just be advised it was obviously some sort of a Window Defender Firewall issue which I somehow blundered into trying to solved a printer problem.

Better to be lucky than smart, huh? Thanks for hearing me out. Hopefully this thread might help someone else with a slow Quicken startup to investigate their Firewall issues.

Rickbee9

Network Settings.. Public or Private

I too was having very slow startups on my laptop (network setting was for "PUBLIC") but satisfactory startup on a different PC (network setting was "PRIVATE") Both used copies of the same data file.

Switching my network profile to private has greatly improved my startup time to an acceptable level.

Bob@53

Intersting Thanks for sharing. I think you are on to something. My comment about the problem being Windows Defender related might also be a factor. However, I too saw change in Quicken speed when fussing around with my Network defintion. My network is now also "Private' and Quicken is starting like a champ. Maybe teh problem was co-realted--- Network + Defender settings conspiring against me?

Rickbee9

I went from over a minute to 8 seconds for a start up with my only change being the Private network setting👍️