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Is there still a year end function that makes the data file smaller?

David Christopher

I do not really know where to ask/discuss my big problem.

This morning I tried to open Q win on my laptop. Long story short is that it would not load. I copied the data file onto a stick and transferred it to my desktop computer. It would not load there either.

My conclusion is that the data file is corrupted. I found a back up from 9-25 and got it to run on the desktop. I remember people used to do a ‘year end copy” of their data file which would make a new smaller data file. The backup I have open on desktop starts in 2012. I do not need all that old information. I do need my accounts, savings goals and the investment tab and my Bill reminders.

I can not find where to make the “year end file’. In the meantime I started a new Q file on the laptop and was going from memory about my accounts.

I am worn out now, and plan to leave the backed up file restore running on desktop so I can copy everything one at a time in the new file on the laptop tomorrow.

Please tell me how to make the year end file, if even still possible.

Thank you.

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Rocket J Squirrel

You can try validating the corrupted file without opening it.

With Quicken open to the new file, do File > Validate & Repair. Instead of accepting the filename supplied by default, browse to the corrupt file and validate. No guarantees, but you might get lucky.

David Christopher

That means I have to transfer the new file from laptop to desktop. Maybe I can start a new file on DT and try this. I will give it a try tomorrow if no one else knows about the year end file.
thanks RJS

RalphC

You did well by troubleshooting your file and concluding that it was corrupt…no doubt about it. This was verified by restoring a known good backup.

But, I would not make a year-end copy as this is useless, in my opinion. Copies of your data file do not trim the size that much. If you want to trim the size of the data file, delete any attachments that are no longer of value.

Update your 9-25 file with newer transactions to get current and continue with the data file. Super validate your current file to make sure you don't have any errors in the file. And, backup, backup, backup. Don't forget to routinely store data files offline in case you get hacked. You now have first-hand experience on how valuable a backup can be.

NotACPA

A Year end copy won't resolve your issue, a Validate might, reverting to a backup certainly will

David Christopher

Thank you RalphC and NotACPA. We have all been around a long time. My data file has been “validated and repaired’ about 25 times since 2015. It is to big and there are to many mistakes in it that do not get fixed in a V&R. It is time to start a new file, if I can not trim the current file.

I am going to review my old posts. I remember a post I wrote years ago about how to export my categories and other things and import them into a new file. Hell, I did it. Maybe that is why my file is corrupt now.

I am so old now all I need is a check register. I do not worry about a budget and I am no longer in debt. I designed a simple chech register in Google Sheets today. I like Q, I just do not really need it anymore. But I have to justify why I spent $700 on a new laptop.

Dave

RalphC

If you are dead set on making a new file, then year-end archive is not what you want to do. You would like to go to File > Copy or Backup a file… > Create a Copy or Template. From there, you will be able to specify a date range for export, if desired. This will clear any OSU accounts, but it sounds like you're not overly concerned about that.

David Christopher

I will try it tomorrow. Thanks.

David Christopher

I finally found “Year End” and made a new file that started on Jan 1 2023. Then for some reason a few days later I opened the old file and it worked. I just saved it on the desktop and started running the new file on my laptop.

But then it started doing the same thing … not loading. So, I made a brand new file that starts on 10/01/2023. Well, that thing works when it wants to. I can try to open it and it just has a blank white screen. Anyway, two hours later it will load and run. I am tired of it.

All I need is a check register and I like my savings goals and knowing how much margin I owe. I have designed a Check Register in Google Sheets that does what I want. I was able to go into Q > Bill & Income reminder > Manage Bills and print it to a pdf file then put that info on a tab of my new Check register. I figured out how to do transfers from checking to my savings goals each month and how to get the money back into register when bill is due.

It all works way better and faster than Q. So I cancelled my subscription to Q. It was great for about 15 years, but now with all the Windows advances, it just works when it wants to. (I know Q works, but I also know Windows operating system does not always let it load and run. I am not waisting anymore time trying to figure it out.)

David sighting off.

trymph

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20388001#Comment_20388001

I have a 15 year (Ver R52.33; Build 27.1.52.33 Windows 10: Quicken Classic Deluxe) file that's gotten too large (118 MB) also. I believe its causing issues like most recently my Chase: Express Web Connect+ checking account registry downloads automatically get marked Clr=R (vs C) and I like to do manual reconciles (the account is NOT set to: "Reconcile using online balance" in Account details/Online services).

You or anyone have any ideas why the date range gets ignored when i try to copy? Its been validated.

Regards

Bruce

David Christopher

No, I never tried that option. I went to 'File>Copy or backup file' and chose the 3rd option. the new file has just this years transactions in it.

Dave

Ps56k2

Never understand why users want to chop up their Quicken QDF data file - why ?
My QDF file is 200meg - …. and it has ALL my Quicken data - since… forever -

Do you use "attachments" - if not - then your file is probably smaller than mine -
You can see…. —> Help —> SHIFT + About Quicken

My conclusion is that the data file is corrupted.
I found a back up from 9-25 and got it to run on the desktop.
I remember people used to do a ‘year end copy” of their data file which would make a new smaller data file.
The backup I have open on desktop starts in 2012.
I do not need all that old information.
I do need my accounts, savings goals and the investment tab and my Bill reminders.

David Christopher

I am just the opposite. I never understood why people want to keep historical financial information. Mine has no value for me. I just want to know if I can reconcile my checkbook a couple times a month.

I have uninstalled Quicken from my computers. But first I recorded my Bills, categories, and savings goals. Then I wrote formulas in Google Sheets and made a simple checkbook. That is all I need.

Ps56k2

if you just want a checkbook - then Quicken Classic Desktop is probably more than you need - take a look at - SIMPLIFI -

I am just the opposite. I never understood why people want to keep historical financial information.
Mine has no value for me. I just want to know if I can reconcile my checkbook a couple times a month.

https://www.quicken.com/products/simplifi

David Christopher

Thanks for the link, I checked it out. I will stick to my hand made checkbook. If it breaks, I can fix it.

trymph

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20393155#Comment_20393155

Thanks for your comment. I too would rather NOT chop the file either. I was told by a Quicken tech it'd be best on my last issue in 2008. Anyway I have an appointment call today with a tech and we'll see. I always backup manually in a separate drive so may try that with the tech also. Since you show'd yours here's mine………

Thanks & Regards

Bruce

Will update here if the tech figures it out.

mshiggins

@trymph you have a large number of memorized payees. That is a known contributor to slow Quicken performance. You can do a clean up of old unused memorized payees via a preference to Remove Memorized Payees Not Used In The Last XX Months, where you can specify the number of months.

@David Christopher kudos for simplifying your financial life to the point where you no longer need Quicken.

David Christopher

Thanks Mary.
Dave

Chris_QPW

@trymph

I really hate to say it, but there are two fundamental reasons why Quicken Support suggests breaking up a data file. One is they just don't understand how Quicken really works and what really slows it down. And the other is "shotgun troubleshooting", where if they blow enough holes in your data maybe they will it the right part of it.

In general, as @mshiggins there are known (at least to SuperUsers) parts of Quicken like really long memorized payee lists or an investment account with a lot of securities/security lots/transactions that cause performance problems.

But there is also the fact that performance problems can be caused by certain kinds of corruption in the data file, or certain kind of settings/drivers/hardware. In the case of a data file corruption problem, one might get lucky by removing parts of the data file.

Jim_Harman

@David Christopher

It may be too late for you, but you mentioned that you have a new laptop and your problems include a blank screen at startup.

I wonder if when you set up the laptop, you allowed Microsoft to enable OneDrive on that system. If so, that may be what is causing the issues you are seeing. Please see this recent Alert, and if you decide to try pausing OneDrive while running Quicken, please let us know whether that helps.

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7941723/update-10-27-23-unable-to-open-data-file-file-password-not-working-in-quicken-for-windows

David Christopher

Jim, I am not to bright anymore. WIN 11 forces OneDrive all over the system. I disabled OneDrive on the Laptop. I do not remember all the steps it took, but it is gone now. The only thing left is that Win forces all shortcuts on Desktop into "C:\Users\chrst\OneDrive\Documents\Quicken". (I think everything used to be in the OneDrive folder like the Pictures, Documents etc. Folders were in there. I am tempted to chande OneDrive Folder to 'Desktop', but everytime i mess with that folder "stuff" happens.

I Started a new Quicken file on Oct 1 and I keep that on the desktop. I will keep it going until I am positive the Google Sheets Check Register, I am or have built works exactly like Quicken. I Keep the Year End Copy in the Documents Folder, but I do not use it anymore. With my savings goals I do not need registers like in Quicken, just a way to put money in and take it out when needed. I do not need a register for my Broker account, just what my Margin balance is and a way to increase and decrease that amount.

Today I made a new Check Register for November. I hope to have this thing perfected by Jan 1 2024, then I will uninstall Q on laptop.

here is what my version of Q looks like:

I think I will Change the "Dividends" Column to "Broker" that makes sense as that column is used when I borrow, deposit, or do not reinvest dividends.

Dave

Jim_Harman

Thanks for the update. Note that there is a lot of personal info in the image you posted and everyone can see it. Are you sure you wanted to do that?

As long as OneDrive is not running, it should be OK to have the path include the OneDrive folder as you have shown. You can tell if OneDrive is running by clicking on the little cloud icon in your System Tray (the area at the bottom right of your screen) and a pop-up box will say OneDrive when you hover your mouse over it. If there is a backslash through the cloud icon or the popup asks you to sign in, OneDrive has been disabled.

David Christopher

I do not have that little cloud anymore.

Jim_Harman

OK, as long as the cloud is gone, including in the icons shown when you click on the up arrow at the left of the System Tray, you have succeeded in disabling OneDrive.

Greg_the_Geek

You can move your folders back to the default locations.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/23504-restore-default-location-personal-folders-windows-10-a.html#

trymph

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20393312#Comment_20393312

Phone support session yesterday. Deactivating all my Chase accounts of which just the checking was having the Clr=R download problem solved this issue. There has been a Chase connection/download issue the past week or 2 but it was able to reactivate & download latest checking transactions despite that yesterday. The Clr=R was not automatically invoked on the "accept all" action this time. Deactivation of accounts required me to delete the bank name and last 4 digits of the account # from the setup template first and I made sure my reconcile was set to paper statement in the pop up when I clicked reconcile before doing the deactivation/reactivation. Looks like this was a "its me not you" George Costanza thing maybe from corrupted file; we did a validate first also.

Jeanine Schmidt

OK, besides not having understood, in the first place, how to have all this done 'automatically' I do everything manually. I'm sure this requires a lot more work than needed; but, I believe it makes life easier for me. Just wish I didn't have to pay every year for this program when I do it manually. I need the details though and have many account breakdowns. Started with QuickBooks …SO LONG AGO.

Jim_Harman

@Jeanine Schmidt What is it that you want done automatically, and what sort of breakdowns do you have?

Jeanine Schmidt

I don't want anything done automatically; it's just too confusing and doesn't feel reliable. My breakdowns are for 2 property expenses (utilities, food, repairs, etc), Bank Account, Trust Info (only manually entered as needed), Vacations, Vehicle/Trailers/Boats (Insurance, Registration, Repairs). Just lots. Could be the OCD in me…lol

volvogirl

You don't have to download transactions. You can enter everything manually, I do. If you don't want to download you don't have to renew each year. If you have Deluxe or higher you can still use the program manually although there will be a big banner on the screen asking you to renew.

Jeanine Schmidt

WOW, Thank you so much!!!! I must have read somewhere that horrible things would happen to your files if you didn't renew. I appreciate your info.