R52.33 - Unable to open data file on first try - then opens after pointing to file (edit75)
Answers
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Why are posters expecting Quicken to fix a OneDrive problem that was created by Microsoft? Quicken doesn't even support storing your active data file in a cloud folder due to the possiblity of corruption.
Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 100 -
It appears that if you are running OneDrive, the issue is not just that the file must be on the C: drive, it must be in a directory that is not being synced by OneDrive, or OneDrive syncing must be suspended while you are running Quicken.
By default, Windows 11 encourages users to use OneDrive and puts the Documents folder and everything under it, including the Quicken directory, in the OneDrive path. Also by default, Quicken puts QDF files in the Documents\Quicken folder. Thus unless you do something to prevent it, OneDrive tries to sync any QDF file that is in its default location, causing problems.
Users are reporting that until recently OneDrive and Quicken worked OK together, and it is only recently that they started having problems. The issue affects password protected files, and the error message says to contact Quicken Support. Apparently while opening a password protected file, Quicken closes the data file momentarily, and if OneDrive syncing is enabled, OneDrive locks the file to sync it before Quicken can re-open it.
Quicken says that the issues are related to a recent update to OneDrive, and that they are working with Microsoft to resolve the conflict.
In the meantime, pausing OneDrive before starting Quicken should help. To do this,
- — Exit Quicken if it is running.
- — Hover your mouse over the OneDrive cloud icon in your System Tray and wait for the popup to say Up to date. This may take some time, be patient. The icon may be in the overflow area, accessed by clicking on the up arrow at the left of the System Tray.
- — Right click on the icon and select Pause syncing. Choose a time longer than you will be using Quicken.
- — Restart Quicken.
— Exit Quicken when you are done.
QWin Premier subscription7 -
That works, but in the time it takes do it, I can just open the file manually via the directory.
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I've been experiencing exactly the same scenario as Biker70 describes for the last week or so. WIndows 10 QW Premier R52.33 27.1.52.33. File resides on onedrive but I've never had this problem before. If it is a OneDrive problem why does it always work when you click on the file in the QW dropdown list?
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Best explanation I've seen. Thank you! Makes sense. Pausing the OneDrive sync seems to have solved the login issue for now for me.
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Agreed! "Jim_Harman Oct 31, 2023" post is an excellent temporary workaround that works for me too.
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I have been using OneDrive for a couple of years with Quicken. This problem began when they changed the software to the "Classic Premier". Prior to this change I NEVER had this problem.
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I hate to tell you, but it was an automatic update to OneDrive that caused the problem. OneDrive updated itself on 10/23/2023.
Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 101 -
Same issue here. Really annoying.
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Quicken is living in Microsoft’s world. They are going to have to adjust to the update and make it work.
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Quicken doesn't support storing your active Quicken data file in a cloud folder.
Never open your data file or backup file directly from Dropbox. Always move the file to your desktop computer, then open it, to prevent file damage.
Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 100 -
There is a difference between opening an active Quicken file from a cloud service versus opening it from your local drive and simply having a backup on the cloud. My active file is on my D:\ drive and simply gets backed up to the cloud. Did Microsoft change something to make even that relationship not work? Apparently. But my financial data is important enough to have backed up off site that it would behoove Quicken to figure out how to address the problem. I won't accept the risk of 'single point of failure'.
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@Lundwall, I don't understand your post. Are you having trouble opening your Quicken data file from the D:\ drive? Quicken supports backing up your data file to a cloud folder but not opening the active data file from a cloud folder. How does Quicken figure out how to address a problem caused by a Microsoft OneDrive update?
Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 100 -
Yes, my active Quicken file is on my D:\ drive. It gets backed up to OneDrive but my active file is on my D:\ drive. And I have the same problem everyone else is having.
"How does Quicken figure out how to address a problem caused by a Microsoft OneDrive update?" Easy, I did it all the time when I was an IT Director and Programmer. When MS changed things in one of their server products that messed up our systems, we investigated, adjusted code, tested and released an update ourselves. We didn't throw our hands up and say, "Well, nothing we can do.". And I suspect Quicken is doing the same thing right now - they just aren't there yet.
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@Lundwall, what type of drive is your D:\ drive? Is a local hard drive or SSD? Are you using any type of backup program for your D:\ drive? It seems that you're the only poster (so far) that has a problem opening their data file and not having it stored in a OneDrive folder.
Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 100 -
I think there is a difference in the use of the word "backup". Backup to Quicken is making a .QDF-backup file. Using OneDrive (or any of the other cloud services) to mirror a copy of files as a "backup" is a totally different thing.
Using a file directly in Quicken that is under the cloud service's watch area is the problem. Any time that Quicken closes the file for any reason, the cloud service may jump in and grab the file for syncing to the cloud and that is when it becomes in conflict with Quicken and things begin to fail.
-splasher using Q continuously since 1996
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@Greg_the_Geek "Is a local hard drive or SSD?" Are you introducing another variable in this conversation? Irrespective of if it is a spinning disk or a conglomeration of solid state chips, it is local. It is physically in my computer. So, I don't understand the intent of that question.
And no, I'm not the first person to have this problem on this thread. Many people have reported the exact same issue. How do I know my Quicken file is local? Because I take my laptop to places where I don't have internet access and open my Quicken file from my D:\ drive. It works fine. No issues. I can't download bank transactions of course as I am not on the internet. Once I get home and connect to the internet, the OneDrive icon in the task bar gets to work and backs up my changed files to the cloud. So, the problem only exists when that immediate backup relationship is there. Did MS change something? Most likely. Is it in Quicken's best interest to figure out what it is and update their system? Definitely. I have fought MS trying to get them to change things on a server release that messed up our statewide enterprise system to no avail.1 -
I wanted to know if your D:\ drive was a local drive and not a network drive. It seems very odd to me that you can open your data file with no internet access but have trouble with internet access. So, is the folder with your data file on your D:\ drive backed up by OneDrive?
Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 100 -
My experience matches that described by @Jim_Harman (including that I've been syncing my file to OneDrive for years so that I can open the file on different machines in the house - without problems until the changeover to Quicken Classic). Per @Kristen Quicken I reported the problem, but sanitizing my file sounded like a nightmare so I skipped sending it and just sent the log files.
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I have the same problem with my password protected file after installing the update referenced in this thread. I can open my file from the file menu on the 2nd try. Like others, my QDF is located in my MS oneDrive folder has it has been for several years. Note, I have also notice very slow file opening if Google Drive is running, even though my QDF is not on my Google Backup list.
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I have a similar configuration. My QDF is stored locally on my C:\ SSD in a oneDrive folder as Always Keep on this Device. If I turn off all my internet connections, by file opens the 1st time from the Windows 10 taskbar. If I turn on my WiFi or Ethernet connection, I get the Unable to Open File error. Like others, the latest MS oneDrive update seem to jump in to attempt to mirror my QDF password protected file during the Quicken opening process.
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All this makes me wonder if OneDrive switched to using NTFS volume shadow copies. This is a BAD thing for any database.
A database can be in an inconsistent state at any given time. That is why it is important to only back them up when they are in a known state. The NTFS volume shadow copy can be created at any given moment in time. It is in fact what is done for Windows restore points. In a very short period of time a shadow copies enough information that it can bring the volume back to that state. Works great if you know that the system has just flushed all file system and any file or part of the file system that might be in an inconsistent state can be rebuilt. But terrible is you have a database in an inconsistent state that can't be rebuilt.
Newer databases generally have enough systems in place that they can rebuild from what might be an inconsistent state.
Quicken's database is very old and doesn't have this.
So, what should be used instead?
When Quicken opens the data file it locks it (this normal for most programs). This lock tells programs like OneDrive not to try to do anything with it until it is closed, and the lock is removed. A shadow copy ignores such locked files.
I remember the same problem happening in Dropbox a few years ago.
It is very tempting to use the volume shadow copy because of the fact that you can do it almost instantly and do the backup from the copy while the rest of the system just continues on.
When using the lock to gate this you have this flow:
Quicken opens/locks file, no backup is being done until you close the file. If you leave Quicken open all day long you have no backup. EDIT: Note that if the user calls for a backup while Quicken is open, what it does is close the data file, make a copy, and then open it again. In the previous sentence I was referring to you have no "external" backing up your data file. But it can also be noted that any backup system that jumps in can disrupt Quicken's backup/reopening of the data file because even though it is a short period of time, the lock on the data file will be off between the closing and reopening of the data file.
Once Quicken closes the data file, that allows a program like OneDrive to jump in and open it and lock it so that they too can read through and send the data to the server/cloud knowing it isn't changing while sending. This is why if Quicken closes a data file and then wants to open it back up again right away (like while doing Validate & Repair) it will encounter OneDrive's lock on the file and not be able to open it. This is the secondary reason Quicken Inc suggests not storing your data file in a cloud folder.
Note there is the opportunity to use the Windows shadow copy after the lock is removed, and therefore not need to keep it locked for syncing to the server for OneDrive, and not interfering with Quicken reopening it. But a service like OneDrive should never ignore the lock that a program like Quicken puts on it.
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Onedrive just updated to a new version, but issue still exits.
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I have the same problem. First noticed at the end of October when I would get the open failure, then I would try again and file would open. Now, it is a hard failure. Did the validate file function. It found and fixed a number is issues for some very old transactions (like from 2013), then opened the file. But, when I close the file and try to reopen, it fails. I do the validate again and it opens the file.
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Try pausing OneDrive before opening your Quicken data file.
Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 100 -
DITTO. Dropbox. will open then under file|open very😒
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I'm using Classic Premier, current update, R52.33. For the past few weeks I cannot open my file on the 1st try and often not the 2nd try either. However, I can open the file if I try 2 or 3 times. I have validated the data in my file. Anyone know how to fix this issue?
[Merged Post]
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Pause OneDrive before starting Quicken. To do this,
- Exit Quicken if it is running.
- Locate the cloud-shaped OneDrive icon in the System Tray, at the bottom right of your screen. It may be in the overflow area, accessed by clicking on the up arrow at the left of the System Tray.
- Hover your mouse over the OneDrive icon and wait for the popup to say Up to date. This may take some time, be patient.
- Right click on the icon and select Pause syncing. Choose a time longer than you will be using Quicken.
- Restart Quicken.
- Exit Quicken when you are done.
Please post back and let us know if it works normally now.
QWin Premier subscription0 -
I've been having the same problem lately. This morning I disabled the OneDrive syncing when I started up my PC. Waited a little bit and tried my Quicken. Started up the first try so maybe the OneDrive trying to sync was the problem. I never did like the way OneDrive was trying to sync the Quicken files as soon as you started it.
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I have been having the problem since the "new update" to classic, and I don't use onedrive. Sometimes on the 2nd or 3rd try it will load in and work fine. It's more than a onedrive problem. My files are on my pc.
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