UK Quicken XG 2004 on Windows 11

Drillman

I was very concerned about getting a new PC with Windows 11 (been running it on 10 till now) and moving my old UK version of Quicken XG 2004 across. I could not really get any comfort from the forums but decided to go ahead after researching possible alternatives should it go wrong! My experience was relatively straightforward, but here is my story! My new PC supplier mirrored all my data from the old PC across, so all my Quicken files back to 1998 were on my data hard drive (D). I also had the Application file 'QuickenUK2004R2' saved, that I believe was a patch or upgrade that came out later (mine is download dated 2016 - it is a big file of 30MB so I cannot attach, but a search should find it on the Web). I ran this no problem and when it asked if I was a new or old user, selected old and it then asks you for the Qdata file you want to use. I located it on 'D' but it came back that it could not run. I also tried some of the older data files with same result. Being a bit worried now, I then put all the Quicken files on my old PC onto a stick drive and then selected Qdata from it and hey presto, it worked! Everything loaded correctly, and the Qdata file loaded into my 'C' drive under 'program files (X86)\Quicken, where the program files are located. I then did a back-up to my 'D' drive but when I tried to then open it to test it, it wouldnt open - no problem doing that on Windows 10. For some reason (computer buffs may know why) it won't accept the files from the data hard drive 'D'. I then open each of the older files in turn from the stick drive and they all opened fine and then I saved them to the same place on the 'C' drive where I can now move easily between the different years should I wish to. Should my 'C' drive get corrupted or fail in future, the files are still safely on 'D', so I would just have to do the same again and load them from a stick drive.

I hope that makes sense and gives others who may be frightened to upgrade to Windows 11, as I was, some comfort!

NotACPA

What type of device is your D: drive? And did you ever try opening the file, from D:, by clicking on it directly, rather than opening the program 1st?

Chris_QPW

Just a word of caution. You shouldn't locate your data file in "'C' drive under 'program files (X86)\Quicken". A long time ago it was the policy of some programs to store their data in the same folder as the program, but that is discouraged/out and out blocked at times these days. This so that the program and the data can be separated so that programs like anti-virus and Windows can keep "what is running" from being "changed".

It also makes backups easier since the program is separated from the data.

You should be able to create a folder like C:\Quicken and put your data file there.

Drillman

Thanks to NotACPA and Chris-QPW for your comments/questions. The 'D' Drive is a Kingston 2TB NVM SSD drive if that helps. I just tried double clicking an old file on the 'D' drive and the program did open, but it starts the 'Welcome to Quicken 2004' process again and asks if I am new to Quicken or already a user, it never open the file directly. Selecting already a user, it then asks to either open, restore, start again, or open a sample file. I did not go further and exited. On opening the program from my taskbar it also now took me to 'Welcome to Quicken 2004' page again and not direct into my last file in use, so I obviously confused it! I then selected my Qdata file and all was ok. I get your point that it looks like I can open directly from 'D' if I start fresh each time. I then tried opening the 'D' drive files from the File/Open within the program and it again said it could not open it. I can live with this.

Chris, I could not see an option to automatically save the Qdata file to a different location on the 'C' drive? I do my back-ups regularily to the 'D' drive so my data should be safe. If you can guide me how to do that alternative storage location on 'C', it would be appreciated.

Thanks to you both, I'm in no way a super user or computer expert and really wanted to give others in the same boat who may be worried about going to Windows 11 that it does all work. I now have my old files on the 'C' drive with my QData file and they open fine directly from the program and my back-ups on 'D' can be accessed if need be by copying to a stick (unless Not ACPA can advise why I cannot open them on 'D' from the program as I used to on Windows 10), but I have an easily workable system for 99% of my work as it is mostly just on the current Qdata file. Hope this helps.

Chris_QPW

Probably the easiest way to move your data file to another location is to just do a backup and then do restore to a different location. The original data file will stay where it is, but your newer copies will be at the new location.

You could use the Windows File Explorer to create the folder it will go into, say C:\Quicken, and when you do the restore browse to that location.

Chris_QPW

I will mention that you can also use the Windows File Explorer to just move the Quicken data file(s) to another location, but I should point out that for Quicken 2004 the "data file" is actually a collection of files all with the same name, but different types. Say the data file name is QData then the files will be like QData.qdf, QData.qph, QData.qel, … there might also be a folder Attachments that needs to move with the "data file".

List of file extensions:

Quicken Data File Set Extensions | Quicken

Chris_QPW

Please note that if it is working for you with it in the program files folder you can leave it there. Just note that at some time an anti-virus program might have a problem with you changing a file there.

Drillman

Much appreciated Chris and I hope my experience gives comfort to other UK version 2004 users that it will work fine in Windows 11.

volvogirl

You are still running the UK 2004 version ok? 2004 was the last XG version. It expired after 10 years. Back then people were posting to ask how to convert it to the US version to keep using Quicken. I have several links to other posts but they were from the prior Quicken forum when it was with Intuit and don't work anymore in the current forum.

Drillman

I am running the UK 2004 XG version on Windows 11. If you look at my first post you can see the execute file I ran to install it on my new PC, 'QuickenUK2004R2'. I'm sure it is probably still available online and free, it is too large for me to send I think. I was concerned after reading posts that I would have to get something else and it was not clear some of the outcomes for others, but it was really no problem once I figured out the file opening issue I detailed above. Only other issue is that it keeps telling me when I open it that I need to register it and when you try it does not do anything, but I can live with clicking ignore each time I open it!

volvogirl

Here's a note I have how to bypass registration. But it might be only for US or newer versions.

Start or restart Quicken. Do not start a One Step Update or any other download activity.
Press and hold and keep holding both the left CTRL and Shift keys while you click Tools and then One Step Update. When the message “You will no longer be prompted for registration” appears, click OK.

Drillman

Thanks for that, in the UK version the One Step Update is under 'Online' but it worked doing it as you described. Thanks for that! If you have a similiar tip to get rid of the check for online updates that pops up averyother login, that would be great as well! Appreciated.