Quicken 2002 Deluxe data file won't open Fix (One Solution)

Wally48

I found a relatively easy fix for Quicken Deluxe 2002 when it fails to open a data file that you have been using for a longtime and now will not open. But some background information about my problem to put everything into perspective. I have been using Quicken Deluxe 2002 for the last 23 years and it has worked fine though Windows XP, Windows 7 Professional, and Windows 10 Pro. During that time, I migrated the program to various new hard drives (mechanical to solid state drives). Still, everything worked fine until about a month ago (April 2025). Then last month, when I opened Quicken Deluxe 2002 it opened an old data file that I had used prior to 2015. When I tried to open my current data file, which I started in November 2015, it would not open (got an error message like: “Unable to open the selected file”. Therefore, I tried all the usual solutions (validate and repair file, etc.) with no luck. Then I tried to restore the Backup file, still no luck and same error message. Then I tried every “solution” I could find on Quicken website, Quicken forums, etc., and still no luck. I also set the “compatibilitymode” for the Quicken.exe file to Windows 7. Quicken Deluxe was released during the Windows XP era. Still no luck. Wow! Ten years of data down the drain. I thought about upgrading to a new version of Quicken, but I don’t need all the bells and whistles or having topay a yearly subscription to just run a small home budget and expense tracking system.

Ok. Then I tried to open a data file that I used prior to 2015. The data file opened perfectly with no problem. What’s different with the pre-2015 data file and the post-2015 data file that won’t open​? What I found out was that post-2015 data file was on an old hard drive that used to be my old system drive (C:/), which I had used prior to 2015. Next I found that the post-2015 data file I was trying open, but could not, was not even in my Quicken folder in my current C:/ system drive (a new SSD drive). How was this possible? I eventually found that when I had upgraded my hard drives over the years, from mechanical drives to solid state drives), my Quicken data file, for some reason I can't explain, stayed on the older drive. My data file was on an old SSD drive (F:/) hidden in some remote folder, but not in that drive’s Quicken folder as expected. I tried to move these data files from SSD drive F:/ to my current Quicken folder in drive C:/, but still no luck in opening the file no matter what I tried. Back to square one. Now I was back to browsing for solutions in Quicken forums, etc. Then I found one comment in one forum that stated that Quicken Deluxe 2002 “… prefers to have the data file name to be 8 characters...” or less, e.g., xxxxxxxx.qdf (8 characters)! My current data file was 21characters in length: WILLSON_201711_UPDATE.qdf. Was this the problem? I then changed my data file name to “WILL2025.qdf” (8characters), double clicked on the file, and it opened perfectly! Just a file name change and I’m back in business!

However, you also have to change the name to four other files in your Quicken folder (use Windows File Explorer, go to Drive C:/, open the Program Files (x86) folder, then go to the Quicken folder, open it, sort the files by "Name" and you should find the five primary data files needed to open your data file. Your main data file, with the extension *.qdf, has four associated files with the following file extensions: *.qel *.qph *.qsd *.qtx (Note: the * symbol represents the filename) all with the same file name.

For example, the old data file names, with 21 characters ...

WILLSON_201711_UPDATE.qdf

WILLSON_201711_UPDATE.qel

WILLSON_201711_UPDATE.qph

WILLSON_201711_UPDATE.qsd

WILLSON_201711_UPDATE.qtx

… needs to be changed to 8 characters, or less, with the same file name, for example:

WILL2025.qdf

WILL2025.qdf

WILL2025.qdf

WILL2025.qdf

WILL2025.qdf

The data file with the *.qdf file extension is the main data file, and it will have the largest file size compared to the other accessory data files. Before making any changes to your “five primary data files”, I recommendthat you copy these five files and paste (save) them in a backup folder of your choice. These files should be in the following location on your C:/ drive (system drive): C:/ Program Files (x86) folder, then Quicken folder. Your Quicken folder in the Program Files (x86) may have a different folder name than mine, but it should have at least the word “Quicken” in the name. After you have made the file name changes, I recommend you open Quicken by double clicking on the main data file with the *.qdf file extension in Windows File Explorer. Do this instead of trying to open Quicken from your desktop shortcut. If you use the Quicken desktop shortcut, it may be linked to the old data files with file names exceeding 8 characters, and it may also be linked to a hard drive other than your main system drive, C:/. By double clicking the *.qdf data file to open Quicken, it should update to the proper file location to your desktop shortcut. If your data file correctly opens, then you can close Quicken and try opening it from the desktop shortcut. Hopefully it will correctly open, and I hope this works for you as it did for me!

mshiggins

Thanks for confirming once again that sometimes Quicken won’t always work with a file name longer than 8 characters. It’s also important to note you want to avoid having a space at the end of the file name, like:

WILL2025 .qdf