Updated my D: drive with SDD card - now Quicken Issues

Question

Windows 10. Still using quicken 2000 with 20y data. Was an expert on DOS, now fairly good with windows. Managed to get Quicken 2000 running perfectly with a couple of work-arounds.

Replaced my D: (data) drive with exact windows copy to SDD card.

Quicken no longer offers me default into current data, but tries to invite me to start from scratch with a new file. I can cancel this, and then open my current file, which is remembered in the short drop-down list under FILE

I guess I'm missing perhaps a DLL or corrupt disc file, or maybe I need a Registry entry. Can edit registry safely, but don't know what to put in it!

Be grateful for any ideas. Don't really want to upgrade - I'm about 120y old and not quite so quick

Many thanks

Philip

Chris_QPW · Answer

What is the full path name to the data file?  You can run into the same 8.3/spaces problems with the rest of the path.  Something like D:\Quicken\Home.qdf would be best.  If that isn't the problem

Since the shortcut doesn't work, and given it isn't a path problem, then you have some kind of problem that is causing Quicken not to be able to open that data file the first time.  So, it isn't that Quicken doesn't get the right filename.

Possible causes of a "temporary lock" on the data file can be things like anti-virus software, storing the data file in a "cloud folder".

On the comment about quicken.ini, I don't remember if there was a quicken.ini file back then (most likely there was) (There certainly was a quicken.ini file), and I'm not sure where it is storing it, but Quicken would certainly create it.

In Windows 11 it is normally in C:\ProgramData\Quicken\Config

Note that if it being stored in the Program Files folder then that would cause problems, because the files in there shouldn't be changed by anything other than the install program.  But also, if that was the problem, the Desktop shortcut should have fixed the problem.  Quicken.ini is exactly where Quicken stores the "most recent".

PhilipR · Answer

Thank you both.

I understand the file-name issues and how windows handles the old 8.3 conventions (badly). My filenames are still DOS compliant

Tried the Send To Desktop - but problem unresolved - same if I use "Open with". It still thinks I am a new user wanting to create a new account.

The last opened files are in the drop-down menu, and load correctly -  so Quicken has remembered that. I guess I need a clue to stop Quicken thinking I'm new to the problem - I guess there is a flag somewhere which has not carried over when cloning the old disc drive.

My new friend ChatGP made various suggestions about registry entries recording "last opened" etc, but a search of all entries with "quicken" in the data revealed no \path\filename entries

Might I need a quicken.ini file somewhere (? in program or data folder) which it can read?

The problem isn't existential, but it's a damned nuisance when I use it so much.

Philip

Chris_QPW · Answer

The simplest fix is to right click on the Home.qdf file and use Windows’ Send to menu to create a shortcut on the Desktop.

The you can just double click on that and it will open in Quicken.