Still trying to obtain info from old backup files

Jack

Hello Quicken people! I have a help request. I posted some of this a year or so, but was not able to get the problem worked out. Perhaps it’s impossible. Anyway, I thought I’d try again.

The Problem: I have old quicken backups which contain some information on checks written which will help me to solve some old problems. It’s not a financial catastrophe, mostly curiosity about where some money went.

The current version of Quicken won’t read the old backup files. So I thought I might be able to install an older version of Quicken, but Windows 10 or 11 won’t install the older Quicken program. What is left to do?

My elaborate plan was to install Windows 7 on a laptop I’m not using, then install the older version of quicken on that Win 7 machine, and maybe that will let me search the old backup files. (I bought Windows 7 and Old Quicken program)

Is that a workable solution? I am concerned that I won’t be able to install the old Quicken program because the program can’t be installed without permission from the mother site.

Also, I have elaborate instructions from Quicken about restoring files back to Quicken 98, but that’s getting a bit complex for me.

To summarize, all I want is for somebody to open the old backups, copy the register and save it as a pdf or print it. Well, any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I’m having a hard time accepting that there is no way to accomplish this. I’m sure the CIA or FBI could figure out a way to do it! I’d be happy to pay some Quicken pro to do it, but the online offers to do this don’t seem very reliable. As I say, any suggestions or specific recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks!

John

NotACPA

How were those old backups created? By Quicken itself, or something else?

Current Q backups are a "QDF" file, but that file is actually a container that holds multiple files that Q needs.

I don't remember when that process started, but older Q backups were multiple files, ending in QDF, QEL, INX and a couple of others.

SO, if you only have that old style QDF file (without the others), you won't be able to open the QDF file … Q simply won't do it.

Also, in your earlier thread, of 2 years ago, you said that you were going to try various suggestions. What was the specific outcomes of those efforts?

Jack

Many thanks! I guess I am not going to get to see them. I really don't remember what measures I used to find a solution 2 years ago. I just remember I tried to install an older version of Quicken on my laptop, and it would not install on a WIN 2000 machine. I purchased an old version of Windows 7, but I never got around to getting to the actual installation of the old OS. I never recovered the hair I tore out at that time. But I thought I'd start the quest again. It seems to me that If just could open one of the old files, it should show all previous entries in the register, presumably having updted the programs correctly. I have numerous .QDF files dated back to 2009, and that is probably far enough back for me to look at the period I am interested in. The files I have are .QDF and dated back to 2009. I do appreciate your reply!

Jack

Chris_QPW

Unless the Windows 7 is a 32-bit version it wouldn’t help but it shouldn’t be needed.

The free versions that Quicken Inc provides for conversions install on Windows 11 and can open/convert data files back to at least Quicken 98.

https://www.quicken.com/support/how-and-when-use-intermediate-version-convert-older-versions-quicken/