Data File Password required but I NEVER set one!

Question

The forgot password link doesn't do anything - nothing.  I've tried every password I've ever used in my entire life - nothing worked.

I uninstalled Quicken and re-installed Quicken (R33.19 Business & Rental).  I updated Windows and restarted my computer.

Yes - I can go back and recover an old file, but I have 8 hours worth of tax related categorizing that I would lose simply because Quicken is crap software that I pay good money for.  I have 1 day to finish up my taxes and now I'm stuck playing footsie with a freaking password I never set!

I already suffer missed downloaded transactions and non-updating totals.  I started a new data file this year because of all the headaches with the last file - thinking starting fresh would get rid of the bugs.  NOT SO!

How do I get my file back?

Sherlock · Accepted Answer

If you never set a Quicken file password and Quicken is prompting for a Quicken file password, then the Quicken file is corrupt.  You may want to consider saving more frequent backups: press Ctrl + B

Before restoring a Quicken file backup (or opening an earlier version of a Quicken file), I suggest deleting the Quicken Cloud dataset (aka cloud account) associated with the Quicken file.  Note: You need to open another Quicken file to delete the appropriate cloud account.  You may want to review: https://www.quicken.com/support/how-edit-or-delete-your-cloud-datasets-quicken-windows

The other Quicken file needs to have a distinct file identifier so that we may delete the cloud account associated with the original Quicken file.  For example, you may create a new Quicken file (select File > New Quicken File...) without any accounts, enable sync in preferences so you may view and delete the cloud account associated with the original Quicken file.

This is necessary because when we open or restore an another version of the Quicken file with the same file identifier, Quicken is not resetting the cloud account appropriately at this time.  I hope they will let us know when they have addressed this issue, but for now before opening another Quicken file that has the same file identifier embedded, delete the cloud account.  
Note: Only File > New Quicken File... generates a distinct file identifier.  All other forms of creating a Quicken file, copy the embedded identifier from another file.

R Hoeffner · Accepted Answer

Thank you for your response!

I've already begun the arduous task of re-categorizing and finding missing transactions.  For some reason, Quicken decides either not to download or not make available 1 out of 50 or so transactions, quite randomly.  I've verified with the banks that these transactions are in fact being transmitted and picked up by Quicken, but Quicken thinks I don't need to see them for some reason....punishment I guess :).

Due to the multitude of cloud issues, I never hooked the cloud to this file.  On a lark, I opened my mobile app just to see what was there and it is an old old old 2018 file.  The cloud is a joke and I just simply don't want to mess with it.  It never ever would stay synced....possibly another punishment doled out to me by Quicken.

I think I've resigned myself to the fact that the file was somehow corrupted.  I was working in it all day and for some crazy reason, I shut it down. Tried to open it back up 10 min later and Quicken decided I needed to spend 8 hours re-doing all that work, the Quicken gods hadn't punished me enough yet, I suppose.  I had backed up the last time I spent any time categorizing, so I just lost the 8 hours from today.

I would LOVE to have no passwords at all.  It's just myself and my husband and I run the business only from my home.  I don't need to protect the file from anyone but possibly myself! :)  My husband wouldn't know what Quicken was, or how to turn on my computer, so I know he didn't set the password!!

Thank you again for your information and time.