Any Quicken Gurus About?

[Chris Padilla]

Perry,

I might try that out. The one thing that has held me back from trying 2004 is that I would have to pay for it. Thus far, I only had to pay $6.50 for a 2003 install disk. Would you wanna send me a copy of 2004 for me to try out??? I've also tried 2002 and 2000 to no avail (I had 2000 install disc and Quicken gave me a link where they have 2002 and on back for free download for me to try out).

I will try Quicken support once more and hopefully I can find some guru there who might want to take a crack at my various backed-up files.

[Jim Becker]

Chris, do keep in mind that the more current version(s) of Quicken are more secure and more capable...and the cost of the software may be tax deductible since you use it to maintain tax records, especially for securities. The peace of mind I have with being able to monitor activity on my credit cards and other accounts daily in this day and age of "creative thievery" makes it worth more than the cost of the software for me, too.

[Chris Padilla]

Jim,

I agree with you...I just have my doubts that even 2004 will work to fix my problem but I am getting tired of NOT having my Quicken going. I've been Quicken-less since the second week of June now and I'm getting tired of it. It sucks to not have something you've relied upon for many years suddenly gone....

[Jim Becker]

Trust me...I could not live without this application. BTW, the current version is Quicken 2005...

[Roy Wall]

Jim,

I agree with you...I just have my doubts that even 2004 will work to fix my problem but I am getting tired of NOT having my Quicken going. I've been Quicken-less since the second week of June now and I'm getting tired of it. It sucks to not have something you've relied upon for many years suddenly gone....

Hey Chris,

WHy not get the 05 @ comp usa.....surely they have a full refund policy (or at least equal store credit) for 2-4 day software returns....(if there is no data repair....)

[Chris Padilla]

I thought I'd update everyone with the final outcome. After a few more long sessions with the fine Quicken folks in India (), I was finally able to convince them that they needed to take a look at my files and see if they could do anything with them.

So I got a special web site address complete with login/password and promptly uploaded my corrupted back-up files...on July 14.

Every couple of days, I login to see if anything is new. Zippo.

Finally, today, I login and send a "comment" asking when they think they'll have some resolution with my files (didn't wanna push 'em but I needed to know). After that, I call Quicken (India) again and ask why it is taking so long. At least they confirmed that they were indeed working on it. Cool.

Interestingly timing-wise, a couple hours later I get an email from Quicken explaining what they figured out. There were not able to get Quicken 2003 to work on my files (that was the version I used) but they were able to get Quicken 2005 to open them up and from what they can tell, everything looked fine!

Naturally, I'm thrilled but thinking in the back of my mind, "Yeah, they just sucked an upgrade out of me but oh well, the important thing is that it works and hopefully all my file info is intact!"

Perhaps a half-hour after the email, Quicken calls me! After talking with Quicken India so many times, it is strange to get someone who sounds and talks exactly like me! Anyway, he bascially called to repeat the email to me and to ask if I wanted to go the 2005 route. He said he could overnight it to me. I asked if I could just download it but he said that would be fine but then I'd have to pay for the upgrade. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Yep, I heard that right!! I guess after all this I am getting Quicken2005 for free!!!!

Not bad I guess. Now I gotta fumble around 2005 for a bit (frustrated I'm sure) until I get a handle on it. You can bet your booty this time that I'll check these back-up files every once in a while to see if they really work!!

So I have the fixed files (downloaded 'em) now but must wait on Q2005 to show up to try 'em out.

Cross your fingers and toes for a mostly intact database!!!

[Jim Becker]

Q2005 is a much better product, IMHO, than Q2003, so you're getting a really good deal.

[Roy Wall]

There ya go!!

Good news......now make a backup

[Michael Perata]

It is amazing the backroom secrets some of these database guys have to "magically" restore data from a corrupted file.
I am glad they had a fix for for you.

[Chris Padilla]

I received Quicken2005 Premiere (cool, I only had Q03 Deluxe last time) from UPS yesterday evening.

I can hardly believe it but everything appears fine and I'm a happy camper! Downloaded 118 Discover Card transactions (been 2 months since I did it)!

[Jim Becker]

LOL! And they just released Quicken 2006....

[Chris Padilla]

Yeah, I have all kinds of pop-ups in Quicken asking me if I want to upgrade to 2006! No biggie...I'm just happy all my data is still there!

[Rich Konopka]

I don't know Chris. It sounds like a consiparcy to to get Quicken users to upgrade.

[Chris Padilla]

OFX vs. QIF file style for downloading transactions.

It appears that Q05 doesn't accept QIF files for 401(k) transaction download. They only take the newer OFX style.

http://web.intuit.com/personal/quicken/qif/

Sigh, I have two months worth of 401(k) stuff to bring into Quicken now. I have an email into where I work to ask our 401(k) holder (Fidelity) to include this OFX format but who knows if/when that will happen.

I guess Q06 starts not accepting QIF format for credit card downloads, too!

I was thinking to make some kind of a dummy account in Q05 to at least get my 401(k) transactions brought in and then maybe I could transfer them over to the 401(k) account. I'm not sure it'll work but I'll be damned if I bring them in by hand...all 64 of them!!

[Jim Becker]

Yes, this transition away from QIF has been going on now for a few years for security reasons...they first announced it when Quicken '04 was released.