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MaryL
Guest

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 5:43 pm Post subject: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

I am using Quicken 2006 Deluxe. I use it on my desktop computer running under Vista. I would also like to use it on my laptop computer (with Win XP-home edition) when I go on vacation this summer. What is the best way to copy or impory files from one computer to another, especially considering that one will be under Vista and the other will be under XP? Thanks, MaryL

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R. C. White
Guest

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

Hi, Mary.

No problemo! ;^}

Quicken will have to be installed on each computer, of course, but the data
files should transfer seamlessly between Vista and WinXP. Use any
convenient transfer media (a USB flash drive might be best) to get the data
files from the folder on one computer to the other.

Just remember that what Quicken calls a "file" is actually a set of related
files, which we often call the Quicken "fileset". This means the MaryL.qdf
and any other MaryL.* files (or QDATA or whatever name you've chosen). If
you use Windows' Copy command or other such "generic" tools, you'll need to
remember to include the full fileset. Quicken will automatically handle all
of them as a single Quicken "file".

So, just use Quicken's Copy (or Backup) command on one computer to put your
up-to-the-minute Quicken file onto the flash drive. Then on the other
computer, use Quicken's File | Open (if you used Copy) or File | Restore
Backup File (if you used Backup) to load that file. Use the reverse
procedure to go back to the first computer, being SURE that the file you are
moving back is up to date with ALL transactions during the interim.

If this is a one-time or infrequent transition between the two computers,
it's probably best to copy the files from one HD to the flash drive, then
from the flash drive to the other HD (and back again later). But if you
will be swapping between the computers several times, it may be more
convenient to operate from data files on the flash drive, making sure that
each HD has a current backup updated after each swap.

Caveat: I haven't actually done this, since I have only one computer. (I
do keep at least one backup on a flash drive.) But others here should be
able to point out anything I've overlooked.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(Retired. No longer licensed to practice public accounting.)
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Currently running Quicken 2008 Deluxe in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)

"MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote in message
news:482d8169$0$4077$bbae4d71@news.suddenlink.net...

Quote:

I am using Quicken 2006 Deluxe. I use it on my desktop computer running
under Vista. I would also like to use it on my laptop computer (with Win
XP-home edition) when I go on vacation this summer. What is the best way
to copy or impory files from one computer to another, especially
considering that one will be under Vista and the other will be under XP?

Thanks,
MaryL

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Han
Guest

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 5:48 am Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

"R. C. White" <rc@grandecom.net> wrote in
news:qKudncpkZ5sZEbDVnZ2dnUVZ_qninZ2d@posted.grandecom:

Quote:

Hi, Mary.

No problemo! ;^}

Quicken will have to be installed on each computer, of course, but the
data files should transfer seamlessly between Vista and WinXP. Use
any convenient transfer media (a USB flash drive might be best) to get
the data files from the folder on one computer to the other.

Just remember that what Quicken calls a "file" is actually a set of
related files, which we often call the Quicken "fileset". This means
the MaryL.qdf and any other MaryL.* files (or QDATA or whatever name
you've chosen). If you use Windows' Copy command or other such
"generic" tools, you'll need to remember to include the full fileset.
Quicken will automatically handle all of them as a single Quicken
"file".

So, just use Quicken's Copy (or Backup) command on one computer to put
your up-to-the-minute Quicken file onto the flash drive. Then on the
other computer, use Quicken's File | Open (if you used Copy) or File |
Restore Backup File (if you used Backup) to load that file. Use the
reverse procedure to go back to the first computer, being SURE that
the file you are moving back is up to date with ALL transactions
during the interim.

If this is a one-time or infrequent transition between the two
computers, it's probably best to copy the files from one HD to the
flash drive, then from the flash drive to the other HD (and back again
later). But if you will be swapping between the computers several
times, it may be more convenient to operate from data files on the
flash drive, making sure that each HD has a current backup updated
after each swap.

Caveat: I haven't actually done this, since I have only one computer.
(I do keep at least one backup on a flash drive.) But others here
should be able to point out anything I've overlooked.

RC

RC's procedure works fine. I use computer A (under Vista Home Basic)
regularly, and back up semiautomatically (wired network) to a directory
on an external drive on another computer. If I rename and copy those
backup files (all of them), I can just run the file set on the other
computer.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

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MaryL
Guest

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 10:05 pm Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

"MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote in message
news:482d8169$0$4077$bbae4d71@news.suddenlink.net...

Quote:

Thanks, RC and Han. I have obviously done something wrong. I used the
backup method that RC listed because I am very unsure about how to copy
files into programs under Vista. It is simple under XP, but Vista "frowns"
on copying files into the All Programs area. I do keep my backups in
separate directories -- a backup folder on the primary hard disk (drive C:\)
and also on alternate external hard disks.

I backed up to a flash drive from Quicken on my desktop computer. When I
tried to use backup restore on the laptop, Quicken reported that some files
were missing. Next, I used backup from the laptop to try to restore to my
desktop (all data was correct, so this was not going to cause me to lose
anything). Same thing! Quicken reported that some files were missing. And
yet...I was using Quicken's own backup procedure.

I am using Quicken 2006 Deluxe -- Vista on the desktop and XP-Home edition
on the laptop.

Any ideas?

MaryL

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Andrew DeFaria
Guest

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 10:28 pm Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

MaryL wrote:

Quote:

Secondly, why do you insist on putting your data (your Quicken database)
where the code (the Quicken program) is? Thirdly, how exactly did that
"frown" manifest itself?

Quote:

I do keep my backups in separate directories -- a backup folder on the
primary hard disk (drive C:\) and also on alternate external hard disks.

I backed up to a flash drive from Quicken on my desktop computer.
How, exactly, did you do this "backup"?
When I tried to use backup restore on the laptop, Quicken reported
that some files were missing.
What, exactly, did Quicken report? Not your rendition but the actual words!

(Why is it that people insist on paraphrasing the messages they are
given? What they just like to introduce a extra party or
misinterpretation? Or is it that they enjoy having us guess?)

Quote:

Next, I used backup from the laptop to try to restore to my desktop
(all data was correct, so this was not going to cause me to lose
anything).
Huh?!? Didn't you just get through saying that Quicken reported that

there were files missing?!? But you went onward anyway?!? Or is this
some other backup?

Quote:

Same thing! Quicken reported that some files were missing. And
yet...I was using Quicken's own backup procedure.

I am using Quicken 2006 Deluxe -- Vista on the desktop and XP-Home
edition on the laptop.

Any ideas?
Yes. First explain exactly what you are doing, every step, every error

message. Don't invent stuff, interpret stuff or abbreviate stuff, OK?

You do know that even when you create a Quicken backup there are
multiple files involved. My guess is, and guess is what I need to do,
that you created a backup and then copied only some of the files there.
That would be in keeping with Quicken's message that there are files
missing.
--
Andrew DeFaria <http://defaria.com>
You know how it is when you're walking up the stairs, and you get to the
top, and you think there's one more step? I'm like that all the time.

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Han
Guest

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

"MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote in
news:482f105e$0$4044$bbae4d71@news.suddenlink.net:

Quote:

"MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote in message
news:482d8169$0$4077$bbae4d71@news.suddenlink.net...
I am using Quicken 2006 Deluxe. I use it on my desktop computer
running under Vista. I would also like to use it on my laptop
computer (with Win XP-home edition) when I go on vacation this summer.
What is the best way to copy or impory files from one computer to
another, especially considering that one will be under Vista and the
other will be under XP?

Thanks,
MaryL

Thanks, RC and Han. I have obviously done something wrong. I used
the backup method that RC listed because I am very unsure about how to
copy files into programs under Vista. It is simple under XP, but
Vista "frowns" on copying files into the All Programs area. I do keep
my backups in separate directories -- a backup folder on the primary
hard disk (drive C:\) and also on alternate external hard disks.

I backed up to a flash drive from Quicken on my desktop computer.
When I tried to use backup restore on the laptop, Quicken reported
that some files were missing. Next, I used backup from the laptop to
try to restore to my desktop (all data was correct, so this was not
going to cause me to lose anything). Same thing! Quicken reported
that some files were missing. And yet...I was using Quicken's own
backup procedure.

I am using Quicken 2006 Deluxe -- Vista on the desktop and XP-Home
edition on the laptop.

Any ideas?

MaryL

I do agree with Andrew DeFaria that your description is imprecise. That

hinders our helping you <sad grin>.

I have gone either way at different times, using the backup function from
within Quicken (either 2006, 2007-trial, or 2008):
desktop with XP Pro --> laptop with Vista Home Basic
or
laptop with Vista Home Basic --> desktop with XP Pro

in either case I have specifically backup to a location well allowed by
the operating system, and specified as a backup folder. Files were
always identified by a date suffix (MyData2008-05-17, or some such name).
Then files were copied using Windows Explorer to a data folder (usually
one branch "up" from the Backup folder, but not necessarily), and renamed
to make it more intelligable (but probably only to me!). Then the other
computer's Quicken was started (same year's version, fully updated) by
double clicking the qdf file from that computer. That has always worked
without any error messages, at least for me.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

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MaryL
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 3:24 am Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

"Han" <nobody@nospam.not> wrote in message
news:Xns9AA18FC3D45A0ikkezelf@130.81.64.196...

Quote:

"MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote in
news:482f105e$0$4044$bbae4d71@news.suddenlink.net:

"MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote in message
news:482d8169$0$4077$bbae4d71@news.suddenlink.net...
I am using Quicken 2006 Deluxe. I use it on my desktop computer
running under Vista. I would also like to use it on my laptop
computer (with Win XP-home edition) when I go on vacation this summer.
What is the best way to copy or impory files from one computer to
another, especially considering that one will be under Vista and the
other will be under XP?

Thanks,
MaryL

Thanks, RC and Han. I have obviously done something wrong. I used
the backup method that RC listed because I am very unsure about how to
copy files into programs under Vista. It is simple under XP, but
Vista "frowns" on copying files into the All Programs area. I do keep
my backups in separate directories -- a backup folder on the primary
hard disk (drive C:\) and also on alternate external hard disks.

I backed up to a flash drive from Quicken on my desktop computer.
When I tried to use backup restore on the laptop, Quicken reported
that some files were missing. Next, I used backup from the laptop to
try to restore to my desktop (all data was correct, so this was not
going to cause me to lose anything). Same thing! Quicken reported
that some files were missing. And yet...I was using Quicken's own
backup procedure.

I am using Quicken 2006 Deluxe -- Vista on the desktop and XP-Home
edition on the laptop.

Any ideas?

MaryL

I do agree with Andrew DeFaria that your description is imprecise. That
hinders our helping you <sad grin>.

I have gone either way at different times, using the backup function from
within Quicken (either 2006, 2007-trial, or 2008):
desktop with XP Pro --> laptop with Vista Home Basic
or
laptop with Vista Home Basic --> desktop with XP Pro

in either case I have specifically backup to a location well allowed by
the operating system, and specified as a backup folder. Files were
always identified by a date suffix (MyData2008-05-17, or some such name).
Then files were copied using Windows Explorer to a data folder (usually
one branch "up" from the Backup folder, but not necessarily), and renamed
to make it more intelligable (but probably only to me!). Then the other
computer's Quicken was started (same year's version, fully updated) by
double clicking the qdf file from that computer. That has always worked
without any error messages, at least for me.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Here are the steps I took:
While in Quicken (checking account, using QDATA.QDF), I backed up (not
copied), as follows: Ctrl-B > L:\Quicken Backup. Drive L is a Memorex thumb
drive. I have a folder on that drive named Quicken Backup. Using this
method, files have always backed up to the folder. I never restored until
this attempt, so I can't guarantee that they are correct. Numerous backups
were in the folder, so I deleted all of them and started over again when I
encountered this problem. The following filenames were listed (each one
with an underscore and the date plus the number 17 before the three-letter
extension): QDATA.QDF, QDATA.QEL, QDATA.QPH, QDATA.IDX. Thus, the files
were QDATA_20080517.QDF and similar filenames for the other files.

I notice when I open Quicken on the desktop, the name is simply QDATA.QDF
where I am asked for my password. However, when I open Quicken on the
laptop, the name is QDATA followed by an underscore and the date plus what
appears to be a backup number, thus: QDATA_20080517.QDF.

First, I backed up from Drive C on the desktop computer to Drive L and then
attempted to restore to the laptop, as follows: From within Quicken on the
laptop, I selected File > Restore Backup File. I selected E:\Quicken
Backup\QDATA_20080517. (There was a number 1 followed by a space
immediately to the left of the name.) Drive E, of course, is the drive
letter where the same thumb drive is placed on the laptop computer.

Instead of installing, this error message appeared: "One or more backup
files is missing."

I tried this several times, with the same result.

Next, I decided to try the process in reverse to see if I would get the same
error message from my desktop. That is, I deleted everything on Drive E,
then backed up from the laptop to Drive E (using exactly the same procedure
as shown above). When I used File > Restore Backup File from within Quicken
on the desktop, I received the identical error message: "One or more backup
files is missing."

I have not used the copy command to move the files. However, I do regularly
backup (using CTRL-B) to different disks so that I would not lose all my
data if something were to happen to one of the disks.

After I saw your most recent message, I double-clicked on the qdf file
*directly from the thumb drive.* That seems to have copied/restored
everything into the Quicken program on the laptop.

Do you have any idea what I am doing wrong when I when using the Restore
Backup File command? Is double-clicking on the qdf file directly from the
USB drive really a correct way to do this? (That is, I had used My Computer
to access files on the thumb drive and double-clicked on the qdf file at
that time.)

Thanks, again.
MaryL

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Han
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:49 am Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

"MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote in
news:482f5b26$0$4066$bbae4d71@news.suddenlink.net:

Quote:

After I saw your most recent message, I double-clicked on the qdf file
*directly from the thumb drive.* That seems to have copied/restored
everything into the Quicken program on the laptop.

Do you have any idea what I am doing wrong when I when using the
Restore Backup File command? Is double-clicking on the qdf file
directly from the USB drive really a correct way to do this? (That
is, I had used My Computer to access files on the thumb drive and
double-clicked on the qdf file at that time.)

I must admit that I only tried once to do the "restore" and it didn't

work (I don't remember the error message). After that I have always done
almost the same as what you describe in the quoted portion, except:

I always select the files that comprise the full backup set in My
Computer under Z:/.../.../Backup/XXXX_20080517.QDF. This is the external
drive on my desktop, and XXXX is the name I give here to the full set.
In my case the full file set includes the extensions IDX, NPC, QDF, QEL,
QTX and QPH. Since I haven't used the tax-related export since March
2006, the QTX file is old (!!), and probably totally irrelevant, as is
perhaps the NPC file. After selecting these files I copy and paste them
into the working directory of the laptop (NOT the backup directory), and
rename each of them to YYYYY.ext (so I delete both the underscore and the
date suffix). Then I launch the resulting file set by doubleclicking on
the relevant QDF.

Instead of XXXXX and YYYYY I use other, more descriptive names, but I
limit them to no more than 7 characters, with the last one NOT a number,
so that Quicken can make the automatic backups and can add a trailing
digit to it that is easily seen. These automatic backups go in the
backup directory under the working directory. If you keep launching the
latest backup, and let Quicken make its automaic backups, you pretty soon
will have a directory path like
D:/.../Backup/Backup/Backup/Backup/Backup/Backup/Backup/ with files in
each of them that look the same.

HTH
--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

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Andrew DeFaria
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 6:04 am Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

MaryL wrote:

Quote:

That's way it says QDATA_200805*17*.QDF! You need to pay attention to
detail and think. BTW there is a toggle in the Quicken Backup dialog
that states, and I quote

Add date to the file name (Home_20080517)
This will help you identify which fiel is the latest backup.

People who understand computers realize this is unnecessary as files
have creation and modification timestamps already courtesy of the file
system. BTW I call my Quicken database "Home". If you toggle off that
toggle then no _<date> will be appended to your backups. About all the
date toggle does is ensures that if you back up another time you'll get
another copy of your backup, since the file set is dated (except, of
course, if you backup multiple times in one day, then the last one will
overwrite the previous one).

Quote:

I notice when I open Quicken on the desktop, the name is simply
QDATA.QDF where I am asked for my password. However, when I open
Quicken on the laptop, the name is QDATA followed by an underscore and
the date plus what appears to be a backup number, thus:
QDATA_20080517.QDF.
Ah, again, there's no backup number - the 20080517 is a date (meaning

05/17/2008 or today!).

Quote:

First, I backed up from Drive C on the desktop computer to Drive L and
then attempted to restore to the laptop, as follows: From within
Quicken on the laptop, I selected File > Restore Backup File. I
selected E:\Quicken Backup\QDATA_20080517. (There was a number 1
followed by a space immediately to the left of the name.) Drive E, of
course, is the drive letter where the same thumb drive is placed on
the laptop computer.

Instead of installing, this error message appeared: "One or more
backup files is missing."

I tried this several times, with the same result.
Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing and expecting

different results? Nevermind...

Quote:

Next, I decided to try the process in reverse to see if I would get
the same error message from my desktop. That is, I deleted everything
on Drive E, then backed up from the laptop to Drive E (using exactly
the same procedure as shown above). When I used File > Restore Backup
File from within Quicken on the desktop, I received the identical
error message: "One or more backup files is missing."

I have not used the copy command to move the files. However, I do
regularly backup (using CTRL-B) to different disks so that I would not
lose all my data if something were to happen to one of the disks.
Well considering you've never done a restore and can't seem to manage to

get a restore to work I would think you should be extremely concerned
that none of your backed up files provide you with any protection if
something were to happen! I would think at a minimum, if you were gonna
rely on backup/restore as a mechanism for disaster recovery then you
would have at least done a dry run of it. Anyway, let's do that now.
Let's remove the laptop, thumb drive and sneaker net from the question.
Let's just try a simple backup and restore shall we?

First a word about backups. Question: What's the difference between the
set of files that comprise your active Quicken database (and you'll note
I never call it a Quicken file because it's not a single file - it's a
database) and the backup copy of your Quicken database that you just
produced? The answer is... drum roll.... nothing (As far as I can tell).
About the only difference is that it has a different name. So, IOW, if
you had a Quicken database named QDATA and you did a backup calling it
QDATA_20080515 then Quicken can equally open either QDATA or
QDATA_20080515. They are the same (that is until you update either one
of them).

So then let's do this. Open your normal Quicken database and do File:
Backup but this time select Browse under the "Select the disk drive and
path to the backup folder". Browse your C Drive. Click on the Make New
Folder button int he Browse For Folder dialog and type in "Backup". Now
you have a folder called C:\Backup. Click OK and you should see
"C:\Backup" as your backup folder. Click OK to perform the backup.

Next close Quicken. Start a Windows Explorer and browse to C:\Backup.
You should see QDATA_20080517.QDF, etc. Double click QDATA_20080517.QDF.
Viola Quicken starts and it looks exactly like your normal Quicken
database does.

Close Quicken. Now start Quicken again and open your normal QDATA file.
Add a bogus transaction for depositing $0.01 into your checking account.
Now select File: Restore From Backup. You should see the
C:\Backup\QDATA_20080517.QDF in that menu. Select it. You should see a
dialog box that says "File restored successfully. Open the file by
choosing Open from the File Menu."

What just went on here? Well Intuit, in it's effort to make backups more
reliable, have introduced concepts and the like that inevitably make
things more complicated than necessary, all in the effort to spare
people from learning or understanding what a file system is or how it
operates. This File: Restore from Backup merely copied the fileset of
QDATA_20080517.* from C:\Backup to wherever you happen to store your
Quicken database. For example, if I now select File: Open, I see no only
my normal Quicken database (named Home) but the copied backup set, i.e.
Home_20080517. The difference between the two Quicken databases? One has
an extra deposit for $0.01.

So I could open Home_20080517, inspect it and if I deemed it OK, I could
do File: File Operations: Delete to delete my old Home Quicken database
then probably File: File Operations: Rename to rename Home_20080517 -> Home.

Quote:

said, there's really no difference between an active Quicken database
and a backed up one.

Quote:

Do you have any idea what I am doing wrong when I when using the
Restore Backup File command?
Let's get the backup and restore thing working from one machine before

we introduce thumb drives and multiple machines...

Quote:

Is double-clicking on the qdf file directly from the USB drive really
a correct way to do this? (That is, I had used My Computer to access
files on the thumb drive and double-clicked on the qdf file at that
time.)
Again, you just opened a Quicken database that resided on a thumb drive.

It really has little to do with copying Quicken databases from one
computer to another.

Question of curiosity however: Can you open this Quicken database from
the laptop? From the desktop?
--
Andrew DeFaria <http://defaria.com>
Why are there tags on blow-dryers that say Do Not Use In The Shower? Is
this really a problem?

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Han
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 6:20 am Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

Andrew DeFaria <Andrew@DeFaria.com> wrote in
news:482f8084$0$87067$815e3792@news.qwest.net:

Quote:

MaryL wrote:
Here are the steps I took:
While in Quicken (checking account, using QDATA.QDF), I backed up
(not copied), as follows: Ctrl-B > L:\Quicken Backup. Drive L is a
Memorex thumb drive. I have a folder on that drive named Quicken
Backup. Using this method, files have always backed up to the
folder. I never restored until this attempt, so I can't guarantee
that they are correct. Numerous backups were in the folder, so I
deleted all of them and started over again when I encountered this
problem. The following filenames were listed (each one with an
underscore and the date plus the number 17 before the three-letter
extension): QDATA.QDF, QDATA.QEL, QDATA.QPH, QDATA.IDX. Thus, the
files were QDATA_20080517.QDF and similar filenames for the other
files.
Huh?!? 17 is not just a number added onto the end. Today's the 17th!
That's way it says QDATA_200805*17*.QDF! You need to pay attention to
detail and think. BTW there is a toggle in the Quicken Backup dialog
that states, and I quote

Add date to the file name (Home_20080517)
This will help you identify which fiel is the latest backup.

People who understand computers realize this is unnecessary as files
have creation and modification timestamps already courtesy of the file
system. BTW I call my Quicken database "Home". If you toggle off that
toggle then no _<date> will be appended to your backups. About all the
date toggle does is ensures that if you back up another time you'll
get another copy of your backup, since the file set is dated (except,
of course, if you backup multiple times in one day, then the last one
will overwrite the previous one).
I notice when I open Quicken on the desktop, the name is simply
QDATA.QDF where I am asked for my password. However, when I open
Quicken on the laptop, the name is QDATA followed by an underscore
and the date plus what appears to be a backup number, thus:
QDATA_20080517.QDF.
Ah, again, there's no backup number - the 20080517 is a date (meaning
05/17/2008 or today!).
First, I backed up from Drive C on the desktop computer to Drive L
and then attempted to restore to the laptop, as follows: From within
Quicken on the laptop, I selected File > Restore Backup File. I
selected E:\Quicken Backup\QDATA_20080517. (There was a number 1
followed by a space immediately to the left of the name.) Drive E,
of course, is the drive letter where the same thumb drive is placed
on the laptop computer.

Instead of installing, this error message appeared: "One or more
backup files is missing."

I tried this several times, with the same result.
Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing and expecting
different results? Nevermind...
Next, I decided to try the process in reverse to see if I would get
the same error message from my desktop. That is, I deleted
everything on Drive E, then backed up from the laptop to Drive E
(using exactly the same procedure as shown above). When I used File
Restore Backup File from within Quicken on the desktop, I received
the identical error message: "One or more backup files is missing."

I have not used the copy command to move the files. However, I do
regularly backup (using CTRL-B) to different disks so that I would
not lose all my data if something were to happen to one of the disks.
Well considering you've never done a restore and can't seem to manage
to get a restore to work I would think you should be extremely
concerned that none of your backed up files provide you with any
protection if something were to happen! I would think at a minimum, if
you were gonna rely on backup/restore as a mechanism for disaster
recovery then you would have at least done a dry run of it. Anyway,
let's do that now. Let's remove the laptop, thumb drive and sneaker
net from the question. Let's just try a simple backup and restore
shall we?

First a word about backups. Question: What's the difference between
the set of files that comprise your active Quicken database (and
you'll note I never call it a Quicken file because it's not a single
file - it's a database) and the backup copy of your Quicken database
that you just produced? The answer is... drum roll.... nothing (As far
as I can tell). About the only difference is that it has a different
name. So, IOW, if you had a Quicken database named QDATA and you did a
backup calling it QDATA_20080515 then Quicken can equally open either
QDATA or QDATA_20080515. They are the same (that is until you update
either one of them).

So then let's do this. Open your normal Quicken database and do File:
Backup but this time select Browse under the "Select the disk drive
and path to the backup folder". Browse your C Drive. Click on the Make
New Folder button int he Browse For Folder dialog and type in
"Backup". Now you have a folder called C:\Backup. Click OK and you
should see "C:\Backup" as your backup folder. Click OK to perform the
backup.

Next close Quicken. Start a Windows Explorer and browse to C:\Backup.
You should see QDATA_20080517.QDF, etc. Double click
QDATA_20080517.QDF. Viola Quicken starts and it looks exactly like
your normal Quicken database does.

Close Quicken. Now start Quicken again and open your normal QDATA
file. Add a bogus transaction for depositing $0.01 into your checking
account. Now select File: Restore From Backup. You should see the
C:\Backup\QDATA_20080517.QDF in that menu. Select it. You should see a
dialog box that says "File restored successfully. Open the file by
choosing Open from the File Menu."

What just went on here? Well Intuit, in it's effort to make backups
more reliable, have introduced concepts and the like that inevitably
make things more complicated than necessary, all in the effort to
spare people from learning or understanding what a file system is or
how it operates. This File: Restore from Backup merely copied the
fileset of QDATA_20080517.* from C:\Backup to wherever you happen to
store your Quicken database. For example, if I now select File: Open,
I see no only my normal Quicken database (named Home) but the copied
backup set, i.e. Home_20080517. The difference between the two Quicken
databases? One has an extra deposit for $0.01.

So I could open Home_20080517, inspect it and if I deemed it OK, I
could do File: File Operations: Delete to delete my old Home Quicken
database then probably File: File Operations: Rename to rename
Home_20080517 -> Home.
After I saw your most recent message, I double-clicked on the qdf
file *directly from the thumb drive.* That seems to have
copied/restored everything into the Quicken program on the laptop.
No, it opened the Quicken database residing on the thumb drive. As I
said, there's really no difference between an active Quicken database
and a backed up one.
Do you have any idea what I am doing wrong when I when using the
Restore Backup File command?
Let's get the backup and restore thing working from one machine before
we introduce thumb drives and multiple machines...
Is double-clicking on the qdf file directly from the USB drive really
a correct way to do this? (That is, I had used My Computer to access
files on the thumb drive and double-clicked on the qdf file at that
time.)
Again, you just opened a Quicken database that resided on a thumb
drive. It really has little to do with copying Quicken databases from
one computer to another.

Question of curiosity however: Can you open this Quicken database from
the laptop? From the desktop?

Now I am confused. Making a backup from within Quicken now has generated
duplicate files with the same time stamp and also with filenames
Qdata_20080517 in both the original Qdata data directory and in the newly
made Backuptest directory, at least after the (succesful) restore. So
Restore just makes a copy of the backup file set in the original data
directory, and you would have to rename the file set to get the original
filenames back. Hmm. That may increase safety, but also confusion. Let
me go and undo this and stick with my "manual" system.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

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Andrew DeFaria
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 6:54 am Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

Han wrote:

Quote:

timestamp in relation to a file system, I don't mean part of a filename.
Note that Quicken's backup command cannot generate duplicate files. For
example, you can select File: Backup and write a Quicken database named
QDATA_20080517 in say C:\Backup. If you then do that same action again
you will overwrite the files in C:\Backup. You could, for example,
create C:\Backup1, C:\Backup2..., C:\Backup3 and and make 3 separate
copies of your live Quicken database into these three backup directories
all named QDATA_20080517,.*. IOW the whole, absolute path file name must
be unique.

Quote:

So Restore just makes a copy of the backup file set in the original
data directory, and you would have to rename the file set to get the
original filenames back.
That was my direct experience. What was yours? I mean try it out. Then

you'll know. It only took me a few minutes to try.

Quote:

Hmm. That may increase safety, but also confusion.
Agreed.
Let me go and undo this and stick with my "manual" system.
There is nothing really magical about the Quicken "file" system (and I

use the term file here deliberately) except to say that it's really a
database system. Databases tend to be a collection of files that are
related and must always be dealt with as a whole. If Intuit didn't keep
referring to Quicken databases as a Quicken "file" then perhaps
confusion would be reduced. In general, if your Quicken database's name
is QDATA then the set of files involved in that database is QDATA.*.
Alas though the neophyte computer users today don't even know what an
extension is let alone the wild card of "*" standing in for any and all
characters after the final dot.

Note, the exception I've just noticed with the rule that your Quicken
database is <Your Quicken "file"'s name>.* is this new attachment thing.
Perhaps you don't use it. I do. Quicken now allows you to attach things
to accounts. Quite handy for attaching things like PDF statements. If
you've used this feature then you'll see a directory called "Attach"
where your Quicken database resides. Under there you'll see a directory
for each Quicken database (I see only Home as that's all I have). Then
other there there are other directories and files. Similarly if you
backup your Quicken database to say C:\Backup you'll see (using my
database name as an example) a bunch of files for Home.* and a folder
named Attach. I suspect that if I were to copy all of the Home.* files
to another computer but neglect to copy the Attach folder and everything
underneath it, I'd have a functioning database on the new computer - but
would have lost all of my attachments.

From my old site...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What is a Quicken database (AKA Quicken file)?
A: One of the common misnomers in Quicken is that the online
documentation constantly refers to your Quicken file. Quicken "files"
are actually databases. They are implemented as a series of DOS files
that contain data that is interlinked and must be dealt as a whole
inorder to maintain database integrity. A Quicken database is not based
off of some common database management system (DBMS) rather it is a home
brewed database by Intuit.

Database Operations
You should always try to use Quicken's own methods with dealing with
Quicken databases. This are found on Quicken's *File* menu under *File
Operations*:

*Quicken's Database Operations*

*Copy* Makes a copy of your current Quicken Database. Note that this
command is cleansing, often reducing the size of your Quicken database.
See My database has grown huge. Is there anyway I can shrink it down to
a more manageable size?
<http://defaria.com/q/tiki-editpage.php?page=My+database+has+grown+huge.+Is+there+anyway+I+can+shrink+it+down+to+a+more+manageable+size>

*Rename* This command simply renames your Quicken database. Note that
Rename does not allow you to move a Quicken database to another folder
*Delete* This command allows you to delete a Quicken database, with
confirmation. You can delete any Quicken database, including the
currently opened database.
*Validate* Performs an integrity check of your database possibly fixing
corruption. For more information see How do I validate my Quicken
Database?
<http://defaria.com/q/tiki-editpage.php?page=How+do+I+validate+my+Quicken+Database>

*Year End Copy* Performs an archiving copy of your database and
optionally allows you to remove older, reconciled transactions. For more
information on this see How should I "close my books" at year end?
<http://defaria.com/q/tiki-editpage.php?page=How+should+I+%22close+my+books%22+at+year+end>

Files That Comprise Quicken Databases
The following files comprise your Quicken Database along with a short
description of what kind of Quicken data is contained in the file. Note
that not all users will have all files. Also, the contains of these file
is speculative as Intuit does not release information of exactly what
appears in which files.

*Files of a Quicken Database*

*File extention* *Description* *Comments*
..qdf, .qdb, qdt Main Quicken database Intuit has changed the
extentions from Quicken version to Quicken version. The current in vogue
extention is .qdf.
..adb Addressbook database This file only appears if you use Quicken's
addressbook (available only in the deluxe product)
..idb Inventory database This file only appears if you use Quicken Home
Inventory (available only in the deluxe product)
..qel Quicken Electronic Lists
..qsd Security data Security prices and data are stored here
..qtx Quicken Transaction Lists

Given a Quicken database name of Mydata, the following files might appear:

* Mydata.qdf
* Mydata.adb
* Mydata.idb
* Mydata.qel
* Mydata.qsd
* Mydata.qtx

Other Files Important to Your Quicken Database
Here are some other files that help support your Quicken database but
who are not necessarily operated on along with the regular database as
described above under Database Operations:

File Description Comments
*</QDB name/>.npc* This file is used for online download This file is
in the same folder as your Quicken database.
*Q3.dir* Directory of Quicken databases on the system This file is
usually stored in the same folder as you Quicken database. It contains a
list of all Quicken databases on the system and is used by the Reminders
and Billminder to remind you of things in other Quicken database. It is
safe to delete this file as Quicken will recreate it as it opens
different databases on your system.
*Qw.rmd* Quicken Reminders This file holds information about Quicken
reminders used by the Reminders screen and Billminder. It is installed
in the Quicken installation folder. It is safe to delete this file as
Quicken will recreate it as it opens different databases on your system.
*Qw.cfg* Quicken Configuration This file holds information about
Quicken's configuration (Stuff stored under the Edit: Options menu in
Quicken). It is installed in the Quicken installation folder. You might
want to save a copy of this to be able to quickly and easily reinstate
your settings.

--
Andrew DeFaria <http://defaria.com>
Getting married for sex is like buying a 747 for the free peanuts - Jeff
Foxworthy

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Han
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

Andrew DeFaria <Andrew@DeFaria.com> wrote in
news:482f8c55$0$89384$815e3792@news.qwest.net:

Quote:

Han wrote:
Now I am confused. Making a backup from within Quicken now has
generated duplicate files with the same time stamp and also with
filenames Qdata_20080517 in both the original Qdata data directory
and in the newly made Backuptest directory, at least after the
(succesful) restore.
That statement's kinda hard to parse for me. Note that when I say
timestamp in relation to a file system, I don't mean part of a
filename. Note that Quicken's backup command cannot generate duplicate
files. For example, you can select File: Backup and write a Quicken
database named QDATA_20080517 in say C:\Backup. If you then do that
same action again you will overwrite the files in C:\Backup. You
could, for example, create C:\Backup1, C:\Backup2..., C:\Backup3 and
and make 3 separate copies of your live Quicken database into these
three backup directories all named QDATA_20080517,.*. IOW the whole,
absolute path file name must be unique.

Sorry it wasn't clear. I did 2 things before looking at te contents of
directories: Backup and restore. Of course the backup file set was like
QDATA_20080517.*. My confusion came when the restored database was also
QDATA_20080517.*. And it came into the original data directory where
there was before my operations only the set of files Qdata.*. My
suggestion would be to make them appear in a Restore directory, so as not
to jumble up the original data directory with many new, restored
datasets. Also, an option to overwrite the original with the restored,
keeping the name of the original would be handy, IMO. That used to be
the way restore worked a number of versions ago, and silly me, I expected
the overwrite (with a question of overwrite or new file name during the
restore process. Why did that option get discarded?).

Quote:

I did and my results confused me. see above for a more in depth
explanation.

Quote:

Hmm. That may increase safety, but also confusion.
Agreed.
Let me go and undo this and stick with my "manual" system.

There is nothing really magical about the Quicken "file" system (and I
use the term file here deliberately) except to say that it's really a
database system. Databases tend to be a collection of files that are
related and must always be dealt with as a whole. If Intuit didn't
keep referring to Quicken databases as a Quicken "file" then perhaps
confusion would be reduced. In general, if your Quicken database's
name is QDATA then the set of files involved in that database is
QDATA.*. Alas though the neophyte computer users today don't even know
what an extension is let alone the wild card of "*" standing in for
any and all characters after the final dot.

Yes, I continually run into this at work, where silly me is supposed to
correct others' mistakes and give "advice". Of course no ione
understands me, really, and I am getting tired of explaining ...

Quote:

Note, the exception I've just noticed with the rule that your Quicken
database is <Your Quicken "file"'s name>.* is this new attachment
thing. Perhaps you don't use it. I do. Quicken now allows you to
attach things to accounts. Quite handy for attaching things like PDF
statements. If you've used this feature then you'll see a directory
called "Attach" where your Quicken database resides. Under there
you'll see a directory for each Quicken database (I see only Home as
that's all I have). Then other there there are other directories and
files. Similarly if you backup your Quicken database to say C:\Backup
you'll see (using my database name as an example) a bunch of files for
Home.* and a folder named Attach. I suspect that if I were to copy all
of the Home.* files to another computer but neglect to copy the Attach
folder and everything underneath it, I'd have a functioning database
on the new computer - but would have lost all of my attachments.

Quote:

From my old site...
snipped for brevity, sorry

Sorry I did not look at this again. I am familiar with these terms etc,
I think. Is you old site still up, because I alwaysthought there was a
wealth of relevant info there.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

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Andrew DeFaria
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

Han wrote:

Quote:

What just went on here? Well Intuit, in it's effort to make backups
more reliable, have introduced concepts and the like that inevitably
make things more complicated than necessary, all in the effort to
spare people from learning or understanding what a file system is or
how it operates. _This File: Restore from Backup merely copied the
fileset of QDATA_20080517.* from C:\Backup to wherever you happen to
store your Quicken database._ For example, if I now select File:
Open, I see no only my normal Quicken database (named Home) but the
copied backup set, i.e. Home_20080517. The difference between the
two Quicken databases? One has an extra deposit for $0.01.

Quote:

My suggestion would be to make them appear in a Restore directory, so
as not to jumble up the original data directory with many new,
restored datasets.
Huh? They already appear in the Restore directory. That's where they

came from!

Quote:

Also, an option to overwrite the original with the restored, keeping
the name of the original would be handy, IMO. That used to be the way
restore worked a number of versions ago, and silly me, I expected the
overwrite (with a question of overwrite or new file name during the
restore process. Why did that option get discarded?).
Ask Intuit, not me.

Actually, with a little trial and error, the problem is that little
toggle thingy. If your backup database is named the same as your current
database you are indeed prompted for an overwrite. I've never used the
date toggle thingy. Must be something new they added and didn't fully
think out all of the consequences.

Quote:

Yes, I continually run into this at work, where silly me is supposed
to correct others' mistakes and give "advice". Of course no ione
understands me, really, and I am getting tired of explaining ...
Oh explaining is fun. Getting people to understand... Well that's

something entirely different. ;-)

Quote:

I did lose attachments in copying my database. It is really STOOPID
that during backup and restore, the old attachments from many versions
ago, and now again since 2006, are not copied. The in-database
references to them seem to be, because I get "attachment not found"
type errors.
The attachments are copied for me
From my old site...
snipped for brevity, sorry
Like I care...
Sorry I did not look at this again. I am familiar with these terms
etc, I think. Is you old site still up, because I alwaysthought there
was a wealth of relevant info there.
No, assholes on the Internet killed it. Actually my site (defaria.com)

is always up. I now have a new corporate site too (clearscm.com) which
I'm proud of. But my old defaria.com/Quicken migrated to quikiwiki.com.
The intent was to gather the knowledge of the community here instead of
me doing all the work. But all you failed to participate. Then the
domain of quikiwiki expired and I didn't think it worth it for me to pay
to renew it when nobody seemed to want to contribute. So I folded it
under defaria.com/quikiwiki. Then the comment spammers came around and
filled my databases with their spam so I turned off comments. Then
somebody started putting stuff into the forums, spam again. That's why I
have the following at the top of the front page:

If you're wondering why the forums have been password protected send
email to anettekeyn2@gmail.com

I've wondered if any of your saw fit to email her. Probably not as you
didn't really bother to contribute to the wiki either...

So I finally renamed it from quikiwiki to just q as in defaria.com/q.
Nobody's seemed to find it there. I keep it now for myself if nobody else...

As I always say - no good deed goes unpunished - and I've had enough
punishment... long ago... Now I punish others (When they need it).
--
Andrew DeFaria <http://defaria.com>
Deja Fu: The feeling that somehow, somewhere, you've been kicked in the
head like this before.

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Han
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 8:42 pm Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

Andrew DeFaria <Andrew@DeFaria.com> wrote in
news:48304a6b$0$87069$815e3792@news.qwest.net:

Quote:

So I finally renamed it from quikiwiki to just q as in defaria.com/q.

"Server is currently too busy; please come back later."

Quote:

Nobody's seemed to find it there. I keep it now for myself if nobody
else...
I occasionally used your website in the past. I thought it was good.

However, I also observed that sometimes your skin seemed very thin. You're
not alone in that, though. Indeed this is well said:

Quote:

As I always say - no good deed goes unpunished - and I've had enough
punishment... long ago...

Agree.

Quote:

Now I punish others (When they need it).

That's lways in the eye of the beholder <grin>.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

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John Pollard
Guest

Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject: Re: Copy Quicken files from one computer to another?

Han wrote:

Quote:

This is consistent with the way restores have always worked, in
Quicken and with all other restores I have dealt with.

Quote:

And it came into the original
data directory where there was before my operations only the
set of
files Qdata.*.

My suggestion would be to make them appear in a
Restore directory, so as not to jumble up the original data
directory
with many new, restored datasets.

I think Andrew already answered this.

I'd add that I don't think creating yet another directory to
hold restored, but not renamed, files would be a net benefit. I
think it would add even more confusion.

Quote:

Also, an option to overwrite the
original with the restored, keeping the name of the original
would be
handy, IMO. That used to be the way restore worked a number
of
versions ago, and silly me, I expected the overwrite (with a
question
of overwrite or new file name during the restore process. Why
did
that option get discarded?).

I think you misunderstood the option, or the conditions that
triggered it: the option is still present. One file
"overwrites" a second file when it has the same name as the
second file. As I mentioned above, a restore, copies the backup
file to the folder you designate and gives the copied file the
same name as the backup file name. If a file with such a name
already exists, then you get the option to overwrite.

So if you "restore" from a backup file named QDATA_20080517, the
restored file will have the name QDATA_20080517 ... and no
overwrite would occur unless you already had a file named
QDATA_20080517 in the folder in which the restore was directed
to copy the backup.

Intuit would have had to alter traditional restore procedures to
produce the result you want.

Please note that Quicken is consistent: it treats its own
"automatic" backups the same way as its date-suffixed
user-created backups. If you restore from BACKUP\QDATA1.QDF,
that restore will not offer to "overwrite" QDATA.QDF. I don't
recall anyone complaining about this treatment of the automatic
backup files.

I don't find Quicken's treatment of the date-suffixed backup
files confusing, but I don't find those files provide any useful
benefits for me either ... and actually they make a lot more
work for me.

And for unsophisticated users, the evidence continues to
indicate they clearly pose problems.

--

John Pollard
First initial underscore Last name at mchsi dot com
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