Just thought I would let you all know, just to make sure you are well informed….
When you buy QB, you are really buying into a subsription service that will cost to keep tuned up. I don’t have a problem with that if we understand it ahead of time and I’m probably due anyhow but this one caught me by suprise.
I’ve got this insurance audit report due…
Two weeks ago my system shut down and wiped the hard drive….
Today, I tried to re-install and restore my QB program and files
Pro 99 is no longer supported by Intuit, meaning that the program on my cd got updated at some point and the files saved are in a newer form that it can’t read anymore but the update making it so is no longer available online.
My choice is to shell out for the upgrade to 2002 or to re-enter many moons worth of entries….
Anybody wanna let me cry on their shoulder, buy me a beer, or better yet, do it all for me?
my inner savage is looking for something to kill but I’ll get over it.
later…
Replies
Makes ya miss the shoebox full of (most of) the receipts? Joe H
You know, I would be calling Intuit and have them upgrade your version online. You are in a pinch, they did it to you, and they should bail you out. They have the files, they can help you, and they should help you. The auto update, (the feature that helped you get into this mess), is set by defaut, you have to defeat that in your settings.
At first I was going to say download the new demo and convert your files back to be read by QB 99, but I don't even see a demo on their site anymore, and if there was I would bet they now let you play but not save.
I think your best bet would be to have your accountant convert the files back for you, (anyone with the new version could do it, but I think it has to be ver 2001 and up), and stay with 99. This link has reviews from some new Pro users, you might want to think before upgrading, (but don't tell that to Intuit). >>>
http://www.cnet.com/software/0-3227836-1218-8260649.html
You can sort to read all the bad reviews, they are the best.
I'll buy you a couple. I changed to pro 2001 halfway through lastyear, had to re-enter from Jan. to June. UGHHH!!!! Sorry ,I don't have your anwer, my accoutant handles that s##t. He also used to handle Enron, lucky me!
Brudoggie
Chris,
This might not help you, but just a reminder to others.....I back up my Quickbooks Pro files to floppy EVERY single time I make any type of entry. I have been using the same version for a few years and have never had a problem. If I was to lose it all as you did, I am sure I could just reload QB pro from the CD rom and restore my backups. You should backup any important information files DAILY.
I use QuickBooks 2000. At the time I installed it, I erased some of the internet files in the QB subdirectory so that QB can't go online and update itself. Every now and then I get a whining error message telling me it can't communicate with the mother ship and I just click on OK. Seems to have worked so far. But after reading this thread, I think I'll start backing up to a floppy too, just to be safe. Thanks for the heads-up.
Lisa"A completed home is a listed home."
That's what I did and what I thought. Every daily encounter had two floppies backing it up. Hard drive down and reloaded from the cd but I had updated online per their suggestions once upon a time and now that I've rel;oaded the original QB99 release #1 my files are backed up as QB99 release #3 or whatever. They no longer can be read by the program I have just reinstalled and the update is no longer found online - the crooks pulled it to get us to buy a newer version.
now I just checked back in prior to going ahead and buying but q's suggestions that I read the reviews he posted a link to have got me leary of getting in any deeper with them. Anybody know anything about MYOB or Peachtree acounting packages? If I have to shell out the beans and redo, maybe there's a wiser decision. MYOB has a converter that supposedly can read my old QB files.
Excellence is its own reward!
I'm not sure if this will help, but my accountant has several versions of QBP (I got ahead of him one year). Maybe yours would be willing to help with a disc.
good luck
gl
Someday we'll all look back on this, laugh nervously,
and change the subject.
Edited 6/17/2002 9:08:13 PM ET by grantlogan
laugh nervously,
and change the subject if you want but this has all the makings of something that could stick in my craw. Citibank pulled my credit card once almost thirty years ago when everybody else stuck with me in a hard time. I could instantly lay my hands on $100,000.00 today and probably come up with double that in a months time now and paid off every dime I owed back then in spite of being advised to take bankruptcy by the lawyer and acountant. Do you think I'll ever carry a card from Citibank again? (Not that it's hurt them any)
Excellence is its own reward!
if it's any consolation....i've made up my mind not to fight city hall... my new bookeeper handles about 6 businesses, so he is always working with the current version...so.....
i had '97 for about 4 years ... now i just get the new version so he doesn't have to jump back and forth...just another cost of doing business....
if you like working with old versions.. try keeping them on an old machine and off the internet.. use the old machine for your go-to.. and your new ones for all the latest upgrades....
sooner or later we get caught .. wether it's a new operating system.. or a new version of word perfect... we all have to decide if we're going to stay stuck in a time warp or go with the flow...same thing with CAD... i've got the latest version on the new machine.. but the money maker is still churning out the working drawings until the last little bug is out of the new version..
so... my sympathies to you, but the solution is one or the other.. time warp...or update.. and switching to MYOB or anything else is just trading the devil you don't know for the one you already know and hate....stick with what you got...and update regularly...
but hey, whadda i no ? (cpm -> dos ->o/s 2 ->win95 ->win98->2000pro->win XP)
(wordstar -> wordperfect->WP6,7,8,9 ----> word)
(supercalc -> quattro pro -> excel) (yada, yada, yada)Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
That's true. But don't ya hate it when a program starts updating itself? I want to know what it's going to change and to have the ability to accept or deny the change, depending on my needs. Sometimes I just want to go back to DOS.
"A completed home is a listed home."
DOS=
Drawing
On the
SandExcellence is its own reward!
WINDOWS=WillInstallNeedlessDataOnWholeSystem
;-)"A completed home is a listed home."
Piffin
Here is the link to download the update for QB 99.
http://www.quickbooks.com/support/archive/index/ndxw_7_updates.htm
Amd save this update file with your QB installation disk.
BTW, for any critical programs I recommend that you use the manual update process and save the update file separately.
But you are right on about Intuits general "rent it for a year" policy. I can tell many stores about this and they poor tech support. For many years I have done Quicken support on another forum.
Wow, good discussion and in the nick of time. I backed up my QB Pro '98 on a floppy just a few days ago, but can't find the CD. I have a new Pc and used a restore on the older one and gave it to my son. I wonder if all the info will load on a newer version of QB Pro? I'll call 'em.
Thanks for the discussion!
ken fisher
Piffin, maybe this link will help you then>>>
http://www.bsccpas.com/adv02.htm
Says it has r2 &r3, good luck, and don't forget to yell At Intuit, I would be surprised if you couldn't find someone there that could help you.
As for changing software, or updating, you shouldn't have any more problems with 99 if you can get your files to read, so why bother?
Qtrmeg,
you da man!
That link you posted did the do!
Glory be and Halleluyah!
You've got a steak dinner coming! E-mail me with the name and phone number of the steakhouse of your choice in your locale'! I'll phone them to arrange a gift certificate on my plastic.
For anybody else with the possibility of this dilema, I would advise downloading the release patch to a floppie and saving it along with your pro99 cd. This is kind of like car parts. You can't buy original Rambler parts anymore but aftermarket distributors can come up with something for you. This link is for an online acounting firm that provides help for their customers.
whew!!!Excellence is its own reward!
Bill, I was getting ready to kiss your screen. My heart was going pitter-patter as I clicked on the link, and then...
"We're sorry, the page or file you're looking for wasn't found. This error could be the result of a reorganization of our site, or an incorrectly entered URL."
I came upon the same mesage screen last night before calling them. They've purposefully yanked the support for this version to force us to buy upgrades.
I can borrow my electricians QBPro 2001. Somebody mentioned that there's a way to use it to resave these files for reloading into my pro99. What is it? I'm sure that I caan read them with his version which should give twenty or thirty uses before requiring registration.
All my floppies carry file extensions of *.QBB. I can only read and open the ones dated before early '99 which is apparently when I upgraded, probably in fear of Y2K
Excellence is its own reward!
Sorry for the confusion, my mistake. The "l" got cut off on the end.
http://www.quickbooks.com/support/archive/index/ndxw_7_updates.html
The Intuit update is at revision 4, but I don't know if you want to bother or not. I have no idea what the changes where.
Knowing the there tech support I would not be surprised that they told you that they just pulled the site just to finish the call. But I doubt that they work that fast.
Actually looking at it they do have stuff that goes back to QB5 (1997?). BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY WILL PULL THE OLD STUFF. So keeping a backup of the update file is still needed.
For anyone interested they can start at http://www.quickbooks.com/support/
To check on updates and Q&A for the different versions.
Also for people that want other sources for QB information jlconline.com has a forum on QB and Mike Block at http://www.blocktax.com/ is also a CPA that specializes in QB and has some info.
BTW, I doubt that you can save in QB99 format from a latter version.
While WP do offer such options I have never seen it in Quicken and not heard of it in QB.
OK Bill,
You deserve a steak too, but no more for you other guys. Problem's fixed and the steer has been boned.
Intrestingly enough, When I downloaded the first fix it was labeled "Qbcd.exe" and was R3 after installation. Then I copied it to a floppy for next time. This link you give when I go to manual download and update it is labeled with exact same name but is 1.48 MgB instead of 1.o8 MgB. It wanted to overwrite the existing. Since I'm fixed with R3, I am just saving this R4 to another floppy, just in case. I don't want to fix what ain't broken.
Curious Qtrmeg, does your handle stand for quarter meg of memory brain cells? If you're operating on so little, you're doing pretty darn good.
;>)
Thanks All!
You've saved my day (and a few nights too)
Excellence is its own reward!
Piffin, I'm cracking up here. I'm smiling so bad you can be sure you don't owe me a darn thing.
You have your files back, thank Google.
Well then, beer and a bisquit if we ever meet at jlclive or...
I really appreciate it. I used google too but you had to've spent lots of time. reading every site.
Ingratitude is one of the worlds worst sins.
Excellence is its own reward!
Get the fire started.
Medium rare and I will be their in about 23 hours. <G>
That means steak and eggs brunch tomorrow morning. Salsa?Excellence is its own reward!
DID YOU BACK UP ? BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP EVERY TIME
Rich
It is not a question of backing up. He did back up the data.
The problem is re-installing the program, as updated. It is near impossible to backup an installed program, except for those utilities that will backup the whole system.
As I said earlier one should do the manual updating and keep the update files also.
THIS IS CRITICAL FOR ANY INTUIT PRODUCT. It is less of a problem for universal application programs like word processors.
But I suspect that you might have the same problems with some other specialized programs like CAD and time mangement.
Rich,
YES, YES, YES, YES, twice during every session, as I've written written written written twice here.
I obey the law, especially Murphy's law and this situation is proof positive that if ANYthing CAN go wrong, it dang SURE WILL!
As we speak, I'm downloading what appears to be the correct release patch referenced by Q. If it works, he's got a big juicy one coming...Well maybe we'll make it a steak.
Excellence is its own reward!
Into it @#$$%&*had Quicken since arond '95 for checkbook stuff, got QuickBooks 4.0 in '97 for invoicing and such...2000 rolls around and I can't enter anything in Quicken, something about the date, doh! Muddle along for six months, finally call Intuit about Qucken and for some reason they send me QuickBooksPro 4.0. It fixes Quicken!
I finally go legal, incorporate, and try to turn on payroll in QuickBooksPro, no such luck...I have my account over to turn it on...nada...finally I call Intuit, they tell me they don't do payroll for Macs anymore, I gotta get a payroll program from Aatrix (somehow related to Peachtree), so now I gotta shell out 150 beans every year for the updates. Ok cost of doing business, well, today I get the Aatrix download update for this year...supposed to be delivered past Jan, they had to get some bugs out...well all my employee witholdings now have two medicare deductions, one is 4 times the right deduction...guess what I gotta do Monday...into it!
bb... we use QB..we don't use the payroll feature because
we also have a payroll service...
which takes about 60 seconds a week to fax the time in... they do the whole thing including the state & fed. quarterlies...and W2's..... and track WC. (my WC audits now take about 10 minutes ).... costs me about $16 a week for 4 employeesMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Why don't you use QuickBooks, you're PC based, right...I know folks that can do all their payroll through QBP. Sounds like you're paying over 800 beans a year for some one to tell you what you need to send in for your fed, state, and unemployment? Are you telling me that 150 willies a year to a semi providing software company is a deal? I still pay an accountant 100 bucks an hour to give me my quarterly and yearly numbers...and, I think into it is an opportunistic supply a niche then back off then charge you triple bunch of turds, but then, that's just my opinin... need some cottonell?
Edited 6/25/2002 10:07:22 PM ET by bucksnort billy
Piffen, my heart breaks - and it's happened to me!
Here is how I deal with the problems:
First, my drive is partitioned so that Windows is in the "C" drive (ONLY!!) - Whenever a program wants to install to "Program Files", I say no and select a directory I've made. Programs are in "D", and data is in "E". Only. Ever.
To do it easily, get Partition Magic.
Then: I use another program called Drive Image to back up my Windows program to my (very big) "D" drive. The reason is, because all the "hooks" to all the programs and the data in the Registry are saved, intact.
I can use Drive image again to save all my data files, but, for example when my accountant needed all my Quickbooks files for filing, I burned a CD for him.
I burn a CD every month of my data files (less than one gigabyte) and date it.
Hope this helps.
Hey AAron......I partitioned my drive with Partition Magic also......very intuitive program. I partitioned the drive and also put all data on E........however I backup all the data onto another networked computer in my home. Unless I am missing something, if you image your info onto the same drive............if you lose that drive.........you're screwed! Just recently my hard drive went up on my Dell, but I had everything saved on my wife's computer. I also do smaller backups on CD-R's.
jocobe
Dead right. I do both.
Firstly, with Drive Image I can mirror the operating system and replace it if anything happens, not loosing my Registrations and configuration data.
In addition, I also regularly back up my DATA files to a Cd which I burn monthly. All my data I require, personal and professional, is less than half a gig., so it's not a biggie. As I said, whan my accountant wanted all the files, I burned 4 meg onto a cd. At the price of a CD, who cares.
I have a home network, but frankly, I dont trust my kids to ensure that my customer files don't end up being used as fodder for Doom Raider or something.
With my old Compaq, I had two hard drive failures for which I'll never forgive them. I ordered this Gateway with two hard drives to avoid the problem. This time it was not a mechanical drive failure but a windows software problem. I had backed up to the second drive only three weeks before using the windows backup but when the system went down and I reformated to fix it, I assumed that when it warned me about "this" drive, it meant C but it meant any dang thing it could get its grubby little tentacles on.
So Partition magic will separate the two eh?
Excellence is its own reward!
Hmmmm.
Not wanting to get into a discussion regarding Compaqs, Gateways or other brands (I've been married for 30 years - I've learned) my personal preference is for either Milwaulkee or DeWalt. However......
I think you depended on your second drive for the wrong reason. I've had 2 drives for years, and sometimes Windows just does not like it - especially if a sector goes bad, or the electricity hiccups. By the way, you DO have an uninterruptible power supply, right?
Windows says that where the operating system lives is drive "C". If you have 2 hard drives you will have "A" as the floppy, "C" as the operating drive and "D" as another drive. In one of my computers, I have my big drive partitioned into 3 logical units, but Windows still sees the system as "C" for the operating system, my second small drive as "D" and "E" & "F" as the other partitions on my big drive. CD roms go on from there.
Partition Magic takes a big hard drive and "cuts" it up into smaller segments so that I can direct programs and data where I want them to go. Unfortunately, instaling it will often destroy the data in the affected areas, so back up and expect a some pain for a while.
What Drive Image does is take data (and to the program, a whole partition is just a bunch of data) and allow you to put it somewhere else. So, every time I add a new program or delete one, I make an image of my "C" drive where ONLY Windows is, and put the whole thing, as a directory on my "D" (Program) drive. Same hard drive, different partition. Whenever Windows hiccups, I restore my backup from "D" and I'm back in business.
Now, drive image also can do something else. You can do a image burn to another drive or burn a cd and be able to restore it. You don't NEED drive image to burn a cd, but you can copy the data to another hard drive.
Hope this helps.
Aaron the Handyman
Man, you're pretty handy, Aaron!
Excellence is its own reward!
I spent a whole bunch of time in a previous life building & fixing computers. Now I fix houses. I like it better. The numbers are bigger.
Did it help?
I see you posting all the time - where are you from? I'm in Vancouver, Canada.
Aaron the Handyman