How do I troubleshoot a damaged Quicken data file – Advanced

If your data file is acting unpredictably—freezing, crashing, or showing unreadable data—it may be damaged. Before using these advanced steps, make sure you've already tried the basic troubleshooting techniques. They offer the best chance to recover most of your data.

If the basic steps didn’t help, you may still be able to recover usable data with the techniques below.

Step 1: Look for the damaged transaction

To locate a transaction that may be causing problems:

1. Select Reports > Banking > Transaction.

2. In the Date range field, choose Include all dates or set a custom range that includes the problem area.

3. In the report, click the first transaction.

4. Press the Down Arrow key repeatedly to scroll through each transaction.

Watch for signs of file damage, such as:

• The report freezes or closes

• The program shuts down

• A transaction appears unreadable or corrupted

• You suddenly can’t scroll further

If this happens:

1. Note which transaction caused the issue.

2. Open the account containing that transaction.

3. Delete the transaction and reenter it manually.

Step 2: Try copying the data file

If you know which transaction is causing the problem:

1. Select File > Copy or Backup File > Create a copy or template.

2. In the Include transactions From and To fields, choose a date range that excludes the damaged transaction.

3. Open the new file after copying.

If the problem transaction isn't known, try including the full date range instead.

Step 3: Rebuild reports or budgets

If the issue only appears in:

• Reports

• Budgets

• Lifetime Planner projections

Try recreating the affected report or budget from scratch. If the issue persists:

1. Make a copy of the Quicken file.

2. Delete and reenter the related data (e.g., budget items or planning assumptions).

3. Recreate the report or budget in the new file.

Step 4: Export data to a new file

As a last resort, you can export all transactions from the damaged file into a new file. This creates a fresh data file structure while preserving your historical data.