Techsurvivors
Archives => 2003 => Topic started by: jjoan on January 24, 2003, 04:17:00 PM
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I'm sorry this is such a long post. I'm at my wit's end. Every time I open two reports at once Quicken crashes (unexpectedly quits). Been with Tech Support at Intuit for a total of over four hours (five separate calls). They told me to upgrade to System 10, that would fix it. So I bought Jaguar, installed it, and the same thing! Even with a dummy account, with four entries, in case my data was corrupted (Intuit's suggestion). Burned copies of all old quicken files on CDs and trashed the originals on the hard drive. Trashed Quicken. Installed Jaguar. Reinstalled Quicken. Try a sample file, and it still does it! Intuit says that everyone's apple computer has different software and that there is a conflict with the operating system and the application. The guy at Intuit is totally exasperated with me, and someone is going to "call me back" on Tuesday (any bets on that?) Apple Computer says it's Intuit's problem. What am I going to do? I try so hard to not open more than one report but sometimes I do by accident, and then I'm stuck, the crash is on its way, and I've lost every single transaction. I'm so frustrated I'm going crazy. I need all this info because it's tax time! Am I doomed to a life without my easy quicken software? I hate tax time! Woe is me.
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I recently had my first crash with Quicken 2000 and I can certainly empathize your feelings of impending doom and distruction, never mind taxes! However, I'm betting some one here can help.
First, what version of Quicken are you using? I think 2003 is X compatable but others would probably be running in 'Classic.' I 'fixed' my problem by reinstalling my old version and uping the memory alloted to it. I think that still works the same way in 'Classic,' you will have to do it manually, but the 'process' is a little different in X/Classic. Anyway, if you're still running a non-X version, that would be my first plan of attack. I'm wondering why the tech guy didn't suggest that.
Second, are you getting any kind of error code, other than the 'unexpectedly quit' message? (I always liked that message, I mean, is there a time when we expect things to crash?! )
Of course, once you get things running, make multiple backups, on multiple media, on multiple machines and/or volumes (I just add ".old" ".older" or ".oldest" to my manual backups, they stay alphabetical and chronological order that way, also ). And keep at least three sequential versions!
Jim C.
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First: I have the most recent version of Quicken for Mac, Quicken 2003, which IS compatible with OS10. Second, when Quicken was quittin in OS9, it was always a type 2 or 3 error, but I addressed that by adding mucho memory to the app. Now in 10, it doesn't give me a reason, it just UNEXPECTEDLY quits. I'm not very optimistic about this. And YES! multiple backups everywhere. Just have to keep track. Any more suggestions, welcome. --Joan
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Joan, I wish I had some good advice, but alas, all I have are comments.
I was unable to replicate the problem on both a PB G3-333, OS 9.2.2 and on a G4 DP 800, OS 10.2.3 running Quicken 2003 (R3).
So while I hate to agree with Intuit, my gut feeling (often known to be totally wrong) is that indeed a conflict does exist. That said, I wonder what happens when you run Quicken with the extensions off. While you can not run Quicken in OS 9 with the extensions off, it is doable in OS X.
Restarting in OS X with the extensions off is just the same as in Classic. Restart while holding the Shift key down until you see the splash screen that says Safe Boot Mode. After the computer has fully started, open Quicken and see if your reports again cause crashes.
If the reports run, then we’ll at least know it is not your data or Quicken that is at fault and that the problem is elsewhere in your machine.
If the problem persists, the problem is not likely to be with your machine and is ergo in your data or Quicken.
Either way, some learning will have occurred. What happens then, I really don’t know, but we should be closer to a solution. So please post your findings-perhaps others will then have some good suggestions.
Sorry I am not of more help.
Harv
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I booted OS 10 with the shift key, and Quicken crashed exactly the same way as before, but this time with a bonus: the entire system crashed, had to restart by pushing the button on my poor Mac. This is really a mystery to me. I just can't believe that this issue can't be resolved. By the way, these crashes occur even when I create brand new data files, not my old/real ones. I'm going to reinstall Quicken again (for the umpteenth time) and give it one more go, then just live with the crashes. Will these crashes damage anything else (other than my nerves)?
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Uninstalled Quicken, Reinstalled Quicken, created new data file, ran two reports, tried to get back into banking mode:CRASH! Well, at least I know what not to do. I will gladly try any other suggestions. Right now I just have to work around it. -- defeated by Quicken--
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Joan, If your computer is crashing even when attempting to boot in Safe Boot Mode, I suspect the problem is somewhere in the OS.
Therefore, I suggest you run Disk First Aid and then Repair Permissions from the Jaguar 1 disk. And then run Disk Warrior from the Disk Warrior CD.
Harv
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Ran Disk First Aid from the OS 10 install disk, said my computer was fine, clicked repair anyway. Quicken still crashes. Just finished the Read Me that came with DiskWarrior, and I think it's too complicated for me. All I've ever used it for is optimizing my hard drive, most of the other stuff is way over my head. Thanks for your concern, I'm about to give up. Plus I already know that I'm going to owe Uncle Sam $, so, this whole process is becoming more and more unpleasant!--Joan
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Joan, If you can run Optimizer, then running DiskWarrior (DW) will be a snap. Really. And I’m pretty sure it will find things to fix. With luck, one of these things will allow Quicken to work properly. So, after all you have done, let’s give this a try.
To run DiskWarrior, insert the CD and then restart while holding down the C key. Or, you can go to Systems Preferences/Startup Disk, select DW and then restart. Either of these methods will cause the DW to be the Startup Disk.
Once startup is completed:
1. Double click on the DW icon (the blue colored knight with a plume in his helmet) at the top of the window.
2. Click/OK accepting the license terms.
3. Select your Jaguar drive from the pull down menu
4. Click on the Rebuild button.
5. If you get a notice that some things need repair/fixing then click OK
6. You will then get a message asking if it’s OK to rebuild the directory
7. And again click OK
8. A final message will appear saying that the directory has been rebuilt
9. Just to make sure there are no lingering problems, you may repeat the entire above process.
10. Quit DW
11. Go to the “Apple” and select Jaguar as your startup drive and restart.
Success?
Harv
[ 01-26-2003, 11:07 AM: Message edited by: pendragon ]
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Foiled! I rebuilt my Jaguar drive with Disk Warrior, that took quite a while, I was getting nervous. The exact same crash happened. I'm truly stumped.--Joan
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Curses! At first I thought it was corrupt data or a conflict of some sort. Then when you could not boot in to Safe Boot Mode, I thought it was your OS. Now I just don’t know what to think. But for sure I understand your frustration.
About all I have left to suggest without mudding the waters even more, is that you give Apple a call (presuming your machine is less than a year old); they may well have a solution. Their number is 1-800-275-2273.
And with a bit of sorely needed luck, someone else will have a few suggestions.
Hang in there, it really will work out.
Harv
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As an afterthought (another guess)—
Disconnect all peripherals except keyboard and mouse. If you are using a third party keyboard or mouse, reconnect the Apple ones. Shut down and then restart.
Problem still there?
Harv
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Oh, Joan. I can feel the p-a-i-n, all the way from the Valley of the Ohio to the Bay of San Francisco!
With Intuit '98, I think it was, I had a problem of major, major proportions. I found Intuit's Tech (ha! ha!) Support to be the most ineffective, presumptious, murky, misbegotten gang of dissembling execrable nitwits I'd ever encountered. (Is that clear?)
This was in such sharp contrast to Intuit in the early days, when I remember driving down to Palo Alto, and simply walking in the front door with a PB and having a live person come up front and solve an infrequent problem with a smile, pronto.
When the corporation got humongous and self-centered and badly, badly managed they seemed to start acting as though the troubled customer didn't count. (They refused even to give me a mailing address for the CEO, let alone the VP in AZ who was more immediatly responsible!)
The problem is, Quicken is so slick and valuable (even elegant) that anyone who uses it becomes dependent. Why the other side of the house, so to speak, is so B-A-D, is thus a mystery. I paid over 250 bucks for no real advice, no effective help with the files they insisted I send them (not returned) and waiting-on-hold. Simply infuriating!
That said, have you saved a "good" back-up on an external disk? Do you have 9.2.2 on a separate partition? Can you, as a consequence, carefully and completely trash your current version of Quicken, repair your Mac (generally) and reinstall an earlier version on your 9.2.2 partition?
From what you say that seems to my amateur eye the only thing left.
Oh yes. You might call the accounting department (or computer science) at OU and see if anyone there is, perchance, a Quicken guru who's also Mac-centric!
Gooood luck!
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Tried your last suggestion to no avail. I've called Apple, they say it's Intuit's problem. I use Adobe Photoshop and Premiere all the time, and they perform beautifully. We'll see if Intuit calls Tuesday. Thanks so much for the guidance, I'll post when the next chapter unfolds. For right now it's just one report open at a time. --joan
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Dick is correctomundo. The Intuit tech support is amongst the worst out there (IMNHO). When I suggested calling Apple it was only in hope that some other tech would rise to the occasion. But that is indeed a long shot.
I suppose the Quicken tech suggested that you reconstruct your headers? Open the file and then press Option+Command+B.
If not, it's worth a try and is easily done.
BTW, you have shown exemplary diligence and patience in sticking with this. You go gal!
Harv
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Hi RHP! I agree with you 100% about the Quicken Gang. I KNOW they were rolling their eyes the whole time I was diligently exporting and importing, QIF'ing. I am so dependent on Quicken. I love it in spite of the fact that I'm experiencing this very annoying glitch. And they don't even care! They are so condescending and even rude. And I was on my best behaviour even though I felt like threatening them (with what, though!). One of the techs told me I could send my data to them and they would do something with it, I can't remember what, but I really don't believe it's my data files. I think it was $199.00 for slow service and $350.00 for 3-5 business days, something like that. I know that's not the issue, if it was I'd just pay it and move on.
I've dumped all traces of Quicken, reinstalled it, made brand new dummy fake data files, and they crash exactly the same way. At that point the tech surmised that it wasn't my data files, and gave up.
I have made backups on zip disks, CDs, and another internal hard drive. I have CDs I've backed up once a
month for the past two years. I'm tempted to install Quicken on my husband's new eMac, and give it a go, but I don't think he'd appreciate it. It would be my luck to have something else go amuk. And this problem began back when I was using 9.2, and Intuit assured me that if I upgraded to System 10 everything would be hunky dory. I must quit complaining and get on with my life! I'm sorry to go on and on. I love this place, thanks so much for introducing me to this board. Two inches of snow and windy and cold!
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JJoan, I don't know if it will resolve the problem, but Release 4 has just been posted.
FWIW, I DL and installed it without issue and all seems fine. Still, I did make 2 backups--just in case...
See http://www.intuit.com/support/quicken/upda..._mac2003r4.html
Harv
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JJ, this won't help you one bit, but I finally gave up on Quicken. Just the fact that Intuit throws us Mac users a bone every year with a so-called "upgrade" while Windows users get all the bells and whistles should tell us how they feel about Mac folks.
And anyway, software should improve our productivity, not require us to spend hours dealing with problems. Now I use my old fashion checkbook and do my banking online sans Quicken, and I actually have time to smell the roses...
Sometimes analog beats digital hands-down.
[ 02-04-2003, 02:24 PM: Message edited by: Mayo ]
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Hi,
I'm late on this and it may not be of interest to those who don't like to "hack around", but I've found this link that talks of a Quicken alternative
Forum discussion about GnuCash/Fink/Mac-X11
I've just recently gotten all my .qif files from the PC's quicken and imported them in to GnuCash on linux. It went flawlessly. I haven't really stressed the program yet to see what it might be lacking in the accounting department, but so far it does everything I need...and then some.
Now if I could just figure a way to get Quickbooks files converted to .qif or some other format that GnuCash could import.