A question on Validating

Hey gang,

I am presently running Quicken 2008 Deluxe. I have been a Quicken user for several years.

I see talk at times of validating a file set - this is something I don't recall ever doing. Is this something I should do from time to time - or only when you run across any issues?

As far as I know everything is as it should be, just curious on this.

Thanks for any tips here,

Reply to
Don
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"Don" wrote in news:vZadnWx3OKl4ldnUnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Validating is something you do when you think there is a potential for corrupted data. Presently Quicken recommends against validating unless you have a problem. In the past I have used it to weed out problems that might crop up when upgrading to a new version. I would still recommend to have extra copies of file sets when upgrading.

First make at least 3 copies of your latest file set, keep one away in a safe place outside your house.

Then make printouts of the reports you use, just to make sure you can replicate those in the new version.

Then use a copy of your file set to make a validated copy. When that finishes note (write on paper) any errors that the validation reported. Make 2 copies of the validated file set, keep one off site.

Best would be to make an "image" backup of your hard drive, so you can indeed go back to "today". Several programs exist for imaging. Note that it may take a while to produce on DVDs, and certainly on CDs. Sometimes an external harddrive setup, using a new harddrive that can be mounted in your machine as a replacement may be cost (and time effective).

Only then install the new program that might foul up things.

Please, this is only the safest way I know of, but I don't always follow all this myself. You can always wipe the hard drive and start installing everything anew. You too have backups of all your data somewhere, right?

Reply to
Han

Thanks for the info, very helpful!

Sounds like if all is well I probably should not be too concerned with validating at this time.

But yes I do have backups, both in the Quicken backups I create and also I image my complete system weekly to an external usb hard drive that I tuck away for safe keeping as well.

Thanks,

Reply to
Don

"Don" wrote in news:8eCdneoWQ6yPhNnUnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I don't validate as a matter of course, but typically when I install a new version of quicken I fist backup my current file, then do a file copy of it. I then open the copy and run validate, and then super- validate. When it passes these I then install the new quicken and convert the validated file into the current version format.

Note: super-validate is not documented and generally Intuit says to use it only under direction of their tech assist. IIRC super-validate is done by holding down ctrl-shift (or maybe ctrl-alt?) when clicking on "validate".

scott s. .

Reply to
scott s.

Makes sense - the next time I upgrade my Quicken to a new version I will at least do the validate. Thanks for the info,

Reply to
Don

Scott - If, as you say (which is true), "generally Intuit says to use it only under direction of their tech assist." then you say when you install a new Quicken " ... and then super-validate.", I got to ask, WHY? You just said they don't offer you to do it. Supervalidate, as I remember, can cause more harm than good unless it's absolutely needed because something is OBVIOUSLY broken that even validate can't handle.

I wonder where this "theory" that one must run 'validate' (never mind Supervalidate) ever started?

I don't remember ever (now, I might be wrong here) EVER seeing an official statement from Intuit that says you need to do either of these things when upgrading.

There's an expression that sez "let sleeping dogs lie" as well as "leave well-enough alone".

Am I wrong (citing facts, not opinions, and this really isn't directed just at you, since I've seen a lot of people say to do this - I just don't understand ACTUALLY why.....)

Reply to
Andrew

I actually do validate and super-validate as a matter of course, probably at least once a month. Quicken 2009 H&B picks up errors a few times a year. Last time was a couple of weeks ago. Maybe what I'm doing is unwise, but I've go plenty of backups in case I fubar my working file. Bob

Reply to
Bob Wang

So what are you noticing is 'wrong' to start with Bob? Do you notice anything operationally 'wrong'? Or are you doing this just as 'preventive'? (We call it a "prophylactic exercise" in the business!)

(Just curious, I'm really not trying to give anyone a hard time here despite what it might sound!)

------------------------------------- Regards -

- Andrew

Reply to
Andrew

Several years ago in the quicken forum there was a message from one of the quicken team who occasionally respond to questions; the qkn poster stated that he, on a regular basis, copied his qkn file set & then validated the copy. He did not mention super-validating & I can see know reason to do so unless there is an error or problem.

Reply to
PSJ

Andrew:

Nope, I don't notice anything wrong, I just do it as prophylaxis. I may have the wrong mind-set, but if there is a procedure that picks up problems, doing that on a regular basis may pick up errors before they manifest themselves. Just because I haven't been burned, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

I think of it as "flossing" my data :-)

Bob

Reply to
Bob Wang

Here's the logic.

There are (or were) times when Intuit did suggest reinstalling your older Quicken version, validating its data, then reinstalling the newer version and repeating the conversion using the Validated data. I believe this was to attempt to overcome the situation where minor file corruption in the older Quicken version (minor enough that the user didn't notice any problems), became more significant corruption after the data was converted.

Since it is a pain in the neck to do all those steps, some of us suggested making a Validated file of the old version data before uninstalling the old version.

The suggestion was not that you MUST have a Validated file to convert; just that you might save yourself some time if you did have one - and that you can not lose anything by having one.

If you make a Quicken Copy of your data, then Validates that Copy; the result would be that you would have an unValidated file and a Validated file of your old data. Then, if you believed you were having problems after the conversion of the unValidated data, you could simply have Quicken try to convert the Validated data ... without having to go through the uninstall, reinstall, Validate, uninstall, reinstall process.

[I have never experienced, nor read of anyone who experienced, any problem by Validating their data, then using the Validated data. Not saying it's never happened - I believe Intuit when they say it COULD happen. It's just that I think it's extremely rare. I do a Validate whenever I think it could help.]
Reply to
John Pollard

"Andrew" wrote in news:4946ddfe$0$4872$ snipped-for-privacy@cv.net:

Well, I do know in the past users have reported that super-validate solved some problems.

When you update, typically the new Q version does some sort of a database modification (at least, after updating the databae can no longer be read by the previous version).

To me, that implies that the update has to do some pretty low-level access into the database. If there are problems (broken pointers, index table problem, whatever) I assume that the update will try as it can to fix, but data loss has to be considered a possibility.

So I want to have as clean a file as possible, prior to updating. As you say, there are warnings about super-validate. That's why I always run it on a COPY. I have never had super-validate fail, but if it did, I would go back to my production file and try to fix things in the old version before tying the update.

I can say, though, that many years ago I had a problem that couldn't be fixed with either validation method. I did an update anyway. The update fixed my problem, to the extent that some transactions that couldn't be seen in the old version now were visible. The data was wrong, but at least I could find the transactions to fix them.

scott s. .

Reply to
scott s.

Hi, Scott.

That's also why the new Quicken first stores a copy of your old-format database in a new subfolder. My E:\QuickenW folder still has subfolders Q07Files and Q08Files. I no longer need them, of course; I've just haven't deleted them.

RC

Reply to
R. C. White

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