Networked Quicken

DGD wrote in news:a336fcd7-8eaa-4fac-854a- snipped-for-privacy@27g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

The only info you give is that you use an old, Canadian (?) version of Quicken that might be subject to sunset as far as accessing on-line features is concerned. No info on whether you use Windows of any version, Linux, or ZULU (no offense). This might be a problem with Windows, but how to troubleshoot that from here, I don't know.

Both computers use Windows XP SP2. I am not worried about the sunset clauses because I push all of my information from external banks into Quicken and the securities update feature still seems to work. The issue I am having it that it takes the computer without the database a long time to load up the memorized list of payees when entering transactions. It was always a little bit slower on this computer, but now it takes a very long time for each and every transaction.

DGD wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@z72g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:

Seems that perhaps the slower computer should be the one that has the easiest" access to the database files .

I am only using LAN-based computing for the backup.

Another solution might be to effect remote computing, if both computers are on the same internal LAN. In that way you use the slower computer (for instance) as a dumb terminal to the faster one. See microsoft remote connection.

innews: snipped-for-privacy@z72g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:

Well, I think I finally figured it out. It had to do with the memorized payee list. The list was large with numerous double entries, etc. Once I got rid of all the extraneous entries, the computer without the database did not have to download as much information in the memorized payee list. Performance is much better now.

Doug

I was running Quicken 2008 through my home wireless network (802.11g). I encountered a repeatable problem of file corruption when I ran the Quicken verify procedure on the computer which was not hosting the file. Fortunately, I am careful about backups so the corruption didn't hurt me badly. I don't run the verification very often, but that made me worry about what else might corrupt the file.

I then discovered Microsoft's FolderShare software via an article in PC Magazine. This software automatically syncs files in the background on different computers connected by a network. You are always running from a local file on either computer (could be more than two computers). After you close Quicken with changes, FolderShare automatically runs in the background and copies the modified files to the other computer(s). As the name suggests, you set up a folder to be shared, and it syncs everything in that folder across the network. The software is described as beta on the web site, but it has been completely reliable for me over about four months. The only problem is if you make changes on one computer and then immediately try to launch Quicken on the other computer. If the other file hasn't been updated yet, FolderShare locks the file so you can't open it until the update is completed. This will produce an error message that Quicken failed to launch. Sync has always been completed within five minutes of closing Quicken after changing the file. My Quicken file is in the 25 MB range.

Here is the URL:

- Ray Cosner

Thanks for the note. I will have to give it a try. Although reducing the payee list has improved performance, there is still a noticable lag when trying to enter information on any transaction that requires access to the database.

Doug

Ray,

From my understanding of FolderShare, the synchronization of the files is actually done over the internet and not on an internal network. That means my Quicken File is going "outside" somewhere. Is that your understanding and how "secure" is this program? Thanks.

Doug

My sync is strictly confined to my home network. It is a little confusing as you are asked to create an account, but once you are into the site you should focus your attention on the "personal libraries". The other two options "shared libraries" and "remote access" do indeed go out onto the network, but not the "personal libraries."

- Ray

Ray,

From my understanding of FolderShare, the synchronization of the files is actually done over the internet and not on an internal network. That means my Quicken File is going "outside" somewhere. Is that your understanding and how "secure" is this program? Thanks.

Doug

Ray,

Have tried it out. Seems pretty slick. I have used the personal library to set up the folder with the quicken data files. Can't tell if it is only on my internal network or not, but it certainly syncs the files as advertised. It seemed to create the "remote access" all on its own. Anyway, thanks for the tip and lead for FolderShare.

Doug

Have eliminated the remote access between the computers, so the only thing present is a personal library aligned to Quicken. Pretty amazing piece of SW.

Doug

It is just basic file sync software in a pretty package. No big deal. File sync software has been around for years and years. One has to wonder what took Microsoft so long to discover it.

Using Foldershare as-is enables remote access, which seems to by-pass OS security. How did you eliminate remote access except for personal library?

Thanks.

If you go to Settings/Transfers, make sure the box "Allow web downloads from this computer" is unchecked. If you then go to the FolderShare Website, you see under "Remote Access" that your computer will have a sybmol through it (don't know the name of the symbol). The computer is now only working on an internal network.

Thanks. I'll give it a try after some medical issues are dealt with in family next week. Once everyone is quietly recuperating I'll sit down, try out, and report back.