Upgrading to 2011

It shouldn't be particularly complicated. Save off your current dataset somewhere before doing anything. Run a File/Validate and save that fileset off somewhere. Install QD2011 and let it update your file.

Thanks Robert. I remembered those 2 steps but thought there might be more steps. I also made a backup. I upgrade QuickBooks files all the time without hesitation so I can't figure out why I keep putting this off.

wasn't there some "super validate" ?

As I understand it, running SuperValidate in the absence of any known issues just increases the risk of corrupting the file.

yeah - the old Intuit forum info always indicated making a good backup before using the Super Validate, as it would drop/delete any bad transactions it found, while it was re-creating a brand new file.

There's no reason not to validate before converting, and one fairly good reason to do so.

First: you don't Validate (or super-Validate) your current file: you make a Quicken copy of your data and Validate (or super-Validate) that Copy ... your original file remains intact. So you leave behind an old un-Validated file and an old Validated file.

Second: if you don't create a validated file in the old version, then you uninstall the old version ... if it turns out that you wish you had a Validated file to convert ... you'll have to re-install the old version, find your old file, Validate that, then re-convert.

How much simpler to create the Validated Copy before you convert.

That's what I was missing. I made a backup copy not a copy of the file. I'll start over again tomorrow. thanks.