Install latest versions of Pers. Plus, when I no longer have access to data and prior versions?
Last week, I had some unknown Windows glitch whilst working with Personal Plus 2022. I ended up in a plain grey screen with two menu items: "File" and "Help". I noticed the screen had a heading "Reckon Accounts 2024". Tonight this has changed to 2022 which was the last version I had installed a couple of years ago before the glitch. When I clicked on either menu item the screen messaged as "not responding" and a pop-up suggested that the Reckon Accounts Launcher was not responding which is not a surprise as I had not updated from the 2022 version and the 2022 icon is still on my computer. I cannot reach my data nor risk now installing the 2023 or 24. version, as I do not have any installed prior version on my computer that I can access, nor run the data verifications I normally do before updating. How to get my data back. I repeat I have paid all the subs I have been requested to pay - latest October 2023. So why did I not upgrade? See below. Basically, I was not confident to do so anymore.
I have been working with Quicken then Reckon for more than 30 years. A great program with useful functionality. Eventually about 5 years ago I began to have issues installing the new updates, losing my investment automatic price update, and my data seemed to have ended up held in the cloud, not by my request. I really do not know if Reckon in the meantime, had changed me to a different cloud-based version of Reckon Personal Plus or not. I was not explicitly informed they had.
So, I stuck with just using Reckon Accounts 2022 Personal for the last couple of years as I have been involved in a historical project and did not want to risk an upgrade and any loss of data access. Also I used Reckon Personal to run my SMSF for the last 20 years. I have paid the requested subscription each year, just recently not upgraded my software. I renewed my latest subscription on 26 Oct 2023 in spite of appearing to have paid twice for the previous year. I have given up being concerned about that. The software continued to work with some reservations to do with automatic price updating. How do I get my software working either 2022 or the latest version. It might also be advisable to validate my data and upgrade.
Thank you
Answers
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Hi @499732
This doesn't sound like it has anything to do with your subscription or payments but is rather a technical issue caused by whatever the Windows 'glitch' was that occurred on your PC.
I think the first thing from here is you'll need to first provide more information on what the Windows issue was that affected your PC immediately before these issues began. Was there an update being installed, a program being uninstalled or something else? More specifically, was there an error message appearing and if so, what was it?
Secondly, we've got a detailed guide on the most common causes of launcher issues that can affect Reckon Personal software in our help guide linked below and I'd strongly recommend this as a first step - Dealing with Quicken/Reckon Accounts Launcher has stopped working problems
As you'll note in the above guide, a recommended step is to perform a clean uninstall and reinstall of your Personal Plus software from your PC. A clean uninstall is different from a regular one performed via the Control Panel. We've outlined step by step instructions on how to action this here - Clean Uninstall and Reinstall of Accounts Personal
Just separately, I wanted to address the below -
... and my data seemed to have ended up held in the cloud, not by my request. I really do not know if Reckon in the meantime, had changed me to a different cloud-based version of Reckon Personal Plus or not. I was not explicitly informed they had.
The Reckon Personal Range software (Personal Plus and Home & Business) is a desktop-based software. All your data is stored in your file on your local PC where you have it installed/saved and is solely your responsibility. We do not, and never have stored data in the cloud for Reckon Personal and the software is not a cloud software.
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1) Rav, thank you so much for giving such a comprehensive logical answer. This clears up some misunderstandings I had. I feel much safer knowing my Reckon data is not in the cloud but my responsibility. This means I can in time make use of the regular backups I have stored. The data is not lost but I just have to load it into software that can read it. I have suffered through Office moving to the cloud and my email Outlook doing the same depending on which version I get stuck with. Is there another product in the Reckon stable that might be more suitable for my accounting needs with only a perceived few more years of lifetime of my SMSF likely?
2) I also aggrege that this issue does not necessarily have anything to do with my subscription. I mention that because in my experience, historically software purchase entitled a purchaser to support too, from the vendor rather than any community page. I cannot help feeling let down. However, I have only asked a question of the community page twice before, and the response I have got has been knowledgeable and very helpful. And yes, I do remember there was a time when Quicken offered different levels of support for different fees. At that time, this seemed only fair to me. Balancing out the needs and costs associated with users of differing degrees of sophistication, and the needs of the Company.
3) As to what happened with my "Windows glitch" unfortunately I do not know. I was working on Reckon data entry and generating reports. To the best of my knowledge no updates were in progress, and the only other programs I was working with were Word, Excel, Outlook and Microsoft Edge Browser plus whatever other browser that Microsoft or someone else perhaps, had decided to load. This seems to change frequently and these days my Microsoft Office has been moved to the cloud, again under a new name, without my explicitly requesting this. MacAfee is also loaded on my PC. Also, legacy copy of old favorites "Jigsaw Mania" which I have used for about 25 years with no problems and o Family Tree Maker 2019.
Without warning, whilst entering data into Reckon, there was a slight screen shiver, perhaps a "click" (uncertain). The Reckon data entry screen disappeared and I was left with a "not available" file name extension in the stats bar and eventually a pop-up saying Reckon Accounts Launcher was unavailable for 2022 (possibly 2022, but certainly a higher year than the version I had installed). I would not have expected to find it anyway.
4) Other things that probably matter. I received one error messages before and two or three after the above "glitch". The first purported to come from Microsoft Defender concerning a Trojan identity theft virus. Defender seems to be installed on my computer as part of Windows, but I have never initiated it myself preferring to rely on MacAfee. MacAfee has never reported a Trojan or any other virus. The other two notifications were pop-ups purportedly from Microsoft Support giving me a number to phone them because access to my computer has been blocked for security reasons. Access does not seem to be blocked at all and I presume these are all scams. I have over the last 10 months had passwords breached and an old password and some other breaches have been leaked. I have updated my security since. During that period, I was receiving at least 2 such scam notifications daily.
The other thing happening is possibly more relevant. I am running out of space on my C: drive and am currently trying to rehome files where I can to an extra-large file 5TByte extension I purchased. This is possibly my most urgent task before I try that clean install.
4) I I will address this before I attempt the clean install you have suggested. That may take me some time to work through and I am having a small operation tomorrow so factor in some recovery time too.
I recognise, that after a lifetime working in the computing industry and teaching in the area at several Universities, on retirement I became quickly out of date with the technology's rapid advances. I was spoilt for many years by the advice and care of my excellent tech support staff.
Thank you
Jean Hall
PS, about 5 mins ago I managed to load Reckon Personal 2022 and access SMSF data up to the end of last financial year from a backup. This has not worked at all during the last 2 weeks, and I do not know what has changed. This is not all of the data I require but still very helpful. Unfortunately, I cannot try again till I come back from hospital. Could it be something as simple as running out of space on my c drive?
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Rav
hospital visit postponed until Friday. Have been busy trying to get things off my C drive, which was too full. Perhaps I was too aggressive on pressing return when searching through screens, but I noticed a popup screen with RAV has answered your post and some other information. I had already pressed return before I recognized this so I could not read it before it disappeared very quickly. I have no idea what it said and I have searched and can not find where notifications might be stored. So if you did send me an answer other than the one above could you please send it again.
My current situation is: I have now reduced data on C drive. It is only 450Gb. There were lots of things there that should have been kept elsewhere. My fault. Unfortunately it seems this has to be done daily as it fills up very quickly. 3 days ago I had reduced the drive to 75% full and now it is back to 833MB available.
Clicked on a few recent backups (QDF data files) as a test and was able to read about 50% of them. Do not yet know if I can save this subsequently with updated data etc. . Written later: It seems that I cannot update most of my "rescued" data, I have 2 major files. Th eimportant one is the smallest and my efforts in this email refered to that. I also have a larger file which works still. However with both files I found when I changed them and saved I lost them.
Took lots of extra backups. Both .rkn files and the alternative backup method consisting of QPH and QE Lfiles
also in a couple of cases HCX and IDX.
I noticed my query is marked as "answered" but it has not been from my point of view . Or more correctly any notification you sent, I have not read. Please resend.
Otherwise could we go on with a fix. I currently seem to have Reckon 2022 v1 INSTALLED WHEN THE DATA REFERRED TO ABOVE WAS PRODUCED.
Perhaps I need to uninstall and reinstall. I just do not know. I cannot update my most recent data.
Please help.
Thank you
Jean Hall
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Rav. Please send your latest response again as per my recent request of March 17. I do not consider this query closed, although it is marked as answered on this log. So please send me a copy of your answer. A notification from you flashed up briefly on my screen about 2 weeks ago, saying you had sent me something but unfortunately it disappeared before I could read exactly what the notification said and I cannot find it again. Please assist me.
Jean H
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