How can I repair a damanged Data File?

Correcting Data File Corruption - Basis
Corruption in Quicken data files occurs for a variety of reasons. Incorrectly shutting down the computer, general protection faults, software conflicts, and voltage fluctuations are typical causes of file damage. Symptoms of corrupt data files include categories and figures wrongly associated in reports, missing categories/classes, inability to assign categories in split transactions, backups that can't be restored, and inability to correctly reconcile when all numbers have proven correct.

Follow these procedures to regain file integrity:

1. Copy the entire data file to a different folder. This can be done in the program (from the File menu under File Operations) or in Windows (using My Computer or Windows Explorer) or in MS-DOS. Open the copied file in Quicken, and check to see if symptoms persist. Sometimes copying the file will solve a corruption issue.


2. Super validate the file if evidence of corruption persists in the copy or if the file could not be copied. The Super validate procedure consists of the following:
   
   1. Hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys (keep them held down throughout the procedure).
   
   
   2. From the File menu, select Validate under File Operations.
   
   
   3. Select the file you want to validate from the Validate Quicken File box.
   
   
   4. A progress bar will appear with the message "Super validating file..."
   
   
   5. Release the Ctrl and Shift keys when the super validate is complete.

   One of two messages will appear. One will say there are no errors in your file. That would mean some corruption has been repaired. Repeat the super validate procedure to ensure all corruption has been found and corrected. A more serious message will tell you there were errors in your data file and it will provide specific information about damaged transactions, categories, securities, etc. If the file is damaged beyond repair, (restore a backup, or start again if no back exists.