Quicken data files are not interchangeable between different versions of the program. Files can be converted to a later version, but they cannot be converted back to an earlier program version. For example, a file created in Quicken 2002 and converted to Quicken 2004 cannot be reconverted or opened again in Quicken 2002.

Before converting a data file to the later version, Quicken saves a copy of the file from the earlier version, and then archives it. This earlier copy can still be opened in the earlier version. However, it will not have any of the information entered into the data file in the later version. Also, it is not the best practice to have multiple versions of Quicken installed on one computer. Quicken uses one initialization file to configure the program, and different versions have different configuration parameters.

If a decision has been made to revert to an earlier version of Quicken, use the following procedure to reinstall the earlier version and recover its data file:

Uninstall the current (earlier) version of Quicken or the trial version. To uninstall:

1. Click the Microsoft® Windows® Start button, choose Settings, and then choose Control Panel.
   
   
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs, and then click the Install/Uninstall tab.
   
   
3. Select the Quicken program to be uninstalled.
   
   
4. Click Add/Remove, and then the Quicken program will be removed from the computer. If a window referring to shared files appears, click OK to remove them.

After the earlier or trial version has been successfully uninstalled, reinstall the later version of the program. To install Quicken:

1. Insert the Quicken CD in the CD-ROM drive. Microsoft® Windows® should begin the Quicken installation program. If the installation does not automatically begin:
   
   
   1. Click the Microsoft Windows Start button, choose Settings, and then choose Control Panel.
      
      
   2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon, and then click Install.
      
      
   3. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the Quicken program installation.
      
      
2. After the Quicken program installation completes, restart your computer. This will update files that were in use by your computer when you installed Quicken.

After reinstalling the earlier version of Quicken, recover the earlier data file. There are two ways to do this:

• Restore a backup that you created manually for the earlier version.
  
  
• Restore the backup of your data file that the Quicken program created before conversion:
  
  
  
  1. From the Quicken File menu, choose Restore Backup File.
     
     
  2. Browse to your Quicken data folder (generally the same folder where Quicken is installed). This can be found in a folder within the folder where Quicken was installed (usually Quickenw). See the folder names below.
     
     If you converted from:
     
     
     1. Quicken 5, look for QW5files
     2. Quicken 6, look for QW6files
     3. Quicken 98, look for Q98files
     4. Quicken 99, look for Q99files
     5. Quicken 2000, look for Q00files
     6. Quicken 2001, look for Q01files
     7. Quicken 2002, look for Q02files
     8. Quicken 2003, look for Q03files
     9. Quicken 2004, look for Q04files
        
        
  3. Select the BACKUP folder of your file located in one of the previous folders, and then click OK to restore it.
     
     
  4. Once the file has been restored, choose Open from the Quicken File menu.
     
     
  5. You will need to manually reenter any information that was entered in Quicken since this backup was created.