QuickBooks File RepairA service of E-Tech
Data RecoveryFile ConversionError CodesResourcesOur GuaranteeContactStart a recovery

Quickbooks Upgrade Problems/Issues

This page covers the problems that show up when you upgrade QuickBooks to a newer version -- and how to upgrade safely or recover a file an upgrade has damaged. Moving a company file from one year of QuickBooks to the next rewrites the file into a new format, and when that process goes wrong it can leave you with errors, missing data, or a file that will not open at all.

What happens during an upgrade

When a newer version of QuickBooks opens an older .QBW file for the first time, it converts the file to the new format. This is a one-way change: once the file is upgraded, the older version can no longer open it. Because the conversion rewrites the entire data structure, any existing weakness in the file -- a damaged list, a bad index, or a problem in the .TLG log -- can turn into a hard failure mid-upgrade.

Common upgrade errors and damage

  • The upgrade stops partway and leaves the file unusable
  • The file opens but lists, balances, or transactions are missing or wrong
  • Verify or rebuild errors that were not there before the upgrade
  • The company file will not open in either the old or the new version
  • Damage to the .QBW that surfaces only after the new format is written

How to upgrade safely

A few habits prevent most upgrade disasters:

  • Make a verified backup (.QBB) before you start, and keep the original .QBW untouched
  • Run a Verify Data pass in the current version first and fix any reported problems before upgrading
  • Upgrade one version at a time if you are jumping several years, rather than skipping ahead
  • Confirm the file opens and the totals match after the upgrade before you discard the old copy

Recovery when an upgrade corrupts the file

If an upgrade has already damaged your file, do not keep running it through the same version. Our engineers can take the upgraded .QBW -- along with any older backup (.QBB or .QBW) and the .TLG file -- diagnose what the upgrade broke, repair the data in-house, and return a working file in the version you need. In most cases we recover everything without data loss.

If a QuickBooks upgrade left you with errors or a file that will not open, our QuickBooks data recovery team can repair it. All work is done in-house in North America and backed by our no-data, no-charge guarantee. Start a recovery to send us your file securely.