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Question

Restore not working in Simply Accounting 2005

Nov 20, 2014 11:59PM PST

I run this software for a private client on an XP laptop. I also used to run it on a corporate Toshiba running Vista. Both systems work fine for the company already loaded. However, the XP machine is getting old (as am I), and I backed up the client files so that I can transfer them to the newer laptop. I insert the flashdrive in the Toshiba (Satellite running Vista) and hit the restore button in Simply. It leads me through the process asking where I want to instal the data then it flashes through something real fast and back to the start up menu. When I select to run an existing company, it only offers the one that was already set up on the Toshiba. When I check the data directory, there is no file for the "new" restored client. I have tried this several times with the same result. I am no neophyte when it comes to computers, so maybe I am missing a step in the Simply Accounting backup and restore procedures. Please help, as I need to back up my client files one way or another due to my advancing years.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
For this one
Nov 21, 2014 12:09AM PST

It's a problem of support. That is, there is the issue of the unsupported OS and then an older app that has failed in some new way. I'm assuming you did this over the years since this is a 2005 title and it's 2014.

Call this software's support and if they can't fix it, ask how to move to supported versions of OS and app. Yes I know some folk resist such a move but the company that wrote it knows what's up. That is, if this area has failed they would know best.

-> Here's what I'm running into. a) the newer antivirus suites are now over reaching and causing app failures. b) old apps are failing in new ways. There is no generic cure but how to handle a client with legacy software has always been a challenge.
Bob

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Restoring files on Simply 2005
Nov 21, 2014 4:46AM PST

Thanks for the interest Bob, but this is NOT the solution. Both laptops run the app faultlessly, and always have. I have made regular backups over the years, but to my shame (or good fortune??) have never had reason to do a restore until now. Simply Accounting (now Sage) charges for help, so I didn't bother to contact them. I figure that someone out there has done a restore before now, whether on this or later versions, and can tell me if I am missing some logical intermediate step in bringing the backup files from one computer to the other. I fully understand what you say about using legacy systems on newer OS, but that shouldn't be the issue here. After all it isn't like storing perishable food that has gone rotten - the app was installed on the Vista based Toshiba around 2008/9, and has been running fine for another client until now. It just won't respond to the input of a restore from backup that should be straightforward. Someone out there must have some clue, n'est pas?
Furthermore, at 75 years of age, I am not about to invest in new software when the same backups may still not load. I am just trying to get to the end of the current fiscal year and then hand off to another pro before I also expire.

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I understand that.
Nov 21, 2014 5:05AM PST

Since this is work we do for others you announce there is some charges coming up to cover such expenditures. It's a business from what I can tell. I do encounter folk that want support for free but this one is too specific. That is, if it was just one of the run of the mill XP issues we could tackle that.

But... you seem to say that since 2004 you never tried this feature and so we don't know if it ever worked.

And I won't give up that easy. http://forum.parallels.com/threads/simply-accounting-windows-xp-parallels-9-backups-fail.298250/ seems to note that disk space may cause this.
Good luck,
Bob

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Restoring In Simply Accounting 2005
Nov 22, 2014 12:12AM PST

Bob, your persistence is appreciated. However, in the link you provided, the person running Parallels on an I-mac was unable to even create a backup file, so doing a restore was never an issue for him.
Just to be clear, this is not a "going concern" business operation (thanks to the collapse of the US economy in 200Cool. I kept the corporate laptop and now run the books for a friend (client if you will) who pays me barely enough to cover my coffee breaks. Simply has always run faultlessly on this machine, as well as on my personal laptop. I have no problems creating backup files, but was never put to the test of doing a restore. Rightly or wrongly, I had taken it for granted that I could rely on something culled from the software of an industry giant, if and when the need arose. Now that MS no longer supports XP, I felt the time was ripe to switch to the Vista machine, prior to the year end. I always e-mail the backup files to a younger former colleague, who will pick up the work in the new year when I finally bow out. he of course does nothing with them, but presumably will have similar issues when the time comes.
My best hope now is that I can continue to use the XP system until March when I close the books and do the tax returns, and then pass on hard copies of all the ledgers and supporting docs for my colleague to start a new system.
Believe me when I tell you, there is no monetary incentive for me to give Sage my credit card number, only to have them say "sorry, we no longer support that version". My only hope is that someone will pick up this thread who knows what the issue might be, but it is NOT disc space or memory (the files are barely 800kb).

Cheers
Graham

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What I would try.
Nov 22, 2014 12:39AM PST

1. Make a new Windows account (userid) on the Vista machine.
2. Setup a quite empty Simply Accounting environment for this friend.
3. Make a copy of that environment (or 'database' if your prefer that word) so you can go back. I assume it's just one folder, maybe more.
4. Don't import/export, but just copy the same folders from your XP machine to a USB-stick and then copy them over the one you created.
5. See if these new files are recognised by the Vista application.

In fact, step 3 is exactly like your regular backup to USB-stick or external disk. Step 4 is exactly like the restore of that regular backup if something happened to the original files. The only difference that it's now a restore of those files to another PC (for the same application).
Nothing lost if it fails, just some time.

I've done this for Outlook Express and Thunderbird (both mail progams), just copying their data to a new machine. They picked it up flawlessly. Might work for this application also.


Kees

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Sounds like a plan
Nov 23, 2014 12:44AM PST

Thanks Kees.

I don't know why I didn't think of this myself (it's not like I'm not computer literate!!!). Feeling stupid right now.

I have to wait until I can get some space on the dining room table again (for the other laptop - ha,ha!), but I see no reason why this wouldn't work. After all, I seem to recall trying similar tricks in the past to force a program to accept non native data through the "back door".

Thanks again
Graham

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Restoring In Simply Accounting 2005
Dec 6, 2014 5:56AM PST

Tried the backdoor route - no luck. The uncompressed file was transferred to the "new" laptop data directory, and Simply recognised the company name on startup, but then proceeded to demand a password before it would open the file. There never was a password protecting this client in the first place, so this must be a SA security issue to avoid others from doing what I did, and exploiting third party data without permission.

Bottom line - I dump SA in the new year and install Quickbooks so that my younger "deciple" can take over the reins.