Specific Quickbooks question - backup & restore to new computer

[katz]

Using QB backup & restore feature, can I copy all data over from old pc to the new pc, including email lists, customer database, the whole lot of it? Never done it before, so thought I would ask before I go onsite & try it.

A few tutorials online instruct you in a clunkier manual method, which doesn't make sense if you are able to do it automatically from within the program.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Yup

//filler......
http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/articles/SLN40612

 

[katz]

Yup

//filler......
http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/articles/SLN40612

Stonecat,

I read that QB instruction before posting here, and maybe it's just me, but I find those instructions to be half convoluted.

I don't get why they instruct you to "Manually copy the following files onto the CD:, etc.,". I thought the program did it automatically, as outlined here -

http://www.ehow.com/how_5111470_backup-restore-company-file-quickbooks.html

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Stonecat,

I read that QB instruction before posting here, and maybe it's just me, but I find those instructions to be half convoluted.

I don't get why they instruct you to "Manually copy the following files onto the CD:, etc.,". I thought the program did it automatically, as outlined here -

http://www.ehow.com/how_5111470_backup-restore-company-file-quickbooks.html

The "manually copy" part..where are you reading that?
It gives you 3x different approaches....you can select any one of the 3.

 

[katz]

The "manually copy" part..where are you reading that?
It gives you 3x different approaches....you can select any one of the 3.

That is what they state under the "easy" approach...It's under '06 & '05 versions. I am pretty sure this client has a very early version.

 

[Disposable_Me]

I looked into this while I was adding it to my powershell backup script. It's pretty straight forward where the data is, and I found a nice guide with different methods on how to do it.

         ## Intuit / Quickbooks Data ## - included by default get_user_data scan
            # Guide: http://rebit.com/docs/quickbooks_backup_guide.pdf 
            # Windows 7     C:\Users\Public\Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files
            # Windows Vista C:\Users\Public\Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files
            # Windows XP    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files

 

[katz]

Thanks for all the replies so far, I appreciate it. I'm looking for an automated/easy way to do this if possible.

Does anyone know if any of Fab's software will backup & restore QB completely?

I do know D7 will do this, but I cannot afford that kind of software for the amount of business I do.

I'm getting over the flu, so my thought processes are a bit hazy at the moment. Having a bit of trouble understanding the "many step" solutions I have been reading so far.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I would still just do a backup within Quickbooks. IMO, it's always best to use the native built in backup utility of any accounting software. Spit it to a USB thumb drive to move it to another PC. Reverse the process on the new PC.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Quickbooks backup is complete. You get everything. Been that way for a decade. You are making this harder then it is.

 

[Vicenarian]

+1....backup and restore is the best (easiest) option

 

[katz]

Quickbooks backup is complete. You get everything. Been that way for a decade. You are making this harder then it is.

+1....backup and restore is the best (easiest) option

I would still just do a backup within Quickbooks. IMO, it's always best to use the native built in backup utility of any accounting software. Spit it to a USB thumb drive to move it to another PC. Reverse the process on the new PC.

Okay, thanks. For some reason I got the idea that the earliest versions of QB did not have that backup & restore feature within the pgm., and/or did NOT copy the stock templates over. But if you guys say it works, that's good enough for me.

Why then, do I see these other references to guys copying over the qbw (or whatever it is) manually? That seems like more work to me.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Okay, thanks. For some reason I got the idea that the earliest versions of QB did not have that backup & restore feature within the pgm., and/or did NOT copy the stock templates over. But if you guys say it works, that's good enough for me.

Why then, do I see these other references to guys copying over the qbw (or whatever it is) manually? That seems like more work to me.

Data recovery. If for some reason the point and click DOESN'T work.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Okay, thanks. For some reason I got the idea that the earliest versions of QB did not have that backup & restore feature within the pgm., and/or did NOT copy the stock templates over. But if you guys say it works, that's good enough for me.

Why then, do I see these other references to guys copying over the qbw (or whatever it is) manually? That seems like more work to me.

The backup/restore feature has been there since Quickbooks versions in Windows 95.

Going for the QBW file is the essentials...the critical data. It's not really "more work"...it's just copying 1 file to a thumb drive or whatever...takes what...23 seconds?

The other stuff is "fluff" that the user can fairly easily recreate..but it's nice to get it all. But if all you got for them is the .QBW file...they'll live.

Way back in the old days when I didn't know what I was doing I'd grab the whole Program Files\Intuit directory and lay that over on the new computer...make sure it ALL got put on the new computer. And then install Quickbooks on top of that. LOL. This was back in the Win9X days when Intuit stored the data inside of that directory by default...was never in My Documents ( there wasn't one yet) or any user profile (there weren't any yet).

 

[katz]

Thanks so much guys. Bear with me a little more, please! I should mention that I am mostly a break/fix hardware guy - that is why all these questions about this specific software, as I don't really do that much with it.

If I could bring the pc's back to the shop & set them up on my own, I could probably get through it okay, but the customer doesn't want the data out of his sight, so I am forced to do all of this at his home office.

I believe my only other question is, how to set up the two pc's in the office so all data that is entered is reflected on both?

Can one vers. of QB be installed on both, using the same key? As far as I know, they only have the one cd/key.

The network will most likely be a wired Ethernet connection, I don't believe he will want to use wireless.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Quickbooks multi-user.
Quickbooks is installed on both computers....however, notice..during the install...the install wizard will have 3x options at one point.
*Quickbooks is installed on this computer but data is hosted on another (this installs just the client)
*Quickbooks is installed on this computer and I have the data, others may read (this installs both the client and server component)
*Quickbooks will not be installed on this computer but the data will be installed here (this is the dedicated server version)

Your primary computer will have option 2
The second computer will use option 1.

Computer 1 sets it to multi-user mode
You need a 2 user license...can use same key if it's licensed for 2.