Quickbooks 2009 Problems!

[Waxman]

We were forced to buy the updated quickbooks, version 2009, because the older version would no longer download state and federal withholding info, etc.

We installed it and it crashed the computer. Tried to fix it ourselves; no-go. Sent it to a pro and it's fixed, $50 later.

Now it still isn't calculating payroll deductions properly!

Also, the format has changed, necessitating a re-learning of a system we had already learned and grown accustomed to.

This seems like BS!

Any advice? Can't even find a phone # anywhere for quickbooks to talk to a real person; just an online way, which doesn't work so well when QB crashes your computer!!!

 

[MEP001]

How exactly does it crash the computer? There should be a log created by Windows, unless it's a hardware related failure, in which case the fault may not be with Quickbooks at all.

Quickbooks doesn't seem to have phone support, but there are "certified" technicians:

http://www.quickbooks-help.com/quickbooks-technical-support.asp

It's not free.

 

[Waxman]

After installing the new software, the computer would shut down when you tried opening any programs at all.

After I spent money buying the update, any help I need should be free. After all, I needed no help at all before installing QB 09.

Thanks for the link, though! I do appreciate the reply.

 

[bigleo48]

Waxman,

So many things can go wrong with any install depending on the PC, the OS used and most importantly what other software has been installed (DLLs).

Having worked with many different machines and OS, what I would suggest is having an almost dedicated machine for accounting and payroll and similar services. Not a PC that also doubles as a family machine, gamer, messaging, etc. PCs are relatively cheap and this would ensure that the install and ongoing use would be better served and guaranteed.

Have you tried installing it on another PC and then taking a backup of your companies and restoring it on the new version?

Big

 

[Waxman]

thanks! you're the second person to suggest having a dedicated pc for QB and business.

I plan to do this soon.

 

[pitzerwm]

No matter what it shouldn't have crashed the computer. I dropped QB for that reason, all of a sudden they change formats and its not backward compatible, and you can't use it anymore.

NOt being about to do payroll right is another thing on their part, you will need to figure out what they are using to calculate your type of deductions. Years ago, we all had that issue with the different state taxes and how they were computed. I would imagine that it is there, you just hae to re-learn it.

Look for a QB forum, usually, like here you help each other.

 

[madscientist]

dealing with intuit is infuriating. i'm not sure why i still do it. just browse their help forum and you'll see the thousands of issues that people have when they install/upgrade their programs. there is a phone number somewhere on their site, but my experience has been that they try many roundabout ways to get you running again. it sometimes takes longer than my patience threshhold. i've started using their online payroll service so nothing is actually on my computer, and i don't reconcile most of my accounts into a register anymore. i just keep track using my banks' online banking services. sorry to be such a downer.

 

[MikeV]

When I installed QB 06, it crashed my computer. Took several days and a really good geek to get it all back up and running. I canceled my payroll renewal so I will not be downloading any new QB programs.

 

[Waxman]

so mikev; how do you calculate payroll?

is it free to access the tables to calculate state and fed withholdings?

thanks guys!

 

[madscientist]

the tables start on page 5 for the percentage method, and page 7 for the chart method:


http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15t.pdf

 

[MikeV]

so mikev; how do you calculate payroll?

is it free to access the tables to calculate state and fed withholdings?

thanks guys!

Waxman, as I am the only employee, I don't do payroll. I just di owner withdrawals.

 

[bigleo48]

When I installed QB 06, it crashed my computer. Took several days and a really good geek to get it all back up and running. I canceled my payroll renewal so I will not be downloading any new QB programs.

This brings up a whole new bunch of issues, mostly including backups.

But first, I'm not a geek, but uninstalling the software and rolling back the registry should do the trick. If not, then using a backup to restore some of the system directories and the original copy of QB. Should not take more than an hour of mostly waiting for the PC to reboot a few times. You do perform regular full backups don't you?

I'm not surprised that many popular programs fail on install. If you go and search any of them in forums and tech support groups, you'll find them easily enough. Then we are quick to blame the company that makes the software, but in many instances it's not them, but existing installed programs and left behind DLLs that are the culprit.

Regardless, I still believe in dedicated machines for important tasks with regular backups.

Big

 

[Greg Pack]

Just signed up for paycycle.com a couple of months ago. It had a low cost trial period of 9.99/month, then about 42.99 per month.

After setting it up, I really like the simplicity. They send reminder emails of payday and any other reporting/taxing requirements. Payroll for the few employees I have takes just a few minutes. It emails the employees pay stubs to them (if they like) and allows direct deposits if they wish.

However, just got an email the other day that Intuit just bought them, they'll probably screw it up.

 

[MEP001]

You do perform regular full backups don't you?

I never do a full backup. I only back up important files, and on a regular basis. To me it's much more trouble to try and restore a full backup than it is to just format (or replace) a hard drive and reinstall from scratch, besides you end up with a more responsive computer without the clutter of unneeded programs most people have running in the background after several years. About every six months I disassemble the PC, clean it of dust and reinstall Windows. It takes about an hour, and it's well worth it.

 

[bigleo48]

I never do a full backup. I only back up important files, and on a regular basis. To me it's much more trouble to try and restore a full backup than it is to just format (or replace) a hard drive and reinstall from scratch, besides you end up with a more responsive computer without the clutter of unneeded programs most people have running in the background after several years. About every six months I disassemble the PC, clean it of dust and reinstall Windows. It takes about an hour, and it's well worth it.

Mep

Most people are not knowledgeable enough to understand what and where valuable files are. So a complete backup ensures this is done. But restoring a full back is typically never done as hardware changes (especially is the original problem is a hardware failure like a hard drive).

I usually would fix the problem, reinstall the OS and patches, reinstall the software and patches and then import the information into the respective programs.

Disassembling the PC and reinstalling the OS every six months I would even contemplate. When the PC has too many fingerprints on it from installs and deletes and it starts running slow (every 3 years or so), I buy a new PC, take the hard drive from the old one and put in the new one, move all the files over to the new PC's hard drive and go from there.

Big

 

[MikeV]

I do a backup of QB every time I use it. I back up to a jump drive. So far...so good. Also, I plan on using Carbonite to do a full back up.

 

[bigleo48]

I do a backup of QB every time I use it. I back up to a jump drive. So far...so good. Also, I plan on using Carbonite to do a full back up.

The problem of backing up to a jump drive is that it is backed up to a thing. Things can be broken, lost, etc. For example, you have a fire at home and both the jump drive and PC are lost. Why not FTP it to a site (backup site, domain host, etc). They are small files. This way you have full redundancy and diversity.

Big

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

We use both Quicken and Quickbooks Pro 2009. No problems with either one.
Yes, the 'mandatory upgrade' was annoying, but we've had no problems with the installation or software.

Regarding backups - at a bare minimum, back up your data to a separate physical device!!! More often is better, and off site is better. If you have PC at the wash, do like bigleo says and ftp (or just copy) your carwash backup files to your home PC and vice versa. Cheap and easy.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I backup to a thing, then take the thing and put the stuff from that thing on another thing at another location, so, it would have to be a heck of a coincidence or disaster to destroy all the things at different locations.

 

[bigleo48]

Paul,

The whole 'Backup' thing really depends on what type of failure you are backing up against. Most people think they need to guard against hard drive failure and yes I guess it is a common one. But there are many more.

A friend of mine looked at my Blackberry and said "I'll never get one of those" and pointed to his Daytimer book and said "this is all I need and it's low tech...no batteries required". I replied, OK, then I took the book and said "you can't have it back" and "So what do you do now?" He looked puzzled and took my phone and said "you can't have it back" and "So what do you do now?" I replied, "I cancel that phone, get a new one and it will automatically re-sync with all my info". It got him thinking.

Big