Computer died and not sure how to open my backup
Hi,
I have the newest Moneydance and have been using it for quite a while. I believe I had auto backups set to my dropbox folder. My computer died and I found a Moneydance folder but not sure how to open it now that I have a new MacBook.
I've attached a photo of the folder in my dropbox for reference. I've tried searching for this in the knowledge base but can't seem to find the answer.
Thank you
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1 Posted by dwg on 12 Dec, 2024 10:11 PM
That is a sync folder not a backup folder.
Bckups will have the file extension .moneydancearchive.
Support Staff 2 Posted by Maddy on 13 Dec, 2024 01:57 PM
Hi Dough,
Thank you for contacting Moneydance support.
To sync to the same sync file as as the one shown in your screenshot, you should follow the steps below:
Launch Moneydance on your computer and click on File/Moneydance -> New -> Open Synced File, there, select the same sync method as it was originally setup on your computer (Dropbox Connection or Dropbox Folder).
You will see a list of data files with the name of your base account, select the one you want and you will see a prompt for the passphrase (it should match the one you have created on your computer's previously), wait for the initial sync process to finalize and that will be it.
I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions or need more assistance.
--
Maddy, Infinite Kind Support
3 Posted by infodoug on 13 Dec, 2024 11:56 PM
This comment was split into a new private discussion: Computer died and not sure how to open my backup
Hi,
Thank you for your response.
I tried your instructions. Since it’s a newly downloaded version of Moneydance, it gave me the option of “creating a new account set” and then “connect to dropbox”.
I did that, authorized it and then I got the below window. Is there another way to point it to the folder I showed you in the previous email?
Thank you,
Doug

4 Posted by derekkent23 on 14 Dec, 2024 08:31 AM
I am not support staff, just a user.
Hi Doug
As you believe you had auto backup set to your Dropbox folder try this.
Create a new account set (Data Set) and under EXTENSIONS -MANAGE EXTENSIONS install TOOLBOX.
Then under EXTENSIONS run TOOLBOX.
Select FIND MY DATASET(S) AND BACKUPS and follow the onscreen instructions and dropdowns to find your backups location. Once you have selected BACKUPS first try the default selection for SELECT THE SEARCH START FOLDER.
Once you find your Backups in Moneydance use FILE – RESTORE FROM BACKUP to navigate to and open your most recent backup.
Hope this helps.
5 Posted by Doug on 16 Dec, 2024 09:47 PM
Hi,
Thank you for the help. I tried the toolbox search and that didn't work. I directed it to the folder that I thought was a back up and it wouldn't open. Here is a screenshot of what the inside of the folder looks like. Does this appear to be a backup and are there any ideas on how to open? I did find an older backup from a couple of years ago that I could at least open to get all of my accounts back but not ideal.
Thank you.
6 Posted by derekkent23 on 17 Dec, 2024 08:08 AM
I am not support staff, just a user.
Hi Doug
Don’t direct Toolbox to the folder that you thought was a backup but let it search all of the computer’s hard drive as well as any cloud storage you have.
By the way no screenshot attached to your last post.
Your need to post an attachment directly onto the web site at
https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/discussions/problems/106502-comp...
Some words on backups covering the latest build of Moneydance 2024.
Moneydance backups can be a live saver if you make a big mistake or you hit a problem with your computer.
There are two types of Moneydance backup, manual and auto.
The default backup location can be found under HELP – SHOW BACKUP FOLDER. This location is on your hard drive. In both cases you can select the backup location and as such it is good practice to set the location on a cloud server such as a free Dropbox account, OneDrive etc, in case your hard drive fails.
Manual backup. A manual backup can be made under FILE – BACKUP EXPORT. The automatic file naming convention is yourdatasetname-yyyymmdd-HHMM.moneydancearchive
Automatic backup is set under FILE – PREFERENCES – BACKUPS. If you have more than one Data Set and switch Data Sets the setting are common and cannot be set differently for each Data Set.
There are two methods that can be selected.
Backup: Once per day, when closing.
Backup: On every Close.
Backup: Once per day, when closing.
This type of Auto backup makes a backup every time you close Moneydance. Moneydance only keep the last auto backup of the day, overwriting any previous auto backups for that day. You can set the number of backups to be kept. The setting is Keep up to X days of backups. When this number is exceeded the oldest backup is deleted. So in effect this setting determines the number of backups that are retained for a given Data Set. Automatic file naming convention is yourdatasetname.yyyy-mm-dd.moneydancearchive
Backup: On every Close . This type of Auto backup makes a backup every time you close Moneydance. But unlike Backup: On every Close it keeps all the backup that are made in a day. You can set the number of day’s worth backups to be kept. The setting is Keep up to X days of backups. When this number is exceeded the oldest backups are deleted. Keep in mind Moneydance is deleting a day’s worth of backups created from the same Data Set, a day may contain a number of backups of a given Data Set. So in effect this setting determines the number of day’s worth of backups that are retained for a given Data Set. Automatic file naming convention is yourdatasetname.yyyy-mm-dd-HHMMSS.moneydancearchive
A moneydancearchive file is a compressed Data Set.
The contents of a backup file is encrypted and provided you have set a password under FILE – PASSWORDS can only be opened by Moneydance by entering your password after using FILE – RESTORE FROM BACKUP.
If you are syncing and using a cloud server as a backup location don’t set your computers to use the exact same backup location. When you sync you have a primary computer and secondary computers. A primary Data Set is not the same as a secondary Data Set and hence neither are there backups. But as they use the same Data Set name it possible to get confused. To identified a Secondary Data Set install and run the extension Toolbox, it will tell you if the Data Set is a secondary. It is possible to convert a secondary Data Set to a primary Data Set by running Toolbox. Your password is not reset, you still need it to open a backup.
When you FILE– RESTORE FROM BACKUP you do not overwrite your existing Data Set, a new Data Set is created with the naming convention – from manual backup yourdatasetname-yyyymmdd-tttt.moneydance the date time code taken from the backup file - from auto backup yourdatasetname-yyyymmdd.moneydance the date code taken from the backup file. As part of the restore process you will be given the option to change the name of the restored Data Set although you can’t use the name of an existing Data Set. Also there is a tick box KEEP SYNC SETTING FROM ORIGINAL FILE. See note below tick box. If you were syncing data between devices and something when wrong and this is the reason you are Restoring from Backup you should untick the box to break the syncing link to other device so the syncing does not resume automatically and you can set up syncing anew. Other backup methods such as making a copy of your Data Set will mean syncing is still enabled and can mean a restored Data Set will sync and your Data Set will be corrupted again.
The set Auto Backup location can be found under HELP – SHOW BACKUP FOLDER.
The default Data Set location can be found under HELP– SHOW DOCUMENT FOLDER. This location is on your hard drive and you should not move your Data Set, certainly not to a cloud server where due to the nature of the Data Set read/write features it could become corrupted. You can delete old data sets you no longer want. You can rename a restored Data Set with Moneydance closed as you would any other folder provided you retain “.moneydance” extension. A Data Set is a folder not a file containing other folders and files. When you open Moneydance it will open in the “Welcome to Moneydance” window with the Data Set name listed on the right.
Hope this helps.
7 Posted by Doug on 18 Dec, 2024 07:28 AM
Hi Maddy,
I tried your first option again and I was able to point it towards the "iCloud Drive" or the "shared folder" option. Even though they are in dropbox, dropbox couldn't find it. I was able to find my two synced documents and the dates matched the last time I saved them. That was very exciting. Then however the window opens that asks "enter the encryption password used to sync this document" opens and no matter what I type in there, the next button never highlights. I tried deleting and re-installing the app as well. I only have a few key passwords and I've tried them all. Nothing ever works to get the "next" button to highlight. What are my next options, I'm so close.
I attached a screenshot in the below attached files.
Thank you
Support Staff 8 Posted by Maddy on 18 Dec, 2024 11:33 AM
You could create a dummy data set from the Welcome Window, then when you are in register view, navigate to Extensions->Manage Extensions and install the Toolbox.
Please keep us posted on your progress, Thank you!
--
Maddy, Infinite Kind Support
9 Posted by Doug on 18 Dec, 2024 07:45 PM
Hi,
I tried your last suggestion and I'm able to get the passphrase but that only works for the dummy set that I created. When I try to enter it for the synced folder that I'm trying to open it doesn't work. I need to get going on taxes so I'm probably going to open a backup that's a couple of years old and start over. If there are any other options that you can think of or if there is a support person that can call me, that would be great.
Thank you
10 Posted by dtd on 18 Dec, 2024 08:31 PM
MD is a small UK company providing a worldwide product and does not have the resources to provide phone support.
May I ask why you didn't try Derekkent's advice of Dec 17? i.e.
Don’t direct Toolbox to the folder that you thought was a backup but let it search all of the computer’s hard drive as well as any cloud storage you have.
Also, you keep talking as if you are looking for a synced (secondary) database versus a primary. Is this correct? If so, what happened or where is the primary?
Support Staff 11 Posted by Maddy on 19 Dec, 2024 12:30 PM
@Doug
Sean (the lead developer) would be happy to do a screen-sharing session to help you locate your data.
If you are willing to do this, please choose a suitable time slot using this link.
At the scheduled time, you should open the Messages app on your computer (you may need to login with your Apple ID or iCloud account) and then use it to send a message to Sean at "sreilly at infinitekind.com" (but with the @ symbol instead of "at").
Finally, Sean should see your message and he will send you a screen sharing request.
--
Maddy, Infinite Kind Support
12 Posted by Doug on 21 Dec, 2024 06:03 PM
Hi dtd.
I did try Derekkent's advice finally. It took two days to search all of my drives. Unfortunately it came up with a lot of backups but were all older backups. I went ahead and opened an older one and just started over with this year.
To answer your question regarding the primary database, it was stored on my laptop in the library folder. That is the drive that I lost so the only current data I could find was a sync file in dropbox. That sync file is the one that I can not get to open.
Thank you everyone for your advice. This is a great community of users.