10 year Old Data Disappeared
I have been using a 2012 Moneydance version (Upgraded in 2015) on a 2012 MacBook Air, that syncs with my iPhone & iPad via dropbox.
I recently purchased a M2 Mac, and with the migration assistant could see Moneydance displaying the screen funnily. Data was all there and I tried some transactions which was syncing up perfectly with my iPhone & iPad via Dropbox.
I was looking forward for the iCloud Syncing and hoping that the display distortion would go away I installed the new 2022 version today. It replaced the old version, and suggested I move all the Dropbox files to the Local machine for this set up. I opted for Yes and it emptied Dropbox. Now it refuses to open with my password strangely.
Then data on the iPhone & iPad is fortunately there and I tried some transactions and they are syncing up fine. I am wondering how since Dropbox is actually empty.
Please help in getting this sorted. I have a decade old data that is extremely critical and I need to understand how to get it on my Mac.
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1 Posted by dtd on 14 Dec, 2022 07:04 AM
just a user - To get it on your new mac, you need to upgrade to 2022.
Given how old your version is, you need to either remove your password (that changed in 2021) or grab 2021, upgrade the data, then move to 2022.
The odd look was also due to the Mac changing operating systems while you stayed on 2012/2015.
Given your data is critical, I think you can follow these comments and get up to date. Also, given the data is critical, I'd suggest upgrading more than once every ten years.
Personal opinion.
2 Posted by cedricsequeira on 14 Dec, 2022 07:14 AM
Thanks Dtd.
So I download 2021, replace that with 2022 that I just downloaded. Link my dropbox data to that (I have recovered that from deleted), remove the password and then upgrade to 2022. Is this right?
Appreciate the inputs.
3 Posted by dtd on 14 Dec, 2022 07:16 AM
Two ways to do this:
1) remove the encryption, then jump to 2022
2) put 2021 into place, then load the datafile, (which converts), then put in 2022.
You don't link your dropbox data, you link your primary data file - dropbox is just a pathway to move data back and forth. If you are using your computer as a secondary (vs. a primary) that's a different topic. You CAN work with the dropbox data movement as a file source but better to use the primary data file, especially during a conversion.
4 Posted by dtd on 14 Dec, 2022 07:20 AM
In fact, to help with how the data moves, if you can get the primary data file upgraded on your primary computer, I'd suggest blowing away all the dropbox data (using toolbox) and starting afresh with your primary data set being "godlike" and the others being secondary.
BUT DONT DO THIS UNTIL YOU KNOW EVERYTHING IS COOL WITH YOUR UPGRADED DATASET. (But eventually doing this will help you understand icloud syncing versus dropbox syncing)
Hope that helps. You ARE making quite a few backups right now, correct?
5 Posted by cedricsequeira on 14 Dec, 2022 07:35 AM
The primary in my Mac. Is there any reason I should remove the encryption and then move to 2022? Will also remove all sync with Dropbox, once I am sure this is progressing.
I have back up on my Time Machine as of yesterday, so that is good.
6 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 14 Dec, 2022 07:40 AM
The reason to remove the master password is to allow earlier versions <= 2015 to upgrade ok. After 2021 you can reenable the master password when you know it’s all working. You need to land on 2022
7 Posted by dtd on 14 Dec, 2022 07:41 AM
I assume you mean your 2012 Macbook Air - the main reason to move to 2022 is because you want to also use the M2 Mac, and it won't work with those old versions. You can pretend the M2 Mac doesn't exist as you go through the conversion, but you need to get to 2022 unless you don't plan to use the M2 mac with moneydance.
You should stay on the same version between macs for reasons I won't get into. Once you convert to 2022 on the Air, you make a decision on which is the "new" primary, which I assume will be the M2 Mac. You install 2022 on the M2 mac (same key will work) and move the primary data file over.
You then make your old mac a secondary (assuming you plan to keep it) and then use the iphone/ipad as well. Still, once you get the primary to the M2 Mac, it might be good to blow away the sync and reestablish it anew (either dropbox or icloud)
Hope that helps.
8 Posted by cedricsequeira on 14 Dec, 2022 07:45 AM
Let me try that and see if it works. Keeping my fingers crossed.
9 Posted by dtd on 14 Dec, 2022 07:46 AM
I would also suggest an "EXPORT BACKUP" as another backup in addition to time machine.
10 Posted by cedricsequeira on 14 Dec, 2022 05:40 PM
Thanks all for your help. After a couple of hours of work on this, finally managed to salvage the situation.
Basis advise, I reinstalled my old version of Money Dance and the data file. Delinked dropbox sync, to make sure the version is ring fenced. Then downloaded 2021 and moved my data there. Then finally 2022 and moved by data there. Then fresh sync with iCloud and voila.
Thanks a ton for all the inputs.
Maddy closed this discussion on 29 Dec, 2022 10:18 AM.