QuickBooks update shreds Mac files

Updated 1:55pm with comment from Intuit below.

Mac users who installed an update to their QuickBooks software over the weekend were met with a nasty surprise: missing data.

If you're a user of Intuit's QuickBooks accounting software for small businesses on your Mac, and you haven't installed an update pushed to users over the weekend, don't.

The update caused several Mac users to lose data from their Desktop folders, infuriating many who were hoping to close their books this week for 2007, only to lose valuable purchase orders and spreadsheets. This problem doesn't appear to affect those using QuickBooks on Windows PCs, but it does appear to be causing problems for both Tiger and Leopard users.

The update apparently came along with a prompt that read, "there is not enough space to install." If you clicked yes, knowing that your hard drive wasn't even close to full, you could have found yourself with lost data, once you rebooted after installing the update.

Intuit is recommending that you NOT install the update under any circumstances if you haven't already. If you close QuickBooks and then open it again, the company says the software should no longer prompt you to install the update. Intuit said it has corrected the issue on its servers so that the update prompt won't be issued again.

If you did install the update, the company said, "our recommendation for now is to turn off your computer and do not use it further." Intuit is trying to figure out how to help customers recover the data they lost, but this sounds like this is quickly spiraling into a nightmare for Intuit technical-support employees and QuickBooks users who didn't have a backup of their files saved to Desktop.

I put a call into Intuit, asking for more details on the problem and any possible workarounds or solutions, and I'll update later if those come along.

UPDATED 1:55pm - An Intuit representative got in touch with a statement. "Intuit has resolved the issue that a limited number of QuickBooks Pro for Mac users experienced when trying to update their software. We regret any problems that this issue may have caused and are committed to working with affected customers." If you visit this page, there's a link that will allow you to sign up for technical support, or call a number for further assistance.

[ehfla]

It's time to stop using Intuit products.

Intuit has had a continual problem with playing nice with the OS. They've done low-level partition manipulation on Windows machines. They don't write code the way the OS was designed, meaning that when they update the OS, you have to buy an upgrade to their products. Now this....it's been a continual problem with their products on both Windows and the Mac.<br />There really are better accounting programs out there. There is no reason for users to have to put up with this behavior. It's an accounting program...it has no business trying to mess with the desktop, or do low-level partition manipulation.

[rcrusoe]

Intuit lost me a long time ago

I dumped Quicken for Moneydance several years ago after <br />getting fed up their advertisements in purchased software.<br /><br />Later I switched from TurboTax to TaxCut after Intuit pulled <br />their spyware trick. (They still send me free copies of TT every <br />year, which go straight into the trash.)<br /><br />I'm just one of a growing number of people who have learned <br />that the biggest vendors seldom have the best software.<br /><br /><a class="jive-link-external" href="http://moneydance.com" target="_newWindow">http://moneydance.com</a><br /><a class="jive-link-external" href="http://taxcut.com" target="_newWindow">http://taxcut.com</a>

[chriscarpet]

quickbooks

i recently updated from quickbooks 2006 to 2008.what a nightmare.i lost 3 months of data-just gone vand now everytime i try to email from quickbooks the program crashes.<br />you would think a company the size of intuit could afford to hire decent QA engineers or at least take the time to test their products befor release.<br />obviosly with this company it's buyer beware.

[samkass]

it's not QA

You cant test your way to quality, you have to engineer it. The problems with Intuit software seems to go way deeper than an extra test cycle or two.

[jelloburn]

Misleading Title

First off, what the heck is Intuit doing to just delete files from <br />the Desktop folder? Doesn't sound like they're just installing <br />stuff.<br /><br />Secondly, I opened this story thinking that I was going to be <br />reading about how this software was causing irreversible <br />damage to hard drives (or at least warranting an OS reinstall) to <br />only find out that desktop files were deleted. That is far from <br />"shredding" a hard drive. Shredding files would be more <br />appropriate.<br /><br />Nothing like hyperbole to sell a story...

[m.meister]

simple oversight ..?

Likely it was a simple oversight and not a conspiracy to install stuff <br />behind your back. That's not an excuse for the oversight, but I don't <br />think they were trying to do something sneaky.<br /><br />Intuit's focus has been on Windows for far too long. I don't think <br />they put a strong enough focus on making sure their Mac software <br />runs as well as users expect.<br /><br />The real question is how will they fix this? How will they make this <br />right by the customer?<br /><br />All companies make mistakes (some are more ugly than others), but <br />it is how they handle the problem that speaks of their integrity.

[Tom Krazit]

Fair enough re: title

We're going to change it to "shreds files." The way I had thought about it while writing it up, anything that's deleting files without my permission is shredding my hard drive. But it's obviously not killing the whole drive, which would be much worse. Point taken.

[Bripple]

Not surprised....

Intuit is the king of sloppy software. I had to trick TurboTax <br />"Premiere" into properly accounting for some pretty simple stock <br />transactions. And have fun with their rebate scheme. Give me a <br />break. Watch for a big fat data breach next with these guys.

[m.meister]

to be fair

Tax software is fairly complex stuff (thank you United States <br />Congress).<br /><br />As for data breaches. While anything is possible, I think you are <br />comparing apples and oranges here. Problems with desktop <br />software is far different than data breach issues. They wouldn't <br />even handled by the same group inside the company.

[slickuser]

Mistaken...

You downloaded QuickErase not QuickBooks...

[Penguinisto]

Blecch...

...Glad I don't use QuickBooks for anything. <br /><br />Kinda strange that it only goes after the Desktop directory. I'm assuming that it goes to drop an icon off there and then the bug hits? <br /><br />Man, they can keep that crap for the Windows realm if their apps cannot learn to behave in an OSX environment...<br /><br />/P

[kinserfr]

I switchrd from Moneydance to Quicken...a mistake!

I used Moneydance on Linux for about three years and then I <br />bought a Mac and decided to give Quicken a try because I was <br />concerned that support for Moneydance or the developer may not <br />always be there. Quicken on the Mac stinks! I truly dislike it. This is <br />probably going to prompt me to return to Moneydance because I <br />fear the same thing could happen to Quicken and it's just time to <br />go back to an old friend.

[handrelay]

Intuit finally lost a 11 year devoted user

I have been using Quickbooks since 1996. I am a veteran <br />technologist and have recommended Quickbooks to my clients <br />for years. Always supporting Quickbooks quirks and data loss <br />errors. However, I am no longer endorsing nor will I use <br />Quickbooks now that it caused all my desktop files to simply <br />vanish. Since I always run incremental backups daily on my <br />MacBook, I did not suffer any data loss. However, THIS KIND OF <br />DATA LOSS IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE TO ANY USER!! What kind <br />of application programming update causes data loss??? How <br />come there wasn't thorough testing done before releasing this <br />update??? I AM VERY ANGRY AND FEEL VERY BETRAYED THAT <br />INTUIT WOULD ALLOW THESE KINDS OF ISSUES TO PERSIST!! I'm <br />done with Intuit and their products!

[inerlogic]

good riddance?

<i>I am a veteran technologist</i><br /><br />then why are you using a mac to begin with?<br /><br /><i>Since I always run incremental backups daily on my MacBook, I did not suffer any data loss.</i><br /><br />then what's the issue?<br />you didn't lose anything....<br />if you had, as a "veteran technologist" it would serve you right :)<br /><br /><i>What kind of application programming update causes data loss???</i><br /><br />MAC application programming maybe?<br />ooo cheap shot, i know... but it was oh so easy.<br /><br /><i>I'm done with Intuit and their products!</i><br /><br />not sure they'll miss you....

[ianvacin]

Update on QuickBooks Pro for Mac

Dear QuickBooks Pro for Mac users, <br /><br />We apologize for any problems that may have occurred related to today's QuickBooks Pro for Mac 2006 and 2007 product update activity. As you may know, we resolved the update issue this morning and understand some of you have been affected. We have launched the following site to share information and are committed to working with any customers affected on a one-on-one basis. As a reminder, if you think you may have been affected we request that you share your contact info with us so we can assist you right away.<br /><br /><a class="jive-link-external" href="http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/Search.aspx?kbID=1009249&#38;sg=SG_QuickBooksProforMac2007&#38;mod=12-17-2007+9:34:42" target="_newWindow">http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/Search.aspx?kbID=1009249&#38;sg=SG_QuickBooksProforMac2007&#38;mod=12-17-2007+9:34:42</a><br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Ian Vacin<br />Offering Leader of Intuit's Mac Financial Software

[Kings X Rocks!]

Backups...backups...

As unfortunate (and uncalled for) as this is, nobody using finacial software should be caught without a current/recent backup of their data. Nobody! <br /><br />Handrelay put it into perspective, although I'm not a user. There's no excuse for such sloppy work from an "established" company.

[jcountsii]

Intuit fixes Mac Problem

I have received this from a Intuit contact. The information I have received from her in the past has been accurate so I believe her comments on the Quickbooks issue for Macs I posted yesterday.<br /><br />So her comments are:<br /><br />... you reported the Mac update issue that occurred over the weekend, and expressed concern that it would affect PC?s as well.<br /><br /><br />Couple of important points I would like to clarify?<br /><br /> <br /><br />1) It ONLY affected Mac?s ? PC users are not affected at all. I promise. <br /><br />2) We fixed the problem quickly, but if an accountant has a client who uses a Mac and was affected, they can go to this KB for more information, and to see what to do: <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/Search.aspx?kbID=1009249" target="_newWindow">http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/Search.aspx?kbID=1009249</a><br /><br /> <br /><br />Hope this helps! I wouldn?t want everyone worrying about their PC computers when they don?t need to. <br /><br />The end of her comments.<br /><br />So for those with only PCs you are not affected. For those with Macs read the KB.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />James Counts II, CPA.CITP CTFA<br />Hemet CA

[mikekeers]

Intuit Customer Support

I too am through with Intuit. Intuit's customer support has failed too support their product so badly that I will tell every person I know about my experience with them. Intuit's data services department cannot upload a damaged file via a Mac. Their fix was to either mail them the damaged file...not email, mail, or to find a Windows machine and use that. In fact, their server couldn't handle the request either. Oi!

[mikelewatt]

Anyone who has suffered data loss as a result of the December 2007 update, please check these links for information on a class action settlement.<br /><br />http://www.harrisonpensa.com/class-action-matters/default.asp?id=15<br /><br />http://www.2006qbformacsettlement.com/