Ver 07 backups and missing data file

I am trying to attach a backup file to an email to send to accountant.  When I double click on the attachment to open it, I get error message "a required data file is missing.  Check your data directory to be sure the files are there".  I take the same backup to my laptop and the attachment opens correctly??  I have uninstalled and reinstalled ver 2007 several times but can't get the backups to open.  Any suggestions would be greatly apprecitated.  I remember a few years back that I had to clear data lookup due to possible data damage but can't seen to find the old posts.

Linda

  • The only time you normally get the error message about missing data file is when you are trying to open an sdb file without an existing sdw file in the same directory.  Therefore you probably are not use a backup cab file as the email attachment but are trying to use the sdb file.  Since you are attempting to open it from the email, the temporary location where the sdb is saved does not contain the sdw.

    Your best bet is to actually do a Simply backup (File, Backup) and attach the resulting *1.cab file.  Your accountant can then use Simply, Windows Explorer or WinZip to restore the files at their end.

    Hope this helps.

  • When I try to open it on my main computer is shows the backup as a sdb file and therefore won't open but when I take the same backup to my laptop which has the same version of simply installed it opens as a cab file.  I am thinking that my simply ver 07 on my main computer is missing a file (of note, this is a new computer purchased recently).  I have uninstalled and reinstalled the ver 07 and payroll updates to ver e with payroll but still can not get the backups to open on my main computer.  I guess I can send the backup to the accountant via my laptop but I need to figure out why it won't work on my office computer - xp pro on both.  If you have any other ideas Please let me know and thanks Richar, for replying so quickly.

  • The main computer should show the sdb file as a Simply Accounting Data File if you look in Windows Explorer (My Computer).  The cab file (a real Simply Accounting backup file), will show as a WinZip File if you have WinZip installed or a Cabinet file I think if you do not have WinZip installed.

    So how are you getting the File, Backup to your laptop when you can't get it to your main computer?  Run Simply on your main computer, Select File, Backup and send the file where ever you want.  This will be the backup you send to your accountant.  If you put in the Location c:\temp and in the File Name box enter abcbackup then the resulting file will be located and named c:\temp\abcbackup1.cab and you can then send that file to the accountant.

  • Thank you for your help Richard.  I discovered the problem to be with the program used to open the file.  When I right-clicked the back up file, it said it opened with Simply Accounting and thus only one file.  When I changed this to opens with windows explorer the two files were there so an easy fix that took me awhile to figure out.   Thanks again for responding.

    Linda