Troubleshooting error messages or problems when Money updates its program files

When you use Microsoft Money, Money may fail to complete its automatic update of any available service packs.You may also experience the following symptoms:

• You receive an error message that resembles one of these:
  Money was not updated successfully.
  Money Updates: An error was encountered while processing a downloaded file ('SPONSOR.CAB') during SmartConnect.
  An error was encountered while processing a downloaded file ('QFE9630.CAB') during SmartConnect.
  Money 2002 update was unable to install on your computer
  This error occurs when you try to install the Money 2002 Synchronization Update.
• When you start Microsoft Money 2002, you may unexpectedly see a critical update being applied.
  Note Download quotes and exchange rates update correctly.
• Money displays the following message, but the update never appears to complete or you continue to be prompted to update whenever you restart Money:
  Money requires a software update

For Microsoft Money 2005 and later versions, Money tries try to update itself when it starts.

For Microsoft Money 2004 or earlier versions, Money require that you request Money to update. To do this, point to Internet Updates on the Tools menu, and then click Update Now.

This behavior can occur if security settings in the Windows profile that you are currently logged in to are insufficient or corrupted, if something is blocking the installation of Money, or if Money is not properly detecting your Internet Connection.

Typically, firewall or other security software may be restricting Money’s access to the Internet.

Try to log in to Microsoft Windows by using an account that has Administrator rights. Then check whether Money can successfully update itself.

Note If you are using Windows Vista, you may have to let Money have elevated access. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Right-click your Money shortcut, and then select Run As Administrator.
2. Enter your Administrator credentials, and then let Money update.

If you do not know your Administrator credentials, contact your system administrator or Windows support for help. If this does not resolve the problem, try the following suggestions.

Note The following steps will likely require that you have Administrator access.

To resolve this issue, close Money, verify your Internet connection and try Money again. For more information about how to troubleshoot your Internet connection with Money, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Modify your security software to add Money to the software’s exception list or to prompt you instead of automatically blocking access. By setting the software to prompt, this may help you identify which items to allow Money to access. Reference the software documentation or support department for information on how to do this, since it will vary with the specific software.

If this fails to resolve the issue, you can try the following additional steps and then see whether Money updates correctly:

• Create a new user account in Windows.
• Reset the security settings of your existing account.
• Turn off or uninstall the security software.
  Important This step can make your computer vulnerable to viruses and other security risks. See the following Workaround section for more information.

For more information on these steps, see "Workaround."

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Create a new user account

Windows Vista

1. Click Start
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   , click All Programs, type account in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. Click Manage User Accounts.
   
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   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
3. On the Users tab, click Add, or click Create a new account.
4. Type a name for your user account, type your full name, and then type a description for your account. If the computer is set up as part of a network domain, type the domain name, and then click Next.
   Note If the computer is set up as an individual computer without a network or in a peer-to-peer network, you do not have to provide a domain name.
5. Type a user password, and then type the user password again to confirm it.
   Important Passwords are case-sensitive. For example, "MyPassword" and "mypassword" are treated as different passwords.
6. Click Next.
7. Select the level of access for your user account, and then click Finish.
8. Try to start Money. If you cannot start Money, go to Method 3.

Windows XP

1. Click Start, click Run, type Nusrmgr.cpl, and then click OK.
2. On the Users tab, click Add, or click Create a new account .
3. Type a name for your user account, type your full name, and then type a description for your account. If the computer is set up as part of a network domain, type the domain name, and then click Next.
   Note If the computer is set up as an individual computer without a network or in a peer-to-peer network, you do not have to provide a domain name.
4. Type a user password, and then type the user password again to confirm it.
   Important Passwords are case-sensitive. For example, "MyPassword" and "mypassword" are treated as different passwords.
5. Click Next.
6. Select the level of access for your user account, and then click Finish.

More information

If creating a new user account fixes the problem, sign out of this new user account, and then sign in to your usual user account to see whether the problem re-occurs with that account.

If there is still a problem in your usual user account, you may want to use the Fix It button in the following article to restore the default security settings in this account.Then, check whether that fixes the problem. Otherwise you must move your data from the account that has the problem into the user account that you just created so that you can access it when you use the new user account. For more information about how to copy data to your new user profile when you are using Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Method 2: Turn off the firewall client and port-blocking software

Important These steps may increase your security risk. These steps may also make your computer or your network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We recommend the process that this article describes to enable programs to operate as they are designed to, or to implement specific program capabilities. Before you make these changes, we recommend that you evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing this process in your particular environment. If you choose to implement this process, take any appropriate additional steps to help protect your system. We recommend that you use this process only if you really require this process.
Warning This workaround may make your computer or your network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.

1. On the Tools menu, click Options
   Note In Money 2004 and older versions of the program, instead click Options.
2. Click Browser settings.
   Note In Money 2004 and older versions of the program, instead click Connection Settings on the Connection tab.
3. On the Connections tab, click LAN Settings.
4. In the Local Area Network (LAN) Settings dialog box, click to clear the Use a proxy server for your LAN (These settings will not apply to dial-up or VPN connections) check box.
5. Click to select the Automatically detect settings check box, and then click OK.
6. Click OK to close the Internet Properties dialog box.
7. Click OK to close the Options dialog box.
8. Turn off your firewall client (if applicable), and then restart your computer.
   
   Note Also turn off all port-blocking software (for example, Norton Internet Securities or Zone Alarm).
9. Start Money with your firewall client and port-blocking software turned off.
10. On the Tools menu, point to Internet Updates, and then click Update Now.

Important After Money has been updated, turn on your firewall client and your port-blocking software. You may need to follow these steps every time that you want to update Money. Or you may want to find out how to add Money as an exception in your firewall or security software.

Method 3: Temporarily remove the firewall client and port-blocking software

Sometimes, simply disabling your security software does not completely remove its influence. So, if method 2 fails to resolve the problem, try removing the security software, by using Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel or the software’s installation process.

Then check to see if Money will update correctly.

Important: Reinstall the security software and customize it to allow Money access.

Note A firewall is designed to help protect your computer from attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses that use unsolicited incoming network traffic to attack your computer. Before you disable your firewall, you must disconnect your computer from all networks including the Internet.

For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: