You cannot convert Money 99 or Money 98 data files into Money 2006 or later data files

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SYMPTOMS

When you try to convert a Microsoft Money 99 data file or a Microsoft Money 98 data file into a Microsoft Money 2006 or later data file after you install the latest version of Microsoft Money, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

Money cannot locate <filename> or cannot open it, possibly because it is a read-only file or you do not have permission to change it or your disk drive is write-protected.

If you have chosen the correct file and it cannot be accessed, you will need to click OK and then restore your most recent backup file.

If the file is being used by another application, close it in the other application and click OK to try again.

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CAUSE

This issue occurs because of the enhanced security features in Money 2006 and later. Money 2006 does not let you directly convert a Money 99 data file or a Money 98 data file into Money 2006.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

Make sure that you have a copy of the Money 99 or Money 98 data file. The Money data file is typically located in the My Documents folder. The default name of the Money data file is My Money.mny. When you start Money, this file name appears on the title bar of Money.

For more information about how to locate the Money data file, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
164944 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/164944/ ) How to find your "My Money.MNY" data file for Money
Remove Money 2006 from the computer.

For more information about how to remove Money from the computer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
895866 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895866/ ) How to remove and reinstall Microsoft Money
Install an intermediate version of Money that is between Money 99 and Money 2006. You can use Microsoft Money 2005 as an intermediary version. To download the Money 2005 minimal install version, visit the following MSN Web site:
http://g.msn.com/0MCUSENSTATIC/MARCOLPSDOWNLOAD (http://g.msn.com/0MCUSENSTATIC/MARCOLPSDOWNLOAD)
Note This is a minimally functioning version of Money 2005 that can be used to convert your data file to the Money 2005 format. When you use this version of Money 2005, it may convert to the fully functional Microsoft Money 2005 Trial version. You do not have to be concerned if this occurs.

Note If you have problems with this version of Money, use the "Workaround" section to try the Money 2004 version.
Start Money 2005.

Money 2005 automatically locates the Money 98 or Money 99 data file and prompts you to convert the file to the Money 2005 data format. If the Money data file that you want to convert is not located in the default location, use the File menu to find and then open the data file.
Click Yes to convert the data file.

Note The conversion process will rename your Money 98 or Money 99 data file by using an .m06 or an .m07 file name extension, and then creates a copy of your data file in the format of the later version of Money by using the original name of your data file.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 if you want to convert more Money 98 or Money 99 data files.
Exit Money 2005.
Install Money 2006 from the product CD or from the Internet.
After the installation is completed, start Money 2006.

Money 2006 opens the data file that you just converted in Money 2005 and prompts you to convert the data file to the Money 2006 data format. If the Money data file that you want to convert is not located in the default location, use the File menu to find and open the data file.
Click Yes to convert the data file.

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WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, perform a step conversion to let Money 2006 read your data. We have made the Money 2004 Deluxe Trial available for you to work through this process.

Remove Money 2006.
Change the system date to the following date: 12/31/2004.
Visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/D/B/7/DB72D4E0-FBD1-4B76-BFA0-1FF20F6AEC8D/M12USWEB.exe (http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/b/7/db72d4e0-fbd1-4b76-bfa0-1ff20f6aec8d/m12usweb.exe)
Click Open to download the M12USWEB.exe file.
When you receive the following message, click Yes:
Do you want to install Microsoft Money?

This will start the installation of trial version of Microsoft Money 2004. After the trial version is installed, follow these steps:

Start Money 2004.
Open your Money 99 or earlier data file, and then click Yes to convert the file. If you still receive an error message when you try to convert the data file, the file may be damaged. For more information about how to troubleshoot damaged data files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
182608 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/182608/ ) You receive error messages or notice unexpected symptoms in Money
After you have successfully converted your data file to Money 2004, install Money 2006.
After you install Money 2006, open the file that you just used in Money 2004, and then click Yes to convert the file.

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