Cannot open X.tax2012 file with desktop version of TurboTax 2012

[ChasGrad]

I have the 2012 tax file (... Tax Return.tax2012) and a backup of the file. I reinstalled the 2012 TurboTax Home & Business from the CD and tried to open the file.  I got "Continuing Return" followed by "TurboTax - Error" followed by "searching for solution", which sent me to this site. I tried the backup file with the same result. I tried it by opening (trying to) the file from within the program and by double-clicking the file. Same results. I opened the 2013 return (with the 2012 desktop application) and imported the 2012 data with apparently no errors. I want to see some details about business expense for 2012 and I can't seem to see those details in the 2013 program. Any suggestions? I'm using Windows 10 Home.

[SteamTrain]

Sorry, you are probably out-of-luck..

2012 certainly works with W10..….if it was the original install (with updates) and had never been uninstalled.  Even works if it was installed in a W7 or W8 system that was upgraded to W10  (I did so and TTX back to 2008 still worked)

BUT.

Reinstalling 2012 anew won't open the 2012 tax file, because you have to update the 2012 program to the revision set that was used to prepare and file the tax return  (or a later revision would have worked too)   …  and you probably cannot do that anymore..TTX only provides updates for 3-4 years back.   In addition, if there is a state tax return in that 2012 tax file, the state set must be installed in the software before you can open that file too....and those are no longer provided for 2012 either. 

Also, a person could have correctly reinstalled 2012 TTX with a proper or  later version "download" installation file, but it still wouldn't open that 2012 file if the file contained a state, since the states are not a part of the main installation file, and must be installed separately.

Transferring 2012 basic data to an installed 2013 set would still work, but it really doesn't contain the full dataset....just the necessary carryover information that 2013 might need.

(if you have the disk space...never uninstall any prior year turbotax  software.)

[ChasGrad]

Steam Train - Thanks for answering. What you say makes sense. I wondered at the time I uninstalled those programs if it would cause a problem and decided it wouldn't. I took the default install location, which was the C: drive, which is a relatively small SSD by today's standards. I appreciate your answer and won't waste anymore time on that approach. I have the TTX install disks back to 2002 (not sure why I kept them). It sounds like I may as well get rid of them

[SteamTrain]

Just make sure you save at least two PDF copies every year. 

One as a) just the tax filing copy...and a second one .....b) with all forms and backup worksheets..  That second PDF would have all the maximum information on the details of every one of your individual input entries.  Annnnd, the PDF files will be readable far into the future without the software.

And make sure every year is backed up off computer....disk crashes, and the details are gone...even the PDFs get wiped out.