@ PaulSperry wrote:
I too just lost all my past files when TurboTax REQUIRED that I install critical updates to open (I didn't want to do this so that my previous returns wouldn't be changed by anything new in the update). I couldn't find the returns in my recycle bin, but DID find them when I searched *.tax2018. The upgrade for some reason moved my original Turbotax directory to be a subdirectory of my Roxio directory (disk burning!). I simply moved the files back to the Documents/Turbotax directory and everything was there. I'm both annoyed and relieved.
Sorry you had that experience, but I don't understand it. TurboTax cannot require you to download updates, so that's confusing. I personally have never seen it "require" someone to do so. A lot of folks don't ever update the program after filing their tax return for the reason you mentioned above. After filing, I simply decline all updates.
AFAIK, TurboTax doesn't use the term "critical updates." Are you sure it wasn't Windows requiring you to do a critical Windows update? There is a known history of Windows updates moving/deleting data files not just for TurboTax but for other programs as well.
I don't know if you are using the Windows PC version or the Mac version since it wasn't mentioned. In any case, the following are the 3 choices in the updater preferences settings in the Windows version. If you are using Windows, you get to them by launching TurboTax, then at the main window, click at the top on the ONLINE menu, then choose Updater Preferences.
Updater preferences:
1) Automatically download updates, but let me choose when to install them.
or
2) Ask me before downloading updates.
or
3) I will get updates on my own. (then one would manually check whenever desired).
As for moving your *.taxYYYY data files to a completely different directory, that's even more bizarre. I'll ask around and see if anyone has ever witnessed such.
