After installing TurboTax 2019, I can no longer open older versions of TurboTax software, e.g., TurboTax 2018, that I had installed on my computer

[Jhawk00]

I recently installed TurbTax2019 on my Windows desk top computer.   I have no difficulty opening and preparing my 2019 tax return.  However, I can no longer open the older versions of TurboTax that I had installed on my computer.   For example, when I click the icon for TurboTax 2018 on my desktop, the software will not open.   I saved the pdf version of my 2018 tax return and can open it, but I have always found it useful to look any of the various forms and worksheets from previous years that were not included as part of my e-filed federal or state returns.    I have always been able to access older versions of TurboTax on my computer.  Why can I no longer access them beginning this year.?  

[Critter]

Unless your computer is out of memory you should be able to have and use several years of TT on the computer.

Contact TurboTax support and speak directly with a TurboTax support agent concerning this situation.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for a contact link and hours of operation -https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number

[Jhawk00]

Memory is not the problem.  The TurboTax software for years 2017 and 2018 is still on my computer but will not open.   I opened a TurboTax Support ID and called TurboTax support.  I worked with rep for about an hour.  We verified software is on my computer.  We tried to repair the installed software but received an error code that she said points to a Windows issue versus TurboTax.    We then uninstalled and reinstalled my TurboTax 2018 software, but the reinstalled software still will not open.   She finally put me on hold to discuss my issue with a more senior rep but I was disconnected at their end.  She did not call me back.  I may try to call TurboTax again tomorrow but that was all the time I wanted to put in on it today.  

[Critter]

Since they should have your email address watch for an email on this subject if they find a fix to the issue. 

[boscanamD]

I am having the exact same problem.  I have many years of prior turbo tax returns, but after installing 2019, I am not able to access 2018.  This has to be a Turbo Tax issue.  I have a new Mac and that's less thank two years old so it's a not a memory issue. Did anyone get a resolution?

[boscanamD]

I contacted customer support and it seems that Turbo Tax did not automatically save your .tax2018 if you saved your return as a .pdf.  I did what I always did, I went to print my tax return and save a pdf copy,  but unlike other years, in 2018, somehow the software was overwritten.  I asked if Turbo Tax was going to inform their customers of the bug.  No clear answer.  So the solution, you have to re enter last year's data.  Be careful in 2019.  Make sure that you save the software .tax2019 then to be on the save side, when you save your actual tax return as a pdf, make sure you are not overwriting the .tax.  Can't figure out how that is even possible, anyway, would have been nice if Turbo Tax let their customers know about this or at least offered a discount due to last year's bug.

[Critter]

@macuser_22 

Any ideas on this ? 

[macuser_22]

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@boscanamD wrote:

I contacted customer support and it seems that Turbo Tax did not automatically save your .tax2018 if you saved your return as a .pdf.  I did what I always did, I went to print my tax return and save a pdf copy,  but unlike other years, in 2018, somehow the software was overwritten.  I asked if Turbo Tax was going to inform their customers of the bug.  No clear answer.  So the solution, you have to re enter last year's data.  Be careful in 2019.  Make sure that you save the software .tax2019 then to be on the save side, when you save your actual tax return as a pdf, make sure you are not overwriting the .tax.  Can't figure out how that is even possible, anyway, would have been nice if Turbo Tax let their customers know about this or at least offered a discount due to last year's bug.

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There is no such bug.    Nobody else has ever reported such a thing.  Saving as a pdf has nothing to do with the .tax2018 data file which is automatically saved whenever TurboTax is quit unless you specifically tell TurboTax not to save the file. In fact, there is no way that TurboTax can ever delete or remove a .tax file.  Only the Mac Finder can do that with a manual action.  (An exception is if TurboTax crashes - a rare event - but then the current data would not be saved but the original .tax file would remain the same.)

Perhaps you moved or save to a non standard location or accidentally deleted the file.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac/01/26206

[boscanamD]

There are plenty of people stating the same thing.  I did not create this thread, but responded.  Also what I reported is what the Turbo Tax customer service representative told me.  This was something that happened in 2018, not the other years.  I've been using this software for 11 years, so I know it normally behaves.  Look at the other threads. 

[macuser_22]

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@boscanamD wrote:

There are plenty of people stating the same thing.  I did not create this thread, but responded.

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You said that yiu are a Mac user.  This thread was about Windows which is  a different issue.     There was a Windows update that caused many files to be lost - the Microsoft forums are full of reports.   That was a Windows issue.   I have dozens of 2018 .tax test files (that I still use) and have never had any .tax file (for 2018 or any other year) get deleted that I did no delete myself.

[Jhawk00]

I created the original post and just want to reiterate what my problem is.  It has nothing to do with computer memory problems, intentional or inadvertent deletion of TurboTax files, overwriting of files, etc.    I have older versions of TurboTax 2017 and 2018 still on my Windows computer.   After filing my 2018 return, sometime later in 2019 I was still able to open TurboTax 2018 to print out some of my 2018 forms.   However, after installing TurboTax 2019 on my computer, I can no longer open my TurboTax 2018 software, either by using the desktop icon or by using the installed TurboTax 2018 files on my computer to open it.   The error message I received, according to the TurboTax tech support rep, indicated a Windows problem, not a TurboTax problem.  (I also cannot open the TurboTax 2017 software that is still on my computer).   Working with TurboTax tech support, I even completely uninstalled my TurboTax 2018 software from my computer, and reinstalled it using the installation CD.   We verified that the 2018 software did install on my computer, but I still cannot open the newly installed TurboTax 2018 software.  I get the same error message, which the tech rep told me indicated a Windows problem.   I have not done any further troubleshooting as I'm still head down preparing my 2019 return.  I do not have any issues using the TurboTax 2019 software.  

[LakeyaLO]

Please click the link below for information on updating your software.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/installing/help/how-do-i-update-turbotax-cd-download/01/26038#M6

[ctmsenior]

I am having a similar problem to others on Windows 10.  It matters not which tax year I attempt to open a turbotax FILE (not pdf),  the turbo tax software cannot find the  file.  I've seen turbotax response to similar questions by others that this is a windows problem.  The problem manifest itself in turbotax software.

(not windows),   

It is often very helpful to analyze turbotax files from a previous year.  Turbotax needs to acknowledge the problem and technical support needs to fix it.   

This is a show stopper for me because the support in Turbotax for reporting foreign taxes is inadequate and consequentially there's a need to compare previous tax file for carry back and carry forward support.