Tax file transfer from one computer to another

[vidalrg]

My old computer locked up today after an evening of completing my taxes on Turbo Tax 2018.

I uploaded the software into another laptop, but it will not upload the file from OneDrive.

Any idea? 

[VolvoGirl]

Did you get the program installed ok?  Will it let you start a new return?  And you have the tax return file ending in .tax2018?  Did you first move it from one drive to the laptop?

Do you get any error code (like 190) or message?  

After you get the program installed the first thing to do before you open your tax return is to update the program and install any state programs you had. Then open your file. So you first might need to start a fake return to be able to download the state program (go to FILE - NEW TAX RETURN)

Then go to FILE -Open and find your return.

[vidalrg]

thank you very much, my problem is that the file has been saved as a pdf.file.  i can't convert it to turbotax>?

[VolvoGirl]

Sorry no.  You need the actual data file ending in .tax2018 to open in the program.   You didn't save both the pdf and .tax2018 files for backup?  Is your old computer completely dead and crashed?  Were you able to file your return?  If the hard drive is ok you can take it out and put it in a cheap external enclosure to access it.  

[vidalrg]

I think that the tax file was served on my hard drive with the software program.   I didn't realize that the file being saved to my One Drive was a PDF file.   So I think you are right, unless I can bring the old computer up I will have to remove the hard-drive into another device.  Thank you very much for your help and advice.

[macuser_22]

@vidalrg - Just an FYI:  the TurboTax data file (xxx.2018.tax is a machine readable binary data file that can only be opened with the TurboTax software.   Being that is is a binary data file it might not transfer proberly to "Cloud Storage" systems and is not recommended.    Often  such binary files will get corrupted  and become unusable in the transfer process.   Storing locally on a memory stick is much more reliable.