Summary: This blog discusses what to do when QuickBooks 'restore failed' error occurs. It also outlines possible reasons behind the error. To save time troubleshooting the issue and regain access to the company file data, using a QuickBooks® repair tool may help.
Contents
When trying to restore data from a QuickBooks backup file (QBB), some users reportedly witness restore operation failing with one of the following messages:
“Error: Restore Failed. This is an Invalid Format of a Post QuickBooks 2007 Backup File”
“Error: Restore failed. Can’t remove log file”
“This file is set to read-only. Try again with a different name”
Reasons for QuickBooks ?Restore Failed? Error
This failure of the backup restore operation can be attributed to one of several reasons:
- The backup is being restored over an existing company file
- The company file name includes special characters
- The backup saved in a USB flash drive is restored to a network drive instead of a local computer
- The file being restored isn?t an actual QuickBooks backup file
- The backup is made in a newer version of QB but is being restored to an older version
- The company file is damaged or corrupted
Methods to Resolve QuickBooks ‘Restore Failed’ Error
To find out which method works best for your case, execute all in the same order as given below. Skip to the next method if the previous one doesn?t work.
1. Do not overwrite an existing company file during the restore
This is a part of the basic file-saving ethics. When saving the file being restored, browse to the destination folder where you wish to save it, and if the name of the file clashes with an already existing company file, pick a different name.
So when you restore a backup, do the following:
- When prompted to enter the location to save your file, browse to a desired location for saving the file.
- If the name of the file you want to save is same as another file in the folder, you will get a message “The file name exists. Would you like to overwrite this file?”
- Click NO.
- Choose a different name for the file.
2. Get rid of special characters from the company file name
Avoid using special characters like /\<>!$ in the file name. If you find any such characters in your company file, remove them and rename the file.
3. Copy backup to the local system before restoring it
When restoring a backup saved on external media like a USB drive or on a network, it is recommended to make a local copy of the backup first. Doing so ensures that the backup operation doesn?t terminate abruptly if the connection to the USB or the network is disrupted. Such a mishap, while the restore is underway, could also lead to permanent data corruption in the QBB file.
4. Ensure that the file you are trying to restore is a valid QBB file
If you try to perform a restore operation on a file that?s not a valid QBB format it will most likely throw the QuickBooks restore failed error.
5. Restore the QBB to the same version of QuickBooks which was used to create it
It is possible to restore a QBB created in an older QuickBooks version to a newer version of the application, but vice versa will result in an error. Thus ensure there are no version-incompatibilities when undertaking a backup restore.
6. Repair QuickBooks company file
If none of the above tricks fixes the issue, your QBW or QuickBooks company file might be severely damaged. You can repair the QuickBooks data file by using the ?Rebuild Data? utility. To use the utility, go to the QuickBooks File menu, hover over Utilities, then click Rebuild Data. For detailed steps to rebuild a company file, refer to this link.
If rebuilding the company file fails, a far easier and more efficient approach would be to rope in reliable QuickBooks® File Repair Software. Stellar Repair for QuickBooks® Software comes with an advanced algorithm to repair a severely damaged or corrupted QuickBooks company file (QBW). It also recovers all the file components like the company, customer, vendor, and employee information. The software can support multiple currencies, provide a preview of all recoverable data before saving the repaired file, and extract critical financial data (paychecks, payroll transactions, etc.) to be saved in a new QBW file.
Conclusion
While you should always remember to back up your QuickBooks company files (QBW), it might also be a good idea to keep an efficient QuickBooks repair application like Stellar Repair for QuickBooks® Software handy for unexpected situations. The software makes the process of repairing a company file smooth and quick. Also, it allows to the recovery of QBW file data from a backup file (QBB).
