Or just take the (now seriously out of date) Win 7 machine and install Linux there and ensure the data file reads there...
After all, you're not likely to get anything else to run on that machine (and certainly not Windows 11)... David T. [Chris, if you are using a digest, you should remember to edit the subject line when replying] On May 12, 2026 6:52:38 PM GMT+05:30, Chris Skudder <[email protected]> wrote: >Raymond, >I'm not 100% clear on what you mean by: >"use the Windows 7 computer as a backup, in case I muck the change over up" > >IF by this you mean to simply preserve the GnuCash data file itself (and >possibly some of the config files too), then you can copy those files onto a >USB drive and just hold it aside while you work on the Win10/Linux machine. > >If you want to be able to open and edit the GnuCash file: I don't believe that >will work, based on the other replies to this thread if the Win 7 GnuCash >latest version is a major version earlier than the latest version on the Win10 >machine. I believe GnuCash data files are NOT backward compatible to older >"major versions" -- that is, GC 3.x can not open a GC file written from a GC >5.x. > >This next part is out-of-scope on a GnuCash forum, but as long as we're >"talking" ... >Here's another approach to moving the Win10 machine to Linux, which preserves >your Win10 environment. I realize not everybody is comfortable doing this but >it's almost always just a couple screws: >Buy a new hard drive (or solid state drive, or whatever) for the computer. >Remove the existing storage drive (carrying Win 10), and put the new drive in. >This is rarely more than a couple little screws. By now YouTube has 3-5 minute >videos showing exactly how to get to the storage drive in almost every >make+model of computer out there. > >Once the new drive is in, insert your thumb drive with your Linux operating >system installer on it into the computer, + install the Linux OS just like you >would have anyway. But this way, you have your whole Windows OS on the old >drive, sitting safely on the side, in case you want to go back to it, and >holding ALL your data. > >If you're not happy with the new Linux system, just take out the new storage >drive (carrying Linux), and put the old drive (with Windows) back in. Turn the >computer on, it opens up your Windows system right back where you left off. > >If you do like the Linux system, get a USB adapter to plug the old (Windows) >drive into the copmuter running the new Linux operating system. The Windows >drive comes up as an external USB drive in the Linux system, and you can copy >your files over. You may need to "take ownership" of the top-level folder in >the Windows drive when it's plugged into Linux as a USB drive. You'll find how >to do that in a minute with a search online. > >FWIW, I moved to Xubuntu Linux years ago. At first I was very cautious and >careful to preserve my Windows OS. There is certainly a little bit of a >learning curve but I "never" had the slightest desire to go back. The learning >curve gets easier with every later version of Linux, and the answers get >easier to find as search tools get better over time. > >Hope some of that helps. >Chris > >Let kindness + truth never leave you; >bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. > - Proverbs 3:3 > > >*From:* [email protected] > >*Sent:* Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 2:14 AM EDT > >*To:* [email protected] > >*Subject:* gnucash-user Digest, Vol 278, Issue 17 > > >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 4 >> Date: Tue, 12 May 2026 17:26:11 +1200 >> From: Raymond Vogt<[email protected]> >> To: "Maf. King"<[email protected]> >> Cc: GnuCash users group<[email protected]> >> Subject: Re: [GNC] Runtime to terminate in an unusual way >> Message-ID: >> <cae+sop12isr-ktqjzvlj_vupju0ysbzokym8fvbndavcesz...@mail.gmail.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" >> >> Hi Maf. >> Thank you for your reply. >> The screenshot is from the Windows 7 computer. I am in the process of >> changing to Linux on my Windows 10 laptop and hoped to use the Windows 7 >> computer as a backup, in case I muck the change over up. Wish me luck. >> Cheers, >> Raymond > >_______________________________________________ >gnucash-user mailing list >[email protected] >To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: >https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user >----- >Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. >You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
