Running Quicken Using Parallels

Discussion in 'macOS Virtual Machine' started by CharPatton, Nov 22, 2011.

  1. CharPatton

    CharPatton Bit poster

    Messages:
    3
    Quicken Essentials runs in Lion, but lacks features compared to older versions of Quicken which will only run in Snow Leopard and earlier.

    Can one use Parallels to set up a system that runs Lion as the primary OS, but has another partition that runs Snow Leopard for the sole purpose of running Quicken 2006?

    If so, any guidance as to how to do this?

    I guess I could use Parallels to run Windows, and use the Windows version of Quicken in that environment, but I'd rather stay all Mac based.

    Thank you!
     
  2. Billmccl26

    Billmccl26 Bit poster

    Messages:
    7
    Quicken for Mac 2007 in Parallels

    You are correct that Quicken for Mac 2007 will not run in the Intel platform with Lion, which has discontinued PowerPC support previously provided by Rosetta in Leopard and Snow Leopard. Quicken Essentials is a rather pathetic product, particularly if you value online bill pay so well provided by Quicken for Mac 2007.

    I have successfully installed Snow Leopard Server in Parallels which runs on my MacBook Pro using Lion 10.7.2. The choice of Server vs workstation Snow Leopard is an Apple licensure issue. Apple explicitly prohibits vitalization of Snow Leopard Workstation, while allowing it for Snow Leopard Server.

    The installation was not that difficult, I simply did not configure any of the server functions, and use the Server software as a Snow Leopard client. It works well with Quicken for Mac 2007, and continues the online bill pay services.

    I hope that this is helpful. All of us continue to be amazed at Intuit's lack of responsiveness for its loyal customers. But there is very little competition for the online bill pay product and functionality on the Mac platform so well provided by Quicken for Mac 2007.
     
  3. gmowat

    gmowat Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Could you update and expand this post with some more detailed guidelines for installing Mac OS Snow Leopard guest?
    - can you reconfirm it requires Snow Leopard Server (see separate post updated today on Snow Leopard guest (non-server))
    - can you confirm software versions used (Mac OS X Lion host, Parallels Desktop, Mac OS X Snow Leopard guest...)
    - any other hints & tips for achieving this successfully?
    - any comments on speed of execution of Quicken 2007 and speed of online services (account update dowloads, QuickenQuotes downloads...) when running on this pyramid of platforms?

    Thank you
     
  4. Billmccl26

    Billmccl26 Bit poster

    Messages:
    7
    Leopard Server on Parallels

    I have succeeded in making this work, but it is not elegant.

    I have it installed on my late model 17" I7 MacBook Pro for travel, and have an older model IMac running Snow Leopard Client at home for when I need Quicken for Mac 2007 at home. It is essentially the only purpose for which I use the older IMac. I have another IMac running Lion for all other work at home.

    As to to how I made it work:

    Host Machine: 17" MBP, 8Gb RAM.
    Host OS: Lion 10.7.2, all updates current
    Parallels: Version 7, all updates current as of now.
    Parallels Client OS: Leopard Server 10.5.8 (NOT Snow Leopard, as I don't have 10.6 Server software), configured with a 4gb RAM allocation in parallels.

    The Leopard 10.5 Server installation proceeded fine, multiple Apple updates needed to get it to current 10.5.8. Leopard 10.5 workstation and Snow Leopard 10.6 workstation are not authorized to run virtually, and when I tried to install Leopard 10.5 workstation and Snow Leopard 10.6 workstation software in Parallels, it will not install. Don't know whether this block can be overcome, and I did not fuss with it for a long time since I have the Leopard Server 10.5 software, and it is not running on any other machine any longer. I configured Leopard Server to run with no server functions, rendering essentially a 10.5.8 client in functionality. Apple's server software functions precisely as a client when running at the local level, which in fact, it is.

    Quicken for Mac 2007 installed just fine on Leopard 10.5.8 server software in Parallels, and runs Quicken files imported from the other machine. It runs normally, and is able to perform online billpay in the normal fashion.

    My only problem with the installation was an unexpected one.

    I have had great difficulty getting the Quicken data file in to the Leopard Server in Parallels.

    I had expected Parallels sharing to work, but have found it unreliable and intermittent. I have installed the Parallels tools several times, and that does not seem to make any difference. My general impression from the Parallels web site and from Parallels customer support is that their software was developed to run Windows on a Mac, and everything else is sketchy and an afterthought at best.

    There is essentially no documentation on runnning Mac Server on Parallels in their knowledge base, and their customer support is awful, designed as is so often the case, to avoid any customer interaction, with no direct telephone service, and the ultimate responder always nice, but difficult to understand from Blngladore, and only superficially trained, unless you are inquiring about Windows.

    The Parallels web site and support are pretty much a waste of time.

    They are trying to sell software packages for Windows on a Mac, and don't seem to care much about anything else. And they don't really believe in customer support. The comparison between Apple customer support and Parallels customer support is stark.

    I tried to address this through the use of Dropbox on the two machines, but the Quicken file was always corrupted somehow, and would not run when it got into Parallels client.

    So with sharing unreliable for me in Parallels, I have resolved the problem by transferring the Quicken data file from my Snow Leopard IMac to a USB jump drive, and then transferring the file to the 10.5.8 Server Parallels client from the jump drive.

    That has proved reasonably reliable.

    The real problem company in this discussion is Intuit. I have been incredibly disappointed in their protestations and excuses for not supporting Lion. I have been a loyal Quicken customer for many years, and find their approach to their Apple customers nothing short of appalling. The idea that they cannot make the transition to the Intel platform is stupid. They could do this if they chose to. And they choose not to. My rationale for continuing use of Quicken for Mac 2007 is not the same as many other of their abused customers.

    My problem that keeps me going through all these hoops with Parallels is that they have the only product (Quicken 2007 for Mac, not the pathetic Quicken Essentials) which has a two password capability for online bill pay. I have an administrative assistant who enters billpay transactions, but to pay the bills, it requires a second password which I only have access to. Multiple eyes on every financial transaction is a policy that has served people well for generations. None of the other products for the Mac platform support online bill pay and require two passwords.

    I hope that this has been helpful, and I continue to hope that some other company comes up with a solution for the vaccuum left by Intuit. I will be their first customer.
     

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