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pbccpa1
Level 1

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

Can a deleted QBs file be restored? My C: drive was full so I copied a large folder with all my data (I thought) to my drive and then deleted the folder on my C: drive, but now QBs can't find one of my companies' files. I've always heard that deleted files are not completely gone, just overwritten to not use disk space. If that is the case, can it be restored? I've tried using Recuva but it doesn't find the file either. Any thought or help would be greatly appreciated.

10 Comments 10
Bryan_M
QuickBooks Team

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

Thank you for considering seeking help in this forum, @pbccpa1, about recovering your deleted file. QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) has an option to restore a company file. I'll be glad to share this with you.

 

Before anything else, you can try to review the Recycle Bin to see if the deleted company file folder is there. 

 

If you are unable to locate it there, we have ways to find it. You can go to your server computer and perform a wildcard search for all company files by typing one of the following into the search bar. Keep note to include the Asterisk (*) before the extension type to ensure the search works correctly. You can see it below:

 

  • *.qbw (Working Files)
  • *.qbb (Back Up Files)
  • *.qba (Accountants Copy Files)
  • *.qbx (Accountants Transfer Files)
  • *.qby (Accountants Change Files)

 

Once the file is found, take note of the file's location and proceed to opening your file in QuickBooks. You can see the detailed steps by going to Solution 2 from the "If you are accessing your QuickBooks file saved locally on the same computer" section in this article: Company file is missing or cannot be found.

 

If it is confirmed that the file was deleted, you can try to utilize the Auto Data Recovery (ADR) using the original.TLG file with QBW.adr file to recover lost transactions using the Transaction Log file and a copy of your company file. Check out this article for the specific processes you will need to follow: Recover lost data with QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery.

 

However, if the procedure provided was not able to attain your goal, I recommend reaching out to an IT expert to guide you on the best approach to restoring your deleted company file, even without a copy.

 

Let me know if you need additional assistance with restoring your company file, because I know how crucial this is in the day-to-day operations of your business. You can leave a comment below anytime.

SIAB
Level 7

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

@pbccpa1 

Have you tried the Recycling Bin?

pbccpa1
Level 1

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

 Yes....thank you...it had been emptied already....

pbccpa1
Level 1

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

Thank you for your help. Recuva DID find my file on my drive but in a different path than it should have been in so I have made a backup where I want it to be and am currently updating it for the past two weeks activity. Praise God!

Sle
Returning Member

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

I am have the same problem. I'm using recuva also and it found some files but for some reason it's not finding .my company file. Any help would be greatly appreciated 

MsNorthPND1881
QuickBooks Team

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

I understand how important it is to recover your company file, Sle. 

The detailed steps shared above by my colleague, @Bryan_M, are for restoring your missing file that you saved over the network or locally on the same computer.

Since you’re using Recuva, I recommend reaching out to their support team. This way, they can guide you in locating and retrieving your file.

 

Once you find it, make sure to note its location for future reference. You can then open it in QuickBooks and continue working without interruption.

 

If you need any additional help with recovering your company file, let us know.

SIAB
Level 7

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

@Sle  

it found some files

 

What files? any *.qbw, *.qbb or *.adr?

Sle
Returning Member

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

.qbw with other extensions like ND and dll

Sle
Returning Member

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

.qbw but had a .nd extension after also have .dll extensions

 

SIAB
Level 7

Restoring a deleted company in QBs Desktop

@Sle  

What QB Desktop year version? You can try to open that *.qbw file.

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