Why can't I run Money 2003 on the machine I just upgraded to Windows 10?

Q. After upgrading to Windows 10, Money 2003 would no longer function, and I had to return to Win7. Is there a solution to this? 

​A. There is a solution, but probably not the one you’re hoping for.

The basic problem is that MS Money was discontinued in 2009. 

Still, you might have been able to get Money running in Win10 using the techniques discussed in the Oct. 15, 2015, LangaList Plus column, “Running ancient apps in Windows 7, 8, and 10.” But you’ve already uninstalled Win10.

The next-best alternative is probably to back up your files and then try Microsoft’s "Money Plus Sunset Deluxe Edition." It’s basically a limited, stopgap replacement for the full version of MS Money. It’s intended to help Money users continue to access and use their files.

However, the Sunset edition was intended for then-current (2009) versions of MS Money. I don’t know whether it’ll work on a version as old as yours (2003).

In any case, the best, long-term solution is to migrate to a current and supported financial tracker that’ll work with Win10. Two examples are Quicken (U.S. $30 and up) and GnuCash (open source and free).

There’s really no other alternative. Again, Microsoft stopped working on its MS Money code in 2009; there are no fixes or patches that will keep the 2009 version — or your ancient 2003 version — safe and compatible with current Windows.

It’s long past time to move to a new financial planner.

(Originally published on Windows Secrets on Thursday, January 7, 2016.)

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