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.
