While it doesn't happen to everyone, it's getting more common that some time during the years that you have a copy of Toolkit 6, you'll want to move the data from one computer to another. For some folks, this happens all the time; they have a desktop and a laptop they want to keep in time with one another. For others it happens when they (for reasons happy or sad) pick up a new computer.

I was originally going to make this one big note split in half for the how-to on moving data when the computers are working, and when it's not. I don't have an editor other than the one in my head, but when it started to get toward three pages, that seemed a bit excessive. As a result, I'm actually going to make two postings, a Ticket 7, and a Ticket 7.5; this first one will be for the case of two working copies of Toolkit, the second will be for the less joyful case of a not-working copy of Toolkit.

1. Open Toolkit and click on Options > Database Utilities.

2. Select the first option, to make a backup of your database

3. Select C:: -Fixed from the drop-down menu, and click OK.

4. From the list of places, select the drive that you want to make the backup to. If you are using a removable drive, and aren't sure which letter it is, unplug the drive for a few seconds, and then plug it back in. When unplugged, one of the listed drives should disappear after a few seconds, and then re-appear when the drive is plugged back in.

5. Click OK

6. Toolkit should report that the database was backed up. Click OK

7. You can now remove the drive or floppy disk from the computer.

Restoring your backed-up data

1. Insert the drive or floppy disk into the new computer.

2. Open Toolkit and click on Options > Database Utilities.

3. Select the second option, to restore a backup of your database

4. Select C:: -Fixed from the drop-down menu, and click OK.

5. On the window that opens, choose the drive letter for the floppy or removable drive. As before, if you have a removable drive and are not sure of the letter, unplug it for a minute, then plug it back in and note which letter appears on the list.

6. Find the file named TK or TK.itb, and click on the file to select it. Click OK or OPEN

7. A message will appear asking to confirm that you want to over-write the database that Toolkit is currently using; click YES

8. A message will appear asking if you want to over-write the URL database that Toolkit is currently using; click YES

9. Toolkit should report that the database was restored. Click OK.

Entering your subscription information again

(This is only required if you have not already entered the information in the new copy of Toolkit)

1. Open Toolkit and select Options > Preferences > File Locations > Select Data Subscription

2. Select the BetterInvesting or the ICLUB option, and enter your login and password; If you select ICLUB, you should enter your StockCentral login, even if Toolkit shows a box for an email address. For BetterInvesting, your ID will usually be your member number.

3. If you aren't sure what these are, contact whoever you have the subscription with:
ICLUBcentral - 1-877-334-2582
BetterInvesting - 1-877-275-6242