"I'm just glad I don't run a business with the software," one Money user wrote in a posting to a message board. "I can't believe it's been a few days and the problem still isn't fixed."
"Please help soon," another posting read. "I know I have bills coming up."
Microsoft confirmed that some users of its Money software have been locked out of their files since Monday afternoon. Money's servers are not recognising ID information from a group of consumers, said Goca Micic, group marketing manager for Microsoft's home retail division. "Other consumers coming into Money accounts haven't experienced the problem and will not at this point."
Micic would not say how many people were affected, nor did she offer a time frame for when the glitch would be fixed.
The issue stems from a problem with Money's servers, which were unable to recognise usernames and passwords through the software giant's Passport authentication and log-in service. However, Microsoft denied that MSN Passport was the source of the glitch, noting that other sites using Passport, such as Hotmail, were accessible during the outage.
Microsoft said users affected by the glitch tried signing into their accounts between Monday and Tuesday morning. Those who were shut out at that time remain unable to access their files. However, Money users who did not log in during those periods can still get in.
While Money is software that resides on a PC's hard drive, the service also integrates online access to information and services. Users can update their personal finance files onto the Web and access the information from PCs away from home. Many users upload potentially sensitive financial information and pay bills through the software.
Talkback
The whole passport system seems very flawed if reguarly various problems like this occur.
Sure, Microsoft keep coming out with reasons on each individual occurance and sure, some of the times problems may not have been directly due to one of the various flaws and bugs reguarly found in the system.
But regardless, should we be entrusting the workings of large parts of the economy to a system which repeatably fails and is from a company which has a long history of products which reguarly fail, with not the greatest of enthusiasm to ge them fixed until it suits them.
Has anyone figured out how to access their account? I've just been given the run around by both Microsoft and Dell. Dell has no idea that this problem exists and Microsoft wants me to pay for their online support. What an insult. Can anyone help?
I can't download my bank statement online since I installed XP's SP2. It used to work fine.
I was one of the ones who got shut out of my online bank account in Money. The message I got, however, scared the bejeezus out of me, something about my bank had closed my account. I could envision some felon using my money to buy a hooker and a bottle of wine.
Anyway, I went in to the "update online info" in Money and altered the name of my account slightly. I was then able to access my account. However, it wanted to restore all info for the last 45 days and recognized all the transactions recorded in Money except for those that were scheduled as auto pay through the bank.
Rather than find out I had deleted a payment I shouldn't have, I archived my current Money file, which worked out well for me since it left me with only transactions from 2005 to contend with.
Makes me wonder, though, if Quicken is any better.