FileMaker no longer working after an update? Here is what you can do
Every year it happens to a number of businesses: someone clicks "install update", the computer restarts, and FileMaker no longer starts. Or it does open, but crashes on the first record.
Old FileMaker versions were never made for modern versions of macOS or Windows, and Claris does not fix that: versions older than a few years no longer receive updates. So this problem will not go away on its own.
First: stay calm, your data is still there
Your data is stored in the .fmp12 file (or .fp7 for older versions) and has not gone anywhere. The problem lies in the program, not in your database. Do make a copy of that file to an external drive or cloud service right now, before you experiment any further.
The quick fixes
What businesses do in practice: roll back the update, keep one old computer alive that FileMaker still runs on, or put the program in a virtual machine with an old operating system. All of that works, for a while. But from that moment on you have an extra machine sitting there that may never be updated again, with your business data on it. Every subsequent update, every new computer and every departing member of staff makes the safety net thinner.
The structural solution
The reason this keeps coming back is that your application is tied to a program on a single computer. A web application does not have that problem: it runs on a server and works in any browser, so a macOS or Windows update cannot affect it.
We rebuild FileMaker systems as such a web application, including transferring all your data from that .fmp12 file. Even if FileMaker no longer starts on your computer: the file itself is all we need. A conversion that is not overly complex already fits within €395, including analysis; after that you pay from €19.50 per user per month, including hosting and backups twice a day. You can read how such a project works in from FileMaker to web application.
Is your FileMaker still running? Then now is the time to think about it, not after the next update. Start with replacing FileMaker: here is how to go about it.
Frequently asked questions
Is my data lost if FileMaker no longer starts?
No. Your data is stored in the .fmp12 file (or .fp7 for older versions) and that has not gone anywhere; the problem lies in the program, not in your database. Do make a copy of that file to an external drive or cloud service straight away, before you experiment any further.
Why does FileMaker stop working after a macOS or Windows update?
Old FileMaker versions were never made for modern operating systems, and Claris does not fix that: versions older than a few years no longer receive updates. So the problem will not go away on its own and will return with every subsequent update.
Can I get FileMaker working again temporarily?
Often, yes: by rolling back the update, keeping one old computer alive, or putting the program in a virtual machine with an old operating system. That works for a while, but you are then left with a machine that may never be updated again, with your business data on it.
What is the structural solution?
Rebuilding your FileMaker system as a web application. It runs on a server and works in any browser, so a macOS or Windows update cannot affect it. This is possible even if FileMaker no longer starts on your computer. A conversion that is not overly complex fits within €395 including analysis; after that you pay from €19.50 per user per month.
Free and without obligation: have your FileMaker file assessed
Send us your FileMaker file via the secure upload, or schedule an introduction. We will tell you what is in your application, what converting it costs and what it saves you. Only then do you decide. We work for businesses throughout the Netherlands and Flanders; everything can be done remotely.