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How to manually restore your StockMarket Plus database from a backup

Use these steps if you experience either of the following:

  • “Error writing to the database” when closing the program. This is the most common reason for needing a manual restore. To help avoid it happening again, see the note at the end of this article.
  • “Unable to restore the database” when restoring a backup from inside the program.

Restoring a backup replaces your current data with the data saved in that backup. Anything entered after the backup was made will not be included.

You will need your backup file. This is usually named stock.db, though you may have given it a different name or saved it somewhere of your own choosing.

  1. Close StockMarket Plus. Make sure the program is completely closed before you begin. Check the taskbar at the bottom of your screen to confirm it is not still open.
  2. Check your backup file’s name. StockMarket Plus can only restore a file named exactly stock.db.
    • Find your backup file. By default, backups are saved in the backup folder inside your stockmarketplus folder, but you may have saved yours elsewhere.
    • If the file has a different name (for example, stock - 30 June 2025.db), right-click it, select Rename, and change it to stock.db. This step is essential, as the program will not recognise any other name.
    • Tip: if you can’t see the “.db” at the end of file names, open the View menu at the top of File Explorer, choose Show, and tick File name extensions. When renaming, make sure the name does not end up as stock.db.db.
    • Right-click the file and select Copy.
  3. Open File Explorer. Hold down the Windows key (the key with four squares, near the bottom left of your keyboard) and tap the letter E.
  4. Open the StockMarket Plus folder. In most cases this is C:\stockmarketplus. Click This PC on the left, then Local Disk (C:), then double-click the stockmarketplus folder.
    • If it isn’t there, StockMarket Plus may have been installed elsewhere. The easiest way to find it is to right-click your StockMarket Plus desktop shortcut and select Open file location.
  5. Paste your backup. Right-click in the empty white space inside the folder and select Paste. A message will ask if you want to replace the existing file. Click Replace the file in the destination.
    • If you are not asked this question, your backup file is probably not named stock.db. Go back to step 2 and check.
  6. Delete the log file, if present. Look for a file named stock.log in the same folder. If you see it, right-click it and select Delete. This file can be left behind if the program shut down unexpectedly, and it can stop the program from opening correctly. If you don’t see it, skip this step.
  7. Reopen StockMarket Plus. Start the program as you normally would.