Frustating Backup Issues

I have 4 different Quicken files that I use regularly - Quicken 2008 Premier Release 9. One of these accounts, and only one exhibits odd behavior.

Here is the behavior - Right now I can use the Quicken operations and backup the data file named Potter09.QDF. If I rename this data file, again using the Quicken File operations, to Potter2009.QDF it is not possible to backup Potter2009.QDF using the Ctrl-B method of backing up.

I can "restore from backup" and get the file Potter09.QDF back and at that point there is no trouble backing up the file.

I have repeated this problem multiple times. I have validated the file in question. I have tried deleting all the Potter09 files (actually I moved them to another folder so I could get them back), I have tried closing Quicken and even rebooting before attempting the backup of the renamed file. No luck.

I have a Vista PC which is current with all updates.

I am open to other suggestions.

- Email will be: 2Cybers at gmail-dot-com

Gordon Atlanta, GA USA

Reply to
NoSpamPlease
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Hi, Gordon.

As often noted here, it is NOT a good idea to have a Quicken data filename longer than 7 characters. This is largely a legacy issue going back to MS-DOS days when a filename could be a maximum of 8 characters, plus optionally an extension of up to 3 characters. These rules have been relaxed - substantially - in Windows, but Quicken's rules still echo the old restrictions.

You'll do yourself a BIG favor if you shorten your Quicken filenames. Even shortening Potter09.QDF (8.3 characters) to Potter9.QDF (73) would help. Still, Quicken's automatic backup names might become confusing; after it appends its single digit, you would see Potter91.QDF, Potter92.QDF, etc., in Quicken's BACKUP subfolder. (I don't even know what Quicken would call its automatic backups for a file named Potter2009.QDF; maybe Potter21.QDF, Potter22.QDF, et seq?) Confusion can be reduced further by staying away from a digit as the final character of the name of your file.

Of course, you can use any name you like for the backups you make in response to Quicken's reminder prompts. And you can use any name you like when manipulating your Quicken files OUTSIDE Quicken; just don't be surprised if Quicken is not able to handle those nonconforming filenames from inside the program.

But have you actually read the Quicken Backup screen? (I'm using Quicken

2009, but I'm sure earlier versions varied only slightly from this language.) Note that the destination box does NOT ask for the destination file NAME. It asks only for the disk drive and backup FOLDER name. It will always use the NAME of the Quicken file that is currently loaded. So you cannot backup Potter09 to Potter2009 - or to any name other than Potter09. (Unless you check the box to append today's date to the filename; I never do this and I think it reflects a misunderstanding of the purpose of automatic backups.)

I don't know what other issues may be lurking in your system, Gordon, but I think that simply shortening the name of your Quicken file would go a long way to simplifying your life. ; I have 4 different Quicken files that I use regularly - Quicken 2008

Reply to
R. C. White

I have been using Quicken since version 1. Since Windows 98 I have been using file names much larger than 8 characters and have had no problems at all.

It is advisable to leave the name that comes up in the backup dialog screen alone as suggested.

john

Reply to
John

Your personal experience is not informative on this subject. The fact that some users have not had the problem, does not mean that other users have not had the problem.

It has been demonstrated that the choice of a Quicken file name can have an adverse affect on various Quicken functions ... backup being one of those functions.

It's not the name of the backup file that is in question ... it is the name of the file being backed up.

[To say nothing of the fact that most versions of Quicken don't allow the user to choose the name of the backup file: the backup file name is normally - and should be - the same name as the file being backed up.]
Reply to
John Pollard

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