Number of Backup Copies

In the 2006 version of Quicken Deluxe that I'm using I have the "Maximum number of backup copies" set to 3. This feature has never worked for me in this version of Quicken. Is this feature broken or am I overlooking something?

Thanks, Steve

Reply to
SP
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I was using QP2006 till I upgraded to QP2007 I few days ago. To my recollection, Quicken's auto backups have always worked fine for me. IIRC, the default is five. In QP2006, I had mine set to 7, however, and that was working just fine. I did notice after I upgraded to QP2007, that the auto backup settings returned to 5 for some reason, so I changed it to 7, and it seems to be creating the extra backups without problems. I don't know if this will help or not, but I've found that sometimes turning a misbehaving feature off and back on fixes the problem. Try setting your auto backups to 0, then exit Quicken. (I always use the manual Q backup feature before exiting.) Then fire up Quicken again and set auto backups back to 3. Hopefully that will jumpstart your auto backups. :-) Another thought is to increase the number to something greater than the default and see if that makes a difference. Once you get it working, then you can set it back to 3. Sometimes I've had to wait a few days to see the results of a change like this. Anyway, hope this helps.

Regards,

Margaret

Reply to
Margaret Wilson

When you say it "has never worked," what do you mean? Is it not doing any auto backups? Is it doing more than three?

Reply to
DP

It does auto backups but doesn't limit the number to 3. Every couple of months I have been deleting the files in the folder that I backup to.

Reply to
SP

I don't know how knowledgeable you are about Quicken, so excuse me if I ask what will seem like very simple questions if you are already pretty knowledgeable.

1) You do realize that a working "file" for quicken actually consists of several files, don't you? There will be at least three files per backup, probably more. So if you have three backups, you will have at least nine files in the backup folder. 2) When you talk about "the folder that I backup to," you are referring to the backups that Quicken does on its own, right? These are backups that occur when you exit quicken. There is no prompt for these and there is no request for a location. Thsee autmated backups are the ones that should be limited to three. Now, if you're talking about backups that are done when Quicken asks you if you want to back up the files and where to back them up -- that's a different animal from the automatic backups. You can have as many of those backup files as you want, as long as you change the file name to avoid duplicates. If you are filing your "manual" backups in the same folder as your auto backups, then that would account for why you have more than three.

You may already be aware of all of these things I'm telling you. If you're not, it's likely that the problems you're seeing may be the result of slight confusion on your part.

Keep us up to date and we'll continue to try to sort through this.

Reply to
DP

Perhaps this will add some further clarification to the OP's dilemma.

The number of back-up copies refers to the 'automatic' backups that QW performs - this is normally about once per week. QW stores these auto backups in a sub-folder named '/Backup' - this sub-folder is located in the same folder that you elect to store your regular program file-set. QW creates this sub-folder automatically. QW names these backup files by appending a digit to your normal file name. Example; if you use QW's default file name 'Qdata', the auto backups will be named 'Qdata1', Qdata2', and Qdata3' for your case. The Qdata1 fileset is always the most recent backup. To re-iterate, these auto backups are completely separate and independent of any 'manual' backup operations that you may elect to perform.

You should be able to locate and examine these auto-backup files thru Windows Explorer.

Reply to
JM

Hi, Steve.

As you probably know, we discuss this topic again here every few weeks. Also, you probably know that what Quicken calls "a file" is actually a set of related files, all with the same filename but a different extension. There will always be a *.qdf file and there will probably be one or more files with extensions like .qtx and .qel, depending on how YOU use Quicken. In this newsgroup, we often refer to this group of related files as a "fileset".

There are 3 kinds of backups in Quicken:

  1. Automatic backups: Done automatically by Quicken once a week, starting with the day you install Quicken. Always into the Quicken\Backup folder that the program creates automatically. The most recent is QDATA1.*; others numbered from QDATA2.* to as many as you have set in Preferences. Each week, the oldest fileset is deleted and the others are renamed, from oldest to newest, with the numbers decremented by one (QDATA3 becomes QDATA2, etc.) and the current fileset is then saved as QDATA1.*

  1. Manual backups: Done whenever YOU say to whichever location YOU specify. You can either overwrite previous backups or save the new one to a different location or different set of filenames. You can make an unlimited number of these backups. And you should make at least some of these backups to removable media (CD, floppy, USB flash drive, etc.) that you can store separately from the computer.

  2. Reminder backups: These are really the same as #2, but if you haven't done a #2 recently, Quicken asks if you want to make a backup as you exit Quicken. The "recently" is up to you. Quicken can be set to remind you every time you exit, or after 100 exits without having made a manual backup, or whichever number you choose.

To set options, go to Edit | Preferences | Quicken Program | Backup. The two numbers you can enter here refer to my items #1 and #3 above. If you set the first one to 10, then Quicken will remind you to backup as you exit after you have exited 10 times without making a MANUAL backup (#2). If you set the second number to 5, then you should find 5 "filesets" in the Quicken\Backup folder, numbered from QDATA1 to QDATA5. (For the first 5 weeks that you use Quicken, there will be fewer sets here.)

Because of the way Quicken's preferences page is organized and the way the choices are worded, MANY users confuse the different kinds of backups. They may set the reminder to 3 and then be surprised when Quicken continues to make 5 automatic backups. :>( Intuit could remove some of the confusion by adding just one word to that second line: Maximum number of AUTOMATIC backup copies

Then they could add a few words to the first line: Remind ME TO MAKE A MANUAL BACKUP after running Quicken ___ times.

But that page has not changed in several years, so it's not likely to be fixed any time soon.

So, Steve, what number is in the SECOND box on your preferences page? How many filesets are in your Quicken\Backup folder? How many backup filesets do you have in OTHER folders?

RC

Reply to
R. C. White

I use Quicken Deluxe 2005 R5. I have been following this backup discussion and decided to check my backups. I first went to the Edit | Preferences | Quicken Program | Backup screen and the reminder backup is set to 1. (I do not always backup my data everytime I exit Quicken, but I like to be reminded to do it!) The "maximum number of backup copies" is set for 5.

However, when I went to the Backup folder, I noted that I only have five files in the fileset. Each file has the number 21 after it, and in properties each one says that it was created and modified July 7, 2002. So obviously my automatic backups are not being made. And what does the number 21 mean?

I then looked in a folder under Quicken called Q02Files. This folder has the same five backup files but without any number after them. The property for these are February 6, 2005, which may be the date that I installed my new version 2005. Can this whole folder be deleted?

Thanks. Caryl

Reply to
Caryl

Hi, Caryl.

Are you sure you are looking the RIGHT backup folder? You may have a dozen folders with that name scattered around your hard drive. The only one that matters here is C:\Program Files\Quicken\BACKUP, assuming you accepted the default when you installed Quicken. The program creates that subfolder automatically within the Quicken folder and assigns the name in ALL CAPS. I don't recall if it is Hidden, but I don't think so.

From the date, I would guess that this is a folder that you created 4 years ago when you were running Q2002 - perhaps when you first upgraded from Q2001? It would have only a single fileset, the latest one at that time.

If we use a number as a part of our data file name, Quicken's appended digit can get confusing. Years ago, I had a problem and started a new fileset, calling it QDATA2. When Quicken did its automatic backup, it appended a 1, of course, making my filename QDATA21. That didn't bother Quicken or Windows, but it sure confused ME! So I always advise against using a number in the name of the file, especially as the final character in the name. Could that explain how you wound up with a 21 after your filenames?

Yes - and yes. This is where Quicken 2005 saved your old files before converting them into new ones in the Q05 format. These files normally never get changed - or even used. If you are sure that you will never revert to Quicken 2002, you can delete this folder entirely - or archive it "just in case" if you are a packrat like me.

RC

Reply to
R. C. White

Hi. Interesting thread. I find that the backups in my case are in My Documents/Quicken/Backups. Per your post, that's not the default. I rarely override program installation defaults these days, so I'm wondering if (my current version) Q2005P automatically chose this path based on what the prior installation (Q2001D) had done? I don't see any option to change it within Preferences. (I assume I could do so by tweaking the registry.) The automatic backups appear to be generating normally (I've chosen 5 copies), per the discussion in this thread. I'd appreciate hearing if anyone sees any potential danger in this directory structure.

Incidentally, my current installation is in C:\QUICKENW . It has many subfolders, but none labeled BACKUP. This probably dates back to Q6. There is no path C:\Program Files\Quicken.

Thx, Ron

222 11027 body Hi. Interesting thread. I find that the backups in my case are in My Documents/Quicken/Backups. Per your post, that's not the default. I rarely override program installation defaults these days, so I'm wondering if (my current version) Q2005P automatically chose this path based on what the prior installation (Q2001D) had done? I don't see any option to change it within Preferences. (I assume I could do so by tweaking the registry.) The automatic backups appear to be generating normally (I've chosen 5 copies), per the discussion in this thread. I'd appreciate hearing if anyone sees any potential danger in this directory structure.

Incidentally, my current installation is in C:\QUICKENW . It has many subfolders, but none labeled BACKUP. This probably dates back to Q6. There is no path C:\Program Files\Quicken.

Thx, Ron

Reply to
Ron

"Ron" wrote

[R.C. Sorry to step in here, but sometimes I just can't resist.]

Quicken ALWAYS creates its automatic backups in a folder named BACKUP that is in the same folder where the Quicken data file you have open when the automatic backup occurs is located. ALWAYS. WITHOUT FAIL. There is no doubt about how this works. R.C. was right from the get go; and he carefully pointed out the same thing I am saying.

As an example: I guarantee that you have zero Quicken automatic backups in any folder anywhere on your pc that is named "Backups" (unless you moved them there). NOT A SINGLE ONE. GUARENTEED.

Spend more time reading for comprehension and less time thinking you are going to point out other's mistakes.

Reply to
John Pollard

Hi, Ron.

(And thanks for jumping in, John. I was in the middle of drafting this when I saw your post appear and, as you can see, I'm invoking your name in this message, anyhow. ;( I'm not sure I have all the answers, but here are a few thoughts.

The only time we can decide where to put Quicken is during the installation. Setup proposes a location, but we can change it (and I always change mine to E:\QuickenW). It always proposes a location on whichever volume (primary partition or logical drive) is specified by the environment variable SystemDrive. In almost all cases, especially for the typical user who has only a single "drive", this is Drive C:. The default location is into the Program Files folder. For a new installation of Quicken, it creates a subfolder named Quicken. So the typical path is C:\Program Files\ Quicken. There is no way that Preferences can control this. And trying to change it manually in the Registry is inviting disaster!

If we are upgrading a previous Quicken installation, the default location is into the same folder as the prior installation. So, once we've selected a location, future upgrades will go into the same place IF we are "upgrading". But, as I recall, this has not always been the case. Quicken's behavior in this regard has changed over the years. John Pollard is more familiar with this, but I think we could, a few years ago, install a new Quicken into a new location without deleting the old version. This might explain why you have Quicken (and QuickenW) folders in both My Documents\Quicken and C:\QuickenW.

As I recall, the QuickenW folder name came into being long ago (early

1990's?) to distinguish the then-new Windows version of Quicken from the MS-DOS version that had been the norm up to that point.

Which qw.exe actually runs when you start Quicken, Ron? You can look at the Properties of your desktop icon, if that's how you start Quicken. Or change the name of qw.exe to qw.xxx (or some other name of your choice) in either My Documents or C:\QuickenW and see if the program still runs. Either way, that should tell you which is the REAL Quicken on your computer and which is the imposter. From your description, I suspect that My Documents holds the real Quicken, but please check to be sure. The name of the backup folder would be "BACKUP", not "Backups".

Once you've identified the real Quicken, you should find the BACKUP folder there, and it should have your backup copies in it, named QDATA1, etc., as I explained to Caryl, and dated currently. The imposter Quicken may or may not have such a folder, but any files in it should be very stale-dated. As soon as you have verified that it is an outdated folder, delete its entire tree.

Then, to eliminate future confusion, I would suggest that you use Add or Remove Programs to delete Quicken; if there are multiple installations, delete them all. Then install your current version (Q2005P?) into your chosen location (C:\QuickenW ?) Naturally, you should make a manual backup of your current Quicken fileset into a safe location beforehand and then Open it (or Restore it) in your new installation.

(If you have further ideas, John, feel free... )

RC

Reply to
R. C. White

RC, thanks for your help. I doublechecked, and the backup folder is where you said it should be. Except instead of Quicken, it says QUICKENW. When I go to the BACKUP folder there is another folder called BACKUP in it. This is the folder that has the five files mentioned in my earlier post.

I have no recollection of using a number as part of the data file name.

What do I do now? How can I get Quicken to automatically back up my files and give the data files correct numbers?

Caryl

Reply to
Caryl

Correct. I mistakenly pluralized the folder. Sorry.

Excuse me? I was looking for a little advice, not thinking anyone had made a "mistake." I misquoted the backup directory by making "BACKUP" plural. Otherwise, it's exactly as I said, and there is no contradiction with what you say. The data file set is in ....My Documents\Quicken and the 5 sets of backup files are all in ....My Documents\Quicken\BACKUP. My point was simply that the executable is in one directory branch, and the data are in another. (My comprehension quotient may not be equal to yours, but I think I know how to explore for directory paths.)

I believe the QUICKENW branch was created by Q6 - years ago - and subsequent upgrades have simply installed over it. Maybe there was a "My Documents" folder when Q6 came out, I don't remember. If not, I don't know how the data got separated from the executable branch. My question now is "Does it matter?" On reflection, since I've upgraded from Q6 at least twice, and use Q2005P every day with no problem, I guess not.

Reply to
Ron

Hi RC, Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Responses below.

RC, I'm sorry that I misquoted the backup folder as pluralized. It is not. I don't think I have a tangled mess, just two branches, one with the executable and the other with the data and the appropriate subfolder BACKUP.

That's what I was guessing. It appears to be what's happened in my case.

Only the data are in the former. Only the executable is in the latter.

There's only one. (I've searched the entire drive.) As mentioned, it's in C:\QuickenW

No, it's simply not true. The data are in ....My Documents\Quicken . I have double checked this by opening and closing the program and checking the "Date Modified" column. The five sets of backups are in the subfolder ...My Documents\Quicken\BACKUP .

I'm afraid my typo has created a lot of confusion. I apologize for that. Thank you for taking the time to respond. -Ron

Reply to
Ron

And used lower case.

As I said, the folder where Quicken puts its automatic backups is always located in the folder of the file Quicken is automatically backing up, and is always named BACKUP. So if your BACKUP folder is in My Documents\Quicken, so is your regular Quicken fileset.

It was never (since at least Q2000 anyway) a requirement that the Quicken data had to be in the same folder as the executable, and I don't think it is a good idea to have it there.

Reply to
John Pollard

Note, before doing the procedure below, I suggest a manual backup of the dataset(s) targeted for renaming.

Caryl, without going into detail about how to clean out unused datasets, be aware of File=>File Operations=> Rename. You can use this interactive box to rename any data set - each represented by the QDF file you'll see in the window. The one(s) that show up when you open the window (as opposed to exploring with it) are the one(s) Q2005 regards as your current data. If there's more than one, then view the "Details" mode for this window, and you should be able to verify from the "Date Modified" attribute which data set should get focus. Single click on it, and it's file name will appear in the text box next to "file name:" In the bottom text box, "New Name for Quicken File:", type in the name to which you want it changed. Keep it free of numerals. You can add the suffix QDF, but I suspect that's unnecessary. Hit OK. Voila. You now have a new name for your current data set. Quicken will recognize it, and all its data are unchanged. As you use it, its files will be automatically backed up to the BACKUP subdirectory according to the frequency and lexicology discussed elsewhere in this thread.

HTH, Ron

"lexicology" is my way of saying that numerals will be added ;-)

Reply to
Ron

RC, I went to the BACKUP folder again and realized what happened. I said above that I had a subfolder called BACKUP under the first BACKUP folder and this subfolder had the five files from 2002. However, for some reason I had never looked into the main BACKUP folder. I have now done so and found that there are five file sets in it called QDATA1 up to QDATA5, and dated 2/21/2005 to 8/8/2006. QDATA 4 is dated 3/7/2005, and then QDATA3 is dated 7/25/2006. I do not know why there is such a space between those two backups, but the last three have a week between each, so it is apparently working correctly now.

Does this mean that I can delete the subfolder called BACKUP so there is just the main BACKUP folder?

Thanks again for your help.

Caryl

Reply to
Caryl

Ron, thanks so much for the instructions on how to rename Quicken files. As I just wrote in another message, I now do not believe that is necesssary because I discovered the correct BACKUP folder. But I never knew how to rename Quicken files, so this information might be helpful to me at a later date.

Caryl

Reply to
Caryl

Hi, Caryl.

It sounds like your backup file cleanup is nearly done. ;

Reply to
R. C. White

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