What are these backup files with AM99 contained in the name?

M - N Putzer

I'm wondering if someone could tell me what the QDF backup files with AM99 contained in the names are for? They are not in the area where the preferences backup choices go to. There are quite a number of them and wanted to know if they rolled the number of files or I could delete them?

M - N Putzer

So would it be safe in deleting them?

jrich75

Those appear to be automatic backups that include the date and time (AM11.52) in the name.  The one with R-30.10 is a pre-upgrade backup made just before your last version upgrade.  They would normally be in a "Backup" folder in the same directory as your data file.  However, backup preferences now allow you to set a different location.

M - N Putzer

So would it be safe in deleting them?

UKR

M - N Putzer said:

So would it be safe in deleting them?

Automatic Backups are a safety blanket, in case the Manual Backup is no good. Delete them at your own risk.

How to properly set up Quicken Backup
How to make Quicken create a backup for you automatically every time you close Quicken
What Quicken backups are available where?

For the sake of this discussion it is assumed that your Quicken data file is located in the Default (and recommended) place: C:\Users\username\Documents\Quicken

Review the backup settings available in Quicken (under Edit / Preferences / Backup).

In there you will find two types of backup: Automatic and Manual Backup.

Automatic Backup should be enabled and always goes to a \Backup folder that's part of the folder which contains your current Quicken data file, e.g. \Documents\Quicken\Backup. Set it to create a backup after running Quicken [1] times and to keep [9] (or more, your choice) backup copies.
The file name for Automatic Backup files contains a date and time stamp as part of the file name, e.g. QDATA-2020-03-22.PM03.45.QDF-backup

To create a Manual Backup copy of your Quicken data file on an external device (USB-hard drive or USB memory stick recommended), put a checkmark at "Manual Backup Reminder" to enable the function and set "Remind me after running Quicken [xx] times" to [1].

Click OK to save the changes.

From now on, when you close Quicken using the red X button, you will get a popup window.

When you get this window for the first time, on some versions click the radio button for "Backup on my computer".
Change the Backup File name's drive letter and path to point to your external device so that it looks something like this: E:\Quicken Backup\QDATA-2019-04-01.QDF-backup
or use the Change button and work your way through the dialog.

Do not change the filename portion! Just overtype the drive letter and choose a backup folder name. If the folder does not exist, it will be created.

Also choose the option to "Add date to backup file name".

Every day when you run Backup or close Quicken, an additional backup file is created. Without the Add Date option you only have 1 backup copy which is overwritten every day ... and that may prove bad in a problem recovery situation.

Allow this backup to run to save the changes made on the screen.

Of course, once in a while you will have to go in and delete some of the oldest backup files, at your discretion, to avoid filling up your USB device.

One can never have enough backups of a Quicken data file. BTDTGTS!

schmidtbob

For some reason whereas I have my setting to save a maximum of 5 backup copies, since October it is simply adding a backup to the folder and now I have over 60 backups. I currently have plenty of space on my drive, but as some point there will be an issue. How do I solve this problem. Each backup is 622,980kb.

M - N Putzer

These seem to be rolling off the list as new ones come on. So I'm ok with just a certain limit of files being done this way. I was concerned that they were growing. But it seems there are about 2 1/2 weeks worth then they disappear.

jrich75

M - N Putzer said:

These seem to be rolling off the list as new ones come on. So I'm ok with just a certain limit of files being done this way. I was concerned that they were growing. But it seems there are about 2 1/2 weeks worth then they disappear.

You will want to keep an eye on it.  I seems that whenever an automatic backup occurs prior to a version upgrade, the number of files retained in the Backup folder will increase by one.  Even when that new file gets deleted weeks later, the folder will still contain an extra backup file.  So, over time, the number of files in Backup creeps up; increasing above whatever the preference maximum is set to.  If you don't occasionally delete some of the extra, older, files the Backup folder can get quite large.

jrich75

schmidtbob said:

For some reason whereas I have my setting to save a maximum of 5 backup copies, since October it is simply adding a backup to the folder and now I have over 60 backups. I currently have plenty of space on my drive, but as some point there will be an issue. How do I solve this problem. Each backup is 622,980kb.

See my comment above about the increasing number of backups.  Selectively deleting older backups will, of course, reduce the number of files retained for a period of time. Your file size is quite large (mine is less than 125,000KB).  I would guess that a big portion of your file size it due to attached images (checks or online bills).  You can see your actual data file size by clicking Help and the Ctrl+About Quicken.

Reducing the number of attachments is one way to help limit the size of the backups.  I keep all my bills separately rather than within quicken and only image important checks.