Backing Up Appears to be Broken with the Latest Release - "Unable to Close Files"

DJPJ

It is early on 27 July 2021. I have Quicken Deluxe and the latest update brings me to version R34.24, Build 27.1.34.24. I installed this updated, entered six transactions manually, and performed the very first time a BACKUP and I chose the "Complete BACKUP." That procedure FAILED. It popped up a window, "Unable to Close Files." I opened Quicken Deluxe again and it loaded and the latest transactions were still there. I am guessing that the New Backup function is NOT working. I have a full Windows 10 ScreenShot of the error should you need one. However, there is no attachment function here (SURPRISING, actually!). I did however inquire, using File Explorer, to see if the File had been backed up and it appears there but I do not trust it be NOT be corrupted! Has Quicken's Development team seen this. DO they test new releases thoroughly. This is the very first time, being a Quicken user for decades that backup has failed seemingly.

Frankx

Hi @DJPJ,

Sorry to hear you are having problems with the backup process.  I am running the same version & build on Q H&B and have had no issues with backing-up also using the "complete Backup" option.  If you could post that screenshot, it might help us figure out what is going wrong with your file.  Also, if you have noticed any other things that do not seem to be working properly with the new version, please let us know.

Thanks,

Frankx

Frankx

Also, please let us know where your Q data file is located and where you were backing up to (including whether these are external drives or cloud-type locations.  Thanks.

Frankx

splasher

Even when you do not have the insert image icon in this forum, you can drag & drop the file into the text window.

DJPJ

Here is an image of the pop-up error.

DJPJ

Thanks, Partners! I sure appreciate the input. I will naturally try to back-up again, but maybe with using the COPY alternative, right? I back up EVERY TIME that I use Quicken out of habit as data losses are painful and I have lived that being that I have worked in Electronics (PC SUPPLIER) my entire career from Dos and on up. I have used Quicken from the DOS DAYS and forward.

DJPJ

So far, there are no other issues other than Backing up. I also am concerned that my data file contains transactions, Stock trades, house sales, cars/RV and other assets (Tracked) since 1992....I retired in my 30's. So, my data file may be bigger than most but up until this morning, backing up has NEVER been an issue and this is one VERY important function that many will agree who have used Quicken since the early days. Thanks for your help and input, everyone!

splasher

I am at R34.24 also and my backup is working as expected.    I do Ctrl+B to initiate the backup and hit the "Save Backup" button.
Have you rebooted your computer since the upgrade to R34.24?
It shouldn't matter, but where is your data file located and where is the backup's destination?

DJPJ

Hi, Splasher, I am using an External USB Thumb Drive with plenty of unused Disk Space. Quicken appears to have NOT done an automatic backup to the normal, user/documents/quicken/backup...it is days old but I am not sure how many boot-up/close sequences are required for that function to auto-backup.

I do re-boot my PC daily as a routine and I do backup once a week for all data/user files to an external disk. I was at one time MIS Manager for a high-tech company and actually had a week's worth of data NOT get backed up and it was a painful long weekend of re-entry and Pizzas. HA!

Chris_QPW

You never answered this question:

Frankx said:

Also, please let us know where your Q data file is located and where you were backing up to (including whether these are external drives or cloud-type locations.  Thanks.

Frankx

The reason this is important is because during the backup Quicken releases the lock on the main data file.  If another program like a cloud backup system jumps in and tries to sync the data file it can cause conflicts like this.  So you have to make sure that no other program will try to access the Quicken data file.

DJPJ

My Main Q data is located here: c:/documents/quicken. I do see the data file is there with the latest closing Time Mark. It ends in .qdf. I only back up to the USB drive and not to Drive or Onedrive or other cloud based.

Chris_QPW

DJPJ said:

My Main Q data is located here: c:/documents/quicken. I do see the data file is there with the latest closing Time Mark. It ends in .qdf. I only back up to the USB drive and not to Drive or Onedrive or other cloud based.

Then I'm not sure why it is failing for you.  (and note it is OK to backup to OneDrive/other cloud folders, just not have the currently open one there).

I think you should contact Quicken Support for this problem:
Contact Quicken Support

DJPJ

I just performed another couple of Register Entries and did the standard "Complete Backup" and it worked without an error code. Thanks, Community Members for your input and Support. I am however, beginning to think that I am going to have to trim some data content as this Data File contains EVERYTHING since 1992. That is a lot of register entries.

NotACPA

<snip>
I am however, beginning to think that I am going to have to trim some data content as this Data File contains EVERYTHING since 1992. That is a lot of register entries.

Let's put some actual numbers around that statement.  Do HELP and then hold down the CTRL key while you click About Quicken.  That will open a dialog box that shows the actual number of transactions in the total data file.

You can also so TOOLS, Account List ... and that will show the total number of transactions in each account.

SO, what's the total number, and what the largest number is any single account (and, what type of account is that)?

Ps56k2

NotACPA said:   You can also so TOOLS, Account List ...
and that will show the total number of transactions in each account.

just sharing -
But I'm not see "transaction count" in my Account List ...
Needed to click at the very bottom "OPTIONS" - and checkmark it...

For me - largest count is a Chase checking account... 4,993 transactions

dan5

I have been having the same issue the last few months. It occasionally backs up, but most the time it does not and crashes quicken. [removed - unhelpful/off-topic]

If you got any solutions from support please post

Greg_the_Geek

What is the full path to the folder that contains your Quicken data file on the hard drive and the full path to the backup folder? Do you have Controlled Folder Access enabled in Windows Defender? Are you using OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Backup?

dan5

I am backing up to an external USB drive. It has 50 GB of space on it. I tried saving another large file to the drive and that works just fine. I don't and have not ever backed up to dropbox or another cloud account. It just started backing up with sporadic success after the most recent update. Now it wont back up at all and I get the error attached, then I get 3 more messages before I just get an empty window. I have to quit Quicken adn restart

dan5

here are other pics

dan5

I can save to windows desktop folder and then drag it to the external USB drive and it goes just fine. Thats going to get tiresome.

Chris_QPW

@dan5 The problem you are having is caused by where you are storing your current data file, not by where you are trying to backup.  When Quicken goes to backup the current data file it has to close it, and the lock it has on it goes away.  Another program like OneDrive/Dropbox/or some other program like a backup/anti-virus program is opening that data file and locking Quicken out of it, and it will keep it locked up until it finishes that backup or other kind of scanning of the file.

You need to ensure no other program locks your current data file.  If you store your current data file in a folder that one of the cloud backup programs is monitoring you need to either move it out of there or turn off the sync why using Quicken.

garysmith87

As an alternative to Quicken's Backup, just go to Windows Explorer, right click on your Quicken .qdf data file and select "Copy". Then navigate to your flash drive, right click and select "Paste".

Works every time.

I would suggest you create multiple folders on your flash drive to hold multiple backups.

PS I notice that the filename in your Quicken data file is extremely long with spaces in between. I would suggest you change the filename to a simple 8 character or less filename using just alphanumerics.

Ps56k2

dan5 said:

I am backing up to an external USB drive.

There are a variety of issues with the way Quicken accesses its QDF files - with opening, closing, locking, etc -

You didn't answer the other part of the questions.... which is why we ask these very specifics...

1 - What is the full path to the folder that contains your Quicken data file on the hard drive
2 - And the full path to the backup destination folder - ok - its your external USB drive ?
3 - Do you have Controlled Folder Access enabled in Windows Defender?
4 - Are you using OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Backup - ok - not using any of these -
5 - Any other Antivirus program that scans your disk ?
6 - What version are you running....   Help --> About Quicken

Ps56k2

dan5 said: I can save to windows desktop folder and then drag it to the external USB drive and it goes just fine. Thats going to get tiresome.

Not sure why the normal Quicken folder arrangement would be a hassle... sits in the normal user Documents tree...

/Quicken/ --> has the Quicken QDF data file AND the /BACKUP/ folder.

So - I have my /QUICKEN/ folder with a /BACKUP/ folder where all the auto backups reside -
about 6 datestamped files.
Then I also have a /BACKUP2/ folder where all the manual backups reside -
with the [x] for datestamping - have about years worth.

Lastly - I then copy the entire /QUICKEN/ folder (and the Backup sub-folder)
off to my external USB drive - and I actually  alternate between two 1TB drives.

dan5

Hi thank you for the advice I qm not comfortable giving you the directory on my computer, not sure why you want that. The drive is E and there is a folder on it called Quicken Backup and I back up to there. It remembers where it was from teh previous days backup and used to work. I can browse to it new and it still fails to backup.

dan5

garysmith87 That is what I have been doign, I save it a file on my main disk, then I copy or move it to the USB drive.

dan5

I do not have controlled folder access in windows defender, there is no cloud backup that works on that USB drive. I do not use any cloud backup for my quicken files drop box or one drive. I do have an antivirus software. I will have to double check, but I doubt that is the issue, I don't think its scanning my quicken files non-stop, it wont backup at anytime now. Here is my quicken version.

dan5

Apologies for not acting on your suggestion, someone or in a microsoft update had reset the one drive settings and it was backing up my quicken folder on my main disk. I removed it from one drive synch, deleted the online version, and now it backs up to my USB drive again.

Maybe a tangent from this one, but does everyone here trust one drive or drop box to be secure, do you feel safe backing up your quicken file? Looks like I was having it backed up for the last 45 days unbeknownst to me. Maybe its not a big deal, but has drop box or one drive ever been hacked in a big way to get to people's files? Do MS or dropbox scan peoples files for personal info for various targeting reasons?