File Storage

Andy_G

When I open a quicken file through the quicken icon located in the task bar and select this file, the location of the file is as shown in fig1. Meanwhile I also have a file located directly on the desktop as shown in fig2. I am not sure why and quicken places the files at this particular location. In addition, I am thinking that my Desktop will be full of these files every time I back up and exit

Chris_QPW

The default for saving file for most programs is Documents, and Quicken follows that default.

It is saving your current data file (the one Quicken uses) to OneDrive because you have told Windows/OneDrive to backup your Documents folder.  It doesn't that by moving the Documents folder to under OneDrive.  It hides this fact by just showing This PC -> Documents instead of the real full path like you can see for my Documents folder below:


In truth Quicken Inc suggests that you don't store the data file that Quicken opens in a "cloud folder" because the syncing can conflict with some operations that Quicken does.

So, in a way your setup is backwards.  Given that your Documents folder is in a OneDrive folder the recommendation would be to move it to somewhere like C:\Quicken, and have the backups go to a folder like your Documents\Quicken or another OneDrive folder that is backed up off of your machine.  Or to a different drive or removable drive.

Note to move the current data file you would use Windows File Explorer (it is the .QDF file in Documents\Quicken) and then open it from there (you can double click on after you move it and it will open in Quicken).

Assuming that you move your data file to C:\Quicken and want your backups to go to the Documents\Quicken folder you set this one for the automatic backups:
Edit -> Preferences -> Backup



And for the manual backup (Ctrl+B):


BTW I expect that your Desktop is also stored in OneDrive, so in fact it is being backup off line already, but of course isn't where most people would want their Quicken backups to go to.

Chris_QPW

The default location for manual backups is the Desktop (which the user should change to a location that is different a disk from where their data file is stored).  EDIT note that is the backup .QDF-backup that is on your Desktop in your second screenshot.

Select Ctrl+B and you will see the backup location.

Andy_G

Thanks for your explanation. So, what I need to do is save the backup file somewhere else on my PC rather than to the desktop. Also I am not sure why it also saves in onedrive. Is that when I quit Quicken and exit so the file syncs automatically in onedrive? As always, slightly confused.

Chris_QPW

The default for saving file for most programs is Documents, and Quicken follows that default.

It is saving your current data file (the one Quicken uses) to OneDrive because you have told Windows/OneDrive to backup your Documents folder.  It doesn't that by moving the Documents folder to under OneDrive.  It hides this fact by just showing This PC -> Documents instead of the real full path like you can see for my Documents folder below:


In truth Quicken Inc suggests that you don't store the data file that Quicken opens in a "cloud folder" because the syncing can conflict with some operations that Quicken does.

So, in a way your setup is backwards.  Given that your Documents folder is in a OneDrive folder the recommendation would be to move it to somewhere like C:\Quicken, and have the backups go to a folder like your Documents\Quicken or another OneDrive folder that is backed up off of your machine.  Or to a different drive or removable drive.

Note to move the current data file you would use Windows File Explorer (it is the .QDF file in Documents\Quicken) and then open it from there (you can double click on after you move it and it will open in Quicken).

Assuming that you move your data file to C:\Quicken and want your backups to go to the Documents\Quicken folder you set this one for the automatic backups:
Edit -> Preferences -> Backup



And for the manual backup (Ctrl+B):


BTW I expect that your Desktop is also stored in OneDrive, so in fact it is being backup off line already, but of course isn't where most people would want their Quicken backups to go to.

Andy_G

I understand now what is going on. I use quicken on only one Desktop. I don't use it with my phone, laptop or any other PCs. Does that still pose a problem for Quicken to store data file in OneDrive? I am only asking because I am a bit hesitant to change things if they are working smoothly.

Greg_the_Geek

Yes, Quicken does not support keeping your active data file in any cloud storage folder. Backups are fine.

Chris_QPW

Andy_G said:

I understand now what is going on. I use quicken on only one Desktop. I don't use it with my phone, laptop or any other PCs. Does that still pose a problem for Quicken to store data file in OneDrive? I am only asking because I am a bit hesitant to change things if they are working smoothly.

Your setup might work fine, but it might also run into problems later, it is all about timing.
When Quicken opens the data file there is a lock put on it.  That lock prevents OneDrive from trying to sync it.  But the moment Quicken closes the data file the lock is removed, and OneDrive will see that and try opening/locking that file to do the sync.

The problem is that sometimes Quicken closes the data file, only to reopen it shortly afterward.  It does this during backups, Validate and Repair, and some operations like switching between normal and Large fonts.  So, there is a race between Quicken trying to reopen the file and OneDrive opening it to sync it.  If OneDrive gets there first when Quicken goes to reopen the data file it will be locked out and throw an error for that.

Andy_G

Wow! Nice to know that. I will change the back up location(to OneDrive) and data location (From OneDrive back to my PC). Hopefully, everything will be fine after that. Thanks a lot for all the time spent explaining this situation.