Always 81 Items in BACKUP Directory - No Matter What!

EhmannS

I'm trying to reduce the disk space utilized by my Quicken backups. In previous years, I have set the number of backups to 99. This worked fine and was not an issue until I recently ran short on disk space. I've reduced the "Maximum number of backup copies" to 50, 30, and 20 with no change in the number of items in the BACKUP directory! For some reason, I continue to have exactly 81 items in this directory. I've read other threads espousing various theories about how the backup function is or is not working. It seems to work from me (sort of), but I would like to be able to specify the number of items! I check the directory on a regular basis and have a "revolving door" of 81 items and the older items are the ones that are disappearing (as expected).

What ideas do you have? Thank you!

Quicken Classic Deluxe, R52.28, Windows 10, Build 27.1.52.28, 20 Years+ User

NotACPA

Are you adding the date and time to the name of those backup files? If so, they have different names and the 20 count doesn't apply … it only trackr backups with the same name.

UKR

This only applies to the Automatic Backup folder:
Reducing the "Maximum number of backup copies" count does not make Quicken delete excess backup copies for you. A manual cleanup action is required.

The Manual Backup folder, recommended to be a separate location from your Automatic Backup folder and also recommended to be on an external disk drive or USB Stick or networked drive location, does not have or use the Maximum count above. Those backup files will stay until you manually delete the oldest ones.

Ps56k2

how would you have multiples of the same name -

 …. it only tracks backups with the same name….

Ps56k2

If you are looking at the /BACKUP/ folder -
- are they all the same QDF data file - with just the added date/time stamp ?
- are there additional entries for the - Rxx.xx - backups created when a new Release is detected ?
- if so, are there 20 copies after the entry for the Rxx.xx backup ?

EhmannS

Thanks, UKR!

I am putting my interpretation of your comments and my (weak) understanding of how this works to the test!

On Monday, my BACKUP directory contained 81 items all with the same leading name. All 81 files are type "Quicken QDF backup data file".

In Preferences, I set the "Maximum number of backup copies" to 60 - then deleted the oldest entries in the BACKUP directory leaving (arbitrarily) 57 files. I'm going to monitor this daily and hope to report back a successful test by early next week, if not sooner whereby the number of files grows to 60 and then stays at 60 by deleting the oldest entry when new backups are added.

Thanks to everyone in the Quicken community - you have saved me countless hours of 'poking and hoping' in the past and now.