Deleting old files and organizing preferred folders

Question

Multi-decade Quicken user.  Currently Windows 11, Classic Deluxe, ver R58.9

Over the years I've accumulated a huge number of files, stored in a variety of places.  Some backups, some alternative scenario copies.

A recent crash of my machine made me reset Windows, and reinstall Quicken.  The data files were on other drives, and untouched.  I found one that appears to be recent enough, to use as my main file going forward.

I'd like to clear it all out, and start over with the one good.  But am leary of just willy-nilly deleting files/folders.  So, how do I simplify, move things around, and start over with a base folder tree - without, of course, damaging things?

Currently the MRU list says I am using the file at: D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\VALIDATE\QDATA

I have this folder tree on my data drives.  Except for the GPUCache, they all have a wide variety of QDF-backup, QDF, and DAT files.

D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken

D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\BACKUP

D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\BACKUP\BACKUP (this folder is empty)

D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\VALIDATE

D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\VALIDATE\BACKUP (this is the backup folder shown in Preferences)

D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\VALIDATE\GPUCache

D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\VALIDATE\VALIDATE

and finally: F:\Quicken Backups (where I put backups when I individually create one)

volvogirl · Answer

Re: Backups,  Some things in case you didn't know, especially about the automatic backups………

There are 2 kinds of Backups in Quicken, Manual and Automatic.  For Manual Backups you can tell it where to put the backup file and if you want to add the current date to the end of the name or to overwrite any existing backup file.  If you add the date to the end of the name over time you will end up with a lot of files.

In addition to any manual backups you make, Quicken makes an automatic backup after so many times (which you can set). Quicken makes all automatic backups to a folder named "BACKUP" in the same folder where your Quicken data resides.  So if you have data files in separate folders then each folder will have a separate Backup subfolder.

sande005 · Answer

Thank you - it all went swimmingly!  I even did a "Super Validate" which found a huge list of things (mostly very old), but all is functioning well.  Backups now in 3 locations - all with an understandable folder structure.

UKR · Answer

From the looks of it, you are using a file in the D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\VALIDATE folder as your current data file.

If that is the case, with Quicken closed, use Windows File Explorer to move the file to the

D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken folder. After moving it, you can double-click the file in its new location so Quicken will start using and remembering it in its new location.

The old .dat files next to the old QDATA file can be deleted. After you moved your QDATA file and started using it, new .dat files will be created by Quicken as needed.

If you wish to retain backups currently in D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\VALIDATE\BACKUP, move them to D:\Desktop\Documents\Quicken\BACKUP

Please note that these are the backups created by the Automatic Backup settings in Edit/Preferences/Backup.

You should always create a Manual Backup file every single time you close Quicken and store these backup files in the F:\Quicken Backups folder on your external hard drive, USB stick or network drive. One can never have enough backups.

As was stated by another community user, after moving the files around you can delete excess folders and their files. Quicken will recreate new folders as needed, e.g., when you need to run Validate.

The GPUCache folder appears to be a left-over from an older Quicken version and can be deleted