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Quicken creates two backup files

rrgord

I changed the location of my backups to a different drive. When I did my first backup to the new drive, Quicken created two backups. One was in a new folder created by Quicken called "Backup" and the other file was in the root directory of the new drive. Now every time I backup, two backup files are created. They appear to be the same file. Why?

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Boatnmaniac

So you are doing manual backups? If so, are your backup preferences also set to do automatic updates?

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Boatnmaniac

So you are doing manual backups? If so, are your backup preferences also set to do automatic updates?

rrgord

Well, yes, that was the problem. The automatic backups go into a new folder named "backup" and the manual backups go into the root directory. I've unchecked the manual backup in preferences and now get just the auto backups. Apparently I've been doing both backups for quite a while. I've only been using Quicken for 25-30 years so I'm kinda new at this. 🙄 Thank you.

Boatnmaniac

Whew! I'm glad it was that easy to fix. Good thing you mentioned changing the backup file location because that is what triggered it for me. Otherwise I'm pretty sure I would be scratching my head about what could possibly be causing it.

I do the same thing: Almost entirely only Automatic backups and after every session. I also have it set to save the last 40 backups which comes to about the last 20 days. And then I keep the end of quarter file file for at least 1 year. So I never have a risk of not having the right backup file when needed. The only times I do manual backups (which is rarely) is when I've made a bunch of important updates/edits and I want to make a backup with the file still being being open before making more updates/edits. Too many people don't back up enough and many of them end up regretting that.

rrgord

I agree about backups. That's why I changed the drive. I wanted the backups to be on a different drive than the one where the current data was located. I've been working on updating my backups and making sure I have a drive image in case I need it. I realized that I hadn't reviewed my backups since early last year. I like to have multiple backups on different disks. Everything's fine until it isn't!

SomebodyInGNV

I learned something today.

When you set the backup directory for automatic backups, you're not setting the backup directory. You're setting the directory in which Quicken creates its own backup directory, named BACKUP. That's aggravating. At a minimum, it should be documented that Quicken will create that directory.

I just tested that by editing preferences to change the destination folder to an existing one, …\Quicken\Backup. I saved the setting, then clicked the Open link on the backup settings. It told me it hadn't been created yet. I then changed the purported "backup" directory to Quicken and, again, clicked the open link. This time Quicken opened the …\Quicken\Backup directory, which already exists.

Quicken folks, please clarify this behavior in the info popup, at least. The user can't set the backup directory. Instead, we can only assign the directory in which Quicken creates its own, which must be named Backup. I have no problem with the naming convention but do have a problem with the behavior not matching the description of the behavior.

UKR

Here's the long and short about Quicken Backups …

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
For this discussion it is also assumed that your Quicken data file is named, for example, QDATA.QDF

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 by default 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-2020-04-01.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.

Do not store the Manual Backup files in the same folder as the Automatic Backups, or on a different folder of your internal hard drive. Should your computer or your internal hard drive fail you will have lost ALL your backups!
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.

There is no limit to the number of Manual Backup files that will be stored, except drive capacity. 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 to prove it!

rrgord

I use my C drive just for the Windows OS and program files. Data is kept on a separate drive (D). I have a folder on D drive for Quicken data. I've changed location of the Automatic Backup file to be on a separate disk (G in my case). Since D drive is also backed up continuously to another drive (H) and also to a cloud backup service, I see no need to do manual backups as I had done in the past. My computer has 5 internal drives (3 HDD & 2 SSD).