One data file opens, the other fails and throws an error saying it's corrupted [Edited]

qnjga · April 4

At the bottom of the File Menu I have two Data files listed:

1 C:\Users\myname\Documents\Quicken\BACKUP\MYNAME

2 C:\Users\myname\Documents\Quicken\MYNAME

If I click #1, it works.
If I click 2, it fails and says the file is corrupted.

The data file is the same so why are there two files listed?

splasher · April 5

I believe you have the sequence right, but I'll repeat it for clarity.

Rather than deleting it, move the highest level myname.QDF file (the Quicken folder) to a completely different folder (maybe Downloads) just for safety.

Then move the myname.QDF file in the Quicken/BACKUP folder up one level to the Quicken folder.

Next move the backup files from the Quicken/BACKUP/BACKUP up one level to the Quicken/BACKUP folder.

That should leave the Quicken/BACKUP/BACKUP empty and can be deleted.

Now, to get the Recent files list on the File menu correct, double click on the myname.QDF file in the Quicken folder to start Quicken with that file and update the Recent Files list.

There will be at least one file in the Recent Files list that is incorrect, clicking on it to have Quicken open it should produce a message that the file does not exist and would you like it removed from the list, obviously agree to the removal.

Quicken should now remember the myname.QDF file in the Quicken folder is the last file you opened and just starting Quicken will open that file.

Assuming everything worked as planned, you can delete the file you moved to safety in the first step.

qnjga · April 4

Hello, anybody there?

splasher · April 4

This is not a chat room. You post a question and wait for an answer that may show up in minutes or hours later.

#2 looks like your original file. #1 is a restore of a backup of #1 that you did not put in the normal location but had it restored and placed in the BACKUP folder with the backup of #2 was located.

qnjga · April 5

I never remember specifying a backup file location for Quicken in the 20 years or so I have used Quicken. Recently after an update to Quicken, it put up a message that the file was corrupted and gave some directions that didn't work. So I closed Quicken and reopened it and everything worked. I hoped it was OK and continued with no problems until the next update. The next update caused the same problem as before and the restart worked again. In neither case did I specify a backup file! That is when I began investigating and discovered the two Data files listed in File Menu. I had never used File Menu before except for file imports and validation.

Since then I have spent considerable time looking at the Quicken folders:

Currently I have Documents>Quicken>BACKUP>BACKUP folders. In the Quicken folder there is a myname.QDF file. In the first BACKUP folder there is also a myname.QDF and multiple .QDF-backup files. In the last BACKUP folder there are only .QDF-backup files.

The dates on all these folder files show recent use. So clearly I need to straighten this out. Can I delete the myname.QDF file in the Quicken folder and delete both of the BACKUP folders. And then use my most recent saved backup file to get out of this mess? How would I do that?

Or do I have to do a complete reinstall?

Thanks for any help.

splasher · April 5