Program says it can't open the source file when trying to back up

Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
in File Conversion and Backup (Windows)
Have been trying to back up since getting a new computer, and with end-of-year statements, you can see why this is concerning me. Quicken opens fine when first starting, and the only issue has been with OneStepUpdate hanging and never coming back (answered in another post, and I have also been downloading statements from each individual website). When I ask to backup (or the program does), I give it a filename to use and hit enter, and the next thing it tells me is that it can't open the source file, then it tells me the source file is in use and to close it, and then it tells me that Quicken can't find the source file and I am looking at a blank Quicken screen (with icons across the top, but no financial data). Help! I really need to backup my files regularly, and this error keeps happening.

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  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    What is the path to the folder that contains your Quicken data file? Do you have Controlled Folder Access enabled in Windows Defender? Are you using OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Backup?
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    The filepath for the Quicken data file is ThisPC>Documents>Documents 2019>Documents>Quicken. I don't know about doing anything like that in Windows Defender. And I do not backup to OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Backup, I try to backup to ThisPC>Documents>Quicken>Backup.
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    I searched for Controlled Folder Access in Windows Security and just turned it on (it had been off). Do I need to tell it which folders to control?
  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Is OneDrive set to backup your Documents folder?



    Also, you should backup to an external device or a cloud service. If your hard drive crashes, you'll loose your Quicken data as well as your backups.
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    I have Office 2019, so my OneDrive capacity is limited to a very small number, and it keeps telling me it's full. So, no, I don't think OneDrive is backing up for me. However, Google Backup is enabled, and I think it backs up files for me. I would have to check that.
  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you Google Backup is set to backup Documents, that's causing your problem. Either disable Google Backup or move the Quicken folder.
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    Taking documents out of the Google Backup did not solve the issue with Quicken. I just tried backing up the file, and it did the same errors I documented at first.
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    How do I move the Quicken folder? Cut and paste? And where would be the best spot?
  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, cut and paste the folder to ThisPC\Quicken.
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    Moving it to ThisPC\Quicken is not possible. There is no place to add a folder at the root screen. I put it in ThisPC\Documents\Quicken. But it is still doing the same errors when I try to back up the file as my first set of errors.
  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Try C:\Users\<Username>\Quicken. 
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    I put the Quicken data file in C:\Users\lmoug\Quicken. I opened Quicken and tried to backup the file; got the same errors as before. I left the backup files on ThisPC\Documents\Quicken\Backup. Only the source files and some other files in that folder got moved. So what do you think is wrong now?
  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Try pausing (or exiting) Google Backup. If that doesn't work, try turning of Controlled Folder Access.
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    I exited Google Backup and also OneDrive Personal. I shut off Controlled Folder access. No luck. I still have the same errors.
  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hi @LynetteEngr ,

    Do you have an External Hard Drive or a Network-Attached Hard Drive?

    Does your New Computer contain a partitioned Hard Drive or multiple physical Hard Drives?

    What is the path to your Quicken Data File?
    Ex:  I:\My Documents\Quicken 2020 Data

    What is the path to your Quicken Backups?
    Ex: Z:\Quicken Backup (My mapped Hard Drive.

    Backups made to an external Device, is a true backup.

    Backups made to the same Hard Drive, is a backup, but if your Hard Drive fails, you have lost everything. And it would cost you a lot of money to recover your files.

    Work with Copies of your Actual Quicken Data Files

    thecreator

    thecreator - User of Quicken Subscription R53.16 USA

    Windows 10 Pro 32-Bit Build 19045.3693
    Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit Build 19045.3754



  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Without having access to your computer, I'm out of ideas. Have you tried just restarting your computer?
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    I do have an External Hard Drive, but it does its own backups. My new computer has one hard drive, not partitioned. The path to my Quicken data file is now C:\Users\lmoug\Quicken. The path to my Quicken backups is C:\Users\lmoug\Documents\Quicken\Backup. And I know that backups on a local drive can be lost if the hard drive crashes. I had tried previously one time to put the backup on the F: external drive, but it crashed then as well.
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    Well, restarting the computer did not help at all. Of course, when restarting, Google Drive restarts and so does OneDrive. I am going to try one more time after shutting those off.
  • Quicken Windows Other Member ✭✭
    Still have the same problems. So how do you get to look at my computer? Remote, or do I have to bring it in?
  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hi @LynetteEngr ,

    Is the F:\ drive a USB Hard Drive? Mapped Hard Drives usually start with a Z or Y depending on how many are attached.

    You stated that you have an External Hard Drive, but does its own backups.
    How does it do its own backups?

    Change where your Quicken Data File is located at!

    Create a New Quicken folder to: C:\Users\lmoug\Documents\Quicken 2020 Data

    Create folder on F: to F:\ Quicken Backup

    Go to: https://www.glarysoft.com/  Download Glary Utilities. Save it. Once saved, right-click and Run as administrator to install it.

    After installing, Open Glary. Click on Advanced Tools. Click Optimize & Improve.

    Click Check Disk.

    You will see a number of Hard Drives shown. You should see  C: in (C:) as well as (F:)



    Run both with Automatically fix file system errors, unchecked. This way you can see the results. If you have errors, check Automatically fix and click Start Check. Then click Schedule disk check. Close out the windows and restart to run.



    You may have to repeat the procedure several times for 0 issues.

    After you have 0 issues, Run 1 Click Maintenance, same program.

    After you have 0 Issues

    Move the Data File to: C:\Users\lmoug\Documents\Quicken 2020 Data folder.

    Once it is moved, click on the file to open the Data File in its new location.
    Close and re-open Quicken and it should open to its new location.

    Do a Validate and Repair on the Data File, since you have had crashes.

    Then try a Manual Backup to F:\ Quicken Backup with Add date option checked.


    Work with Copies of your Actual Quicken Data Files

    thecreator

    thecreator - User of Quicken Subscription R53.16 USA

    Windows 10 Pro 32-Bit Build 19045.3693
    Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit Build 19045.3754



  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    LynetteEngr said:
    Still have the same problems. So how do you get to look at my computer? Remote, or do I have to bring it in?
    This is a user to user community. I'm just another user like you and have no access to your computer. You could try contacting Quicken Customer Care.
    Quicken Subscription HBRP - Windows 10
  • Member ✭✭
    I've had the same issue numerous times. "Unable to open source file" on the window behind it says backing up Quicken file. I'm not sure whether it gets backed up or not on the same harddisk. I also have an external backup. Thanks for the good read. I see I must call support. What I resent is they want to remotely log into my financial data. How can I prevent them from seeing my financial data?
  • Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    When Q takes a backup, the 1st thing that it does is to CLOSE the Q data file, to force all write operations to conclusion.
    OneDrive, DropBox, GoogleDrive, etc grab your Q data file during this brief closure and thus prevent Q from re-opening it.
    SO, you need to either re-direct that 3rd party backup to grabbing the QDF-backup file (i.e., the backup that Q created) OR in some other way to ignore the QDF file and the folder that contains it.

    Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
    Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
    Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP

  • Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭
    Is there a log file to find out what external (to Q) program is grabbing the QDF file stopping this action rendering the "Unable to open source file" message? I have two backup programs (Netgear ReadyShare and Acronis True Image 2020). I don't see exceptions or issues with either. I also stopped MS One Drive. All these changed due to Motherboard failure. I'm now suffering from recoveritis.
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