How to reduce my data file that I have since 2008?

Dinis Couto
Dinis Couto Quicken Windows Subscription Member
in File Conversion and Backup (Windows)

Hello,
my desktop "Quicken Classic Business & Personal" is running very slow (even knowing my computer is new). I realized I have account records since 2008 and one of the files is about 250MB in size.
Is there a way to archive or reduce the file size (as I do not go back to those old transactions) to improve performance?
Any other suggestions on how to increase performance as any screen move is painfully slow.
Thank you so much,
Dinis

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Answers

  • Tom Young
    Tom Young Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    My Quicken file is approaching 364MB; it may be running slower that it did years ago, but not frustratingly slow.

    Try making a QUICKEN Copy of the file. Quicken's copy function does generally result in a smaller file as it rebuilds the database from scratch, eliminating "dead space" and leftover data from deleted transactions, and the like.

    You will need to reconnect all the Accounts in the file to their Financial Institutions for downloading.

  • RalphC
    RalphC Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    The size of the Quicken data file will not perceptibly slow down the software performance, except for copies or backups to other drives. However, if you want to shrink the size, delete any obsolete or unneeded attachments.

  • rahcoleman
    rahcoleman Member ✭✭

    I have the same problem. My file size is about 800 meg. I have about 30 years of data. Particularly with investment transaction it does run slow. I don't want to archive that data. In some cases I'm holding investments for 20 years+ and I don't want to lose the cost basis information.

    I don't believe that I have that many transactions, maybe 100,000 between banking and investment transactions so I don't know what is taking up all the space. Also, the backup files are taking up a lot of space on my hard drive.

    I really would like quicken to look into options to help us manage our file size, perhaps a compact and repair function. Or perhaps if stock quotes are the problem then maybe after a while only keep the quarterly ending prices. Any help would be appreciated.

  • cfrphoto
    cfrphoto Quicken Windows Subscription Windows Beta Beta

    My Quicken file has grown to 132 GB. Some years ago, I attempted to selectively remove old transactions. Some data loss occurred which was mostly but not completely recovered. Quicken does not correctly manage transfers between accounts to be retained and accounts to be removed or truncated. If one half of a transfer is removed, the other half should remain with non-transfer category. Before doing this again I will remove as many split transfers as possible. Split transfers hide data that should be visible.

    Modifying batches of transactions can be slow or extremely slow. If Quicken is not restarted periodically, operations like recategorize slow to a crawl.

    I use a third-party desktop application to create and manage eBay listings. It is built on top of Microsoft SQL Server Express. I can create custom reports by writing queries.

    I wish that Quicken would move to a relational database. I fear that the product will be moved to the cloud with all of the defects that web applications are forced to work around because of browser limitations, not to mention making the data all but inaccessible.

    Quicken since version 6
  • Tom Young
    Tom Young Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    @rahcoleman

    As I understand it, "attachments" to transactions take up a crazy amount of space, so if you routinely do attach documents in your file that could account for the bloat, and the slowness.

  • nmestanas
    nmestanas Member ✭✭✭✭
    https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20531278#Comment_20531278

    132 GB!! Is that real or a typo?

  • cfrphoto
    cfrphoto Quicken Windows Subscription Windows Beta Beta
    https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20531920#Comment_20531920

    You are correct - 132 MB. Quicken as a 32-bit application would turn into a pile of slag if confronted with a file that large. It is time for Quicken to be converted to a 64-bit application. I notice that making bulk transaction modifications causes Quicken to slow to a crawl. Restarting Quicken seems to reset memory and bulk transactions are faster, at least initially. Quicken is very slow compared to the 22GB database application that tracks eBay and HipStamp transactions. Moving Quicken to a true relational database (not My SQL) would be likely to make Quicken faster than it is now and improve data security.

    Quicken since version 6
  • Chris_QPW
    Chris_QPW Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭
    https://community.quicken.com/discussion/comment/20533330#Comment_20533330

    But the only way that anyone is going to even approach (or exceed) a 1GB data file is because it is mostly attachments. And the attachments aren't in the database. The QDF file is a compressed file like a ZIP file, and the attachments are stored in a different folder in that compressed file. People have decades of data, and their data files (without attachments) come nowhere never 1GB.

    It is academic though; Quicken Inc doesn't have the resources to rewrite Quicken Windows.

    For what is worth, I think performance problems in Quicken have very little to do with the database, and more to do with poor GUI, dependencies on the network, and general problems with the underline code.

    Example. The find command over a long period. I'm very sure that the problem is that they are filling the GUI list directly and not using a virtual list.

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    http://www.quicknperlwiz.com/

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