How can I limit the number of backups stored in the backup folder

QuickBooks has an optional backup setting that limits the number of backups
stored in the backup folder to a number specified by the user. I have tried
to get this feature to work in versions 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and now 2010
in my office and those of my clients without any success.

Does this feature work? I can only presume that I am missing the boat
somewhere. Intuit would not include this feature for so many versions if it
did not work.

"Haskel LaPort" <> wrote in message
news:4b59c2b1$0$5008$...
> QuickBooks has an optional backup setting that limits the number of
> backups stored in the backup folder to a number specified by the user. I
> have tried to get this feature to work in versions 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
> and now 2010 in my office and those of my clients without any success.
>
> Does this feature work? I can only presume that I am missing the boat
> somewhere. Intuit would not include this feature for so many versions if
> it did not work.
Always worked for me, in fact I turn it off.
go to save a back up, on the second screen there is an options button click
on it. There is a check box to limit the number of back ups on a location
check it click ok.
You can adjust the number of uses also.

--
Ron Anderson A1 Sewing Machine
18 Dingman Rd Sand Lake, NY 12153
http://www.a1sewingmachine.com

"Ron Anderson" <> wrote in message
news:X-...
>
>
> "Haskel LaPort" <> wrote in message
> news:4b59c2b1$0$5008$...
>> QuickBooks has an optional backup setting that limits the number of
>> backups stored in the backup folder to a number specified by the user. I
>> have tried to get this feature to work in versions 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
>> and now 2010 in my office and those of my clients without any success.
>>
>> Does this feature work? I can only presume that I am missing the boat
>> somewhere. Intuit would not include this feature for so many versions if
>> it did not work.
> Always worked for me, in fact I turn it off.
> go to save a back up, on the second screen there is an options button
> click on it. There is a check box to limit the number of back ups on a
> location check it click ok.
> You can adjust the number of uses also.


Haskel knows how to turn the feature on and set the number of backups
desired. What I do not know is why it does not work for me or any of my
clients (which I set up for them) in versions 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and now
2010.
>
> --
> Ron Anderson A1 Sewing Machine
> 18 Dingman Rd Sand Lake, NY 12153
> http://www.a1sewingmachine.com
>
>
>

Haskel LaPort wrote:

>> go to save a back up, on the second screen there is an options button
>> click on it. There is a check box to limit the number of back ups on a
>> location check it click ok.
>> You can adjust the number of uses also.


This is formally known as the "Backup Wizard".


> Haskel knows how to turn the feature on and set the number of backups
> desired. What I do not know is why it does not work for me or any of my
> clients (which I set up for them) in versions 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and
> now 2010.


I just checked, and like you, I notice that it seems to not be working,
in all the same QB versions that you mention, with multiple company
files. So you're not crazy.

However, just a few minutes ago, for the first time, I got a prompt
asking me if I wanted to delete the older files (version 2010). Then I
said yes, and lo and behold it worked!

I think the key is this: after reading the "help" screen for this
dialog box, I saw that it says the feature only works for backups
created through the wizard, not any other way. Well, when I use the
wizard, I usually hit the "Finish" button before I get to the bitter
end, since it normally does what I want. By prematurely hitting the
"Finish" button, I am not really using the wizard (I'm not letting it
get to the final step).

But if you let the wizard proceed sequentially through every single step
by hitting "next", it will eventually come up with a prompt to delete
the excess files beyond the number your specified.

-Mark Bole

"Mark Bole" <> wrote in message
news:hjdh5c$c3b$...
> Haskel LaPort wrote:
>
>>> go to save a back up, on the second screen there is an options button
>>> click on it. There is a check box to limit the number of back ups on a
>>> location check it click ok.
>>> You can adjust the number of uses also.
>
>
> This is formally known as the "Backup Wizard".
>
>
>> Haskel knows how to turn the feature on and set the number of backups
>> desired. What I do not know is why it does not work for me or any of my
>> clients (which I set up for them) in versions 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and
>> now 2010.
>
>
> I just checked, and like you, I notice that it seems to not be working, in
> all the same QB versions that you mention, with multiple company files.
> So you're not crazy.
>
> However, just a few minutes ago, for the first time, I got a prompt asking
> me if I wanted to delete the older files (version 2010). Then I said yes,
> and lo and behold it worked!
>
> I think the key is this: after reading the "help" screen for this dialog
> box, I saw that it says the feature only works for backups created through
> the wizard, not any other way. Well, when I use the wizard, I usually hit
> the "Finish" button before I get to the bitter end, since it normally does
> what I want. By prematurely hitting the "Finish" button, I am not really
> using the wizard (I'm not letting it get to the final step).
>
> But if you let the wizard proceed sequentially through every single step
> by hitting "next", it will eventually come up with a prompt to delete the
> excess files beyond the number your specified.
>
> -Mark Bole

Thanks Mark. This feature has perturbed me for years.

Yes indeed, it will give the user the option to remove the oldest backup
file when manually sequencing through each step after the limit is reached.
It appears that the program uses an internal counter that only gets
incremented when each step is performed manually. It should also be noted
that the program must remain open for this to occur and not as part of
exiting the program.

I have the QuickBooks in my office and those of my clients' set up to ask
the end user if they want to back up each time they exit the program. Since
the program closes after the backup (even if each step is sequenced through
manually) the option box asking the user if they want to delete the oldest
file never appeared in all these years.

"Mark Bole" <> wrote in message
news:hjdh5c$c3b$...

>
> I think the key is this: after reading the "help" screen for this dialog
> box, I saw that it says the feature only works for backups created through
> the wizard, not any other way. Well, when I use the wizard, I usually hit
> the "Finish" button before I get to the bitter end, since it normally does
> what I want. By prematurely hitting the "Finish" button, I am not really
> using the wizard (I'm not letting it get to the final step).
>
> But if you let the wizard proceed sequentially through every single step
> by hitting "next", it will eventually come up with a prompt to delete the
> excess files beyond the number your specified.

Odd...it works fine here (QBP 2007). I have the options (via the options
button on the 2nd(?) page of the wizard set to limit backups to 3. Each time
I do a backup (which is after any work I do in QB), I click on the backup
button and click finish on the 1st page, bypassing the rest of the wizard.
It never fails to ask if I want to delete the oldest (and over the '3'
limit) backup. I just checked my B/U directory, and there were about 22
files there, but the dates were widespread, and I assume those are backups
left when I chose 'No' to the "delete oldest backup" question. If it were
not deleting, I'd have several hundred b/u files there.