# Quicken backup: Why does it write Q3.DIR into root?  Can I delete?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quicken-backup-why-does-it-write-q3-dir-into-root-can-i-delete/199915>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 6, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quicken-backup-why-does-it-write-q3-dir-into-root-can-i-delete/199915 "2003-09-06T11:51:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quicken-backup-why-does-it-write-q3-dir-into-root-can-i-delete/199915/1 "2003-09-06T11:51:16Z")

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When I do a Quicken backup into a folder on a disk drive, it puts data files into that folder, but it also writes a file called Q3.DIR onto the root directory of that disk.

I hate having extra files cluttering up my drives, not identifying themselves. Why is it there? Can I delete it without spoiling the backup?

Can’t find anything in the manual or help system.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Sheepshead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@Mr.Sheepshead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Sheepshead)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quicken-backup-why-does-it-write-q3-dir-into-root-can-i-delete/199915/2 "2003-09-06T13:18:38Z")

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\<somewhat dangerous, use at your own risk\>

Maybe you want to try renaming q3.dir and running Quicken to see if it produces any ill effects. If not, pitch.

\</somewhat dangerous, use at your own risk\>

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quicken-backup-why-does-it-write-q3-dir-into-root-can-i-delete/199915/3 "2003-09-06T16:51:33Z")

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I have that file as well. It’s only 1 KB however. It also hasn’t been modified since January.

As long as you back up your principal Quicken file onto multiple disks, I wouldn’t worry too much about this particular file.

A word of warning, my version of Quicken, 2002 for Windows Release 2 operating on an XP system, backs up the files to a CD-RW, but the files on the CD end up as read-only.

I needed to do a restore, but I had to copy the files from the CD back on the hard drive to do that.

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**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quicken-backup-why-does-it-write-q3-dir-into-root-can-i-delete/199915/4 "2003-09-06T20:18:44Z")

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Drag it into notepad and see what’s there.