Can not see or search for .qbw or .qbb

[greyghost1]

If I launch my old QB v7.4 in WIN 7 without a company open and then select 'File|Open Company' the dialog box points, as it should, to C: Program Files(x86)/Intuit/Quickbooks/Company Name.QBW and my company file opens fine. If I select 'File|Backup' the dialog box allows me to save the .QBB file to another drive H: ie H: Company Name.QBB. All good? Not really. I have 2 questions for the QB gurus.

If I look in a Windows Explorer window at these locations neither Company Name.QBW nor Company Name.QBB is there. If I do a Windows search in the C: and H: drives for *.QBW or *.QBB or for the Company Name I get no results. How come Windows can't see or search for files that QB can see and continue to access?

At least Windows can see these files if I put the .QBW and .QBB in with My Documents using the Backup and Restore functions. If I do this will QB use and build on the .QBW file in the new location or will it be secretly using the .QBW file that must still exist in the Program Files location but which I can't see?

Thanks, Tim

PS I recently posted about a major problem with missing data that was compounded by the above problem. After days of frustration I miraculously got the missing data back by simply backing up to a new, different company name and restoring from this. Something about the file in the original company name had QB stuffed.

[painterx]

Originally Posted by greyghost1

If I do this will QB use and build on the .QBW file in the new location or will it be secretly using the .QBW file that must still exist in the Program Files location but which I can't see?

If you backup the file to a new location, QB will continue to open and use the original file(in Program Files, or wherever the file is stored). It doesn't start using the backup in the new location.

In Explorer, click on Libraries -> Documents -> Intuit -> Quickbooks -> Companies Files. What do you see?

[greyghost1]

Thankx for your reply Painterx.
As I explained in the 2nd para - if I look, in Explorer, at the default location (as you suggested) there is no .QBW file. I can only see one there through QB ie I can see and select it through the dialogue box at Open a Company.

In case WIN 7's treatment of the Program File (x86) folder was giving my legacy QB files a hard time I hoped to point QB to a new location by doing the following:
Backup to My Docs
Restore from that backup
When asked where to save the company file I select My Docs.

But I'm unsure whether this process locks in the new location.
Cheers, Tim

[Budsyblues]

Hi
I registered here to post the answer for you, I'm using version 7.4 and had the same problem, it took ages to find the file but I tracked it down.
Your company .qbw file will be located in:
c:/users/YOURNAME/app data/local/virtual store/program files (x86)/intuit/quick books pro
Create a shortcut for it and you can copy/paste your data file easily from there.

[greyghost1]

Hey Budsyblues
Well tracked down. Enabled me to confidently delete old copies in other locations . Thanks v much for your help.
Cheers, Tim