I don't want to see .wbk files, anyone dealt with this

BPhillipYork · Sep 14, 2019

I mostly draft in word, then copy the draft directly into scrivener. It's a sort of weird process, but I use scrivener as a kind of wikipedia, rather than really much of a word processor, but I like having essentially another backup of my manuscript in the Scrivener program. It works okay for me for now anyway.

I did "something" to my system at some point in the last 6 or 8 weeks, and all of a sudden I started seeing .wbk files. Windows automatically creates these whenever you create or save (I'm not 100% sure at what point they are created) a word document (excel and other MS products too I believe). Anyway I find them really annoying, because if a file named like "my manuscript.docx" right underneath or above it will be "my manuscript.wbk" and it's easy (and I have done this) to click and open the wrong file, and start editing the backup, which means bad things.

Has anyone else experienced this or fixed it? I've searched on the google, and the main response seems to be "system restore" that seems drastic, and risky, and not worth it. I can individually set the file to hidden, but I'd like to change the attributes of .wbk files so they are hidden by default. I'm thinking some kind of registry editor.

Jason · Sep 15, 2019

So Microsoft Word is what’s creating these backup files. You could do one of several options if you do t want to see them for fear of editing a backup:

1. Be careful what you edit (least intrusive)
2. Configure your Windows explorer to sort your files by type. This will put all the wbk files to the end. (Just right click and the OS should remember), also pretty non-intrusive
3. Set up a script to programmatically either delete or move the files to another location (say every day at midnight) - semi intrusive in that you’re manipulating files.
4. Turn off the backup feature of Word so the files are never created in the first place (I know my system doesn’t so it’s gotta be an option somewhere). Risky depending on your backup strategy if you use this wbk method...*
5. Go in to the registry and locate the string that shows/hides wbk file (if it exists, if not you’d have to create it). Not really intrusive but effectively hiding it from yourself seems a non-favorable option.

I’m sure there’s more, but that’s just a good starting point.

*I think this method might be the solution you’re looking for, so here’s how you turn it off:

https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-do-i-disable-auto-backup-in-excel

Click "File" in Excel 2010 or 2013 and choose "Options" to display the Excel Options window. Click the "Save" tab and then uncheck the "Save AutoRecover information every" box to disable automatic backups. Use the same procedure to disable the backups in Word and PowerPoint 2013.

AW Admin · Sep 15, 2019

I suspect that the Options settings in the File menu Save and Backup also allow you to choose a specific backup directory.

BPhillipYork · Sep 15, 2019

I appreciate the thought put into the responses but, unfortunately, none of those suggestions really help. You can't choose where these backup are created, they are created in the same folder as far as I can tell. And I do want the backups, I just want them to be hidden by default. Right now I'm just being careful and hiding them as they appear, I just find it to be bizarre there's no simple solution to this short of editing the registry. It pops up on Windows Forums every once in a while and the moderators and helpers either just don't get it or insist it isn't a problem or isn't happening. It's just a frustration and a point of failure I'd like to avoid if possible.

AW Admin · Sep 16, 2019

BPhillipYork said:
I appreciate the thought put into the responses but, unfortunately, none of those suggestions really help. You can't choose where these backup are created, they are created in the same folder as far as I can tell. And I do want the backups, I just want them to be hidden by default. Right now I'm just being careful and hiding them as they appear, I just find it to be bizarre there's no simple solution to this short of editing the registry. It pops up on Windows Forums every once in a while and the moderators and helpers either just don't get it or insist it isn't a problem or isn't happening. It's just a frustration and a point of failure I'd like to avoid if possible.

Have you checked to see that you have a viable path configured in the File/Options/Save screen? If you don't have a viable path AND you have the Backup function checked, it will save the .wbk file in the same directory as the original.

Remember that Auto Save is not the same as Always Create Backup.

Auto Save creates the .tmp files; Backup creates .wbk files, in case you're lookign at the Auto Save screen and not the Backup screen. I haven't supported Windows users for long time, but that feature has been there since Microsoft Word was first released for Windows 3.0

BPhillipYork · Sep 17, 2019

So on the Options > Save screen the paths are valid. On the Options > Advanced Save section there's nothing about path, but that's where the "always create backup" radio button is located.

I also checked the general locations : file locations an those are valid as well.

To be fair it's not that big of a deal, just something that I find slightly frustrating.

onesecondglance · Sep 17, 2019

This may be useful in understanding how and when these files are created:

https://wordribbon.tips.net/T008836_Specifying_a_Location_To_Save_Automatic_Backup_Files.html

Tbh it sounds from your original post that you don't actually want these backups, so the solution would be to uncheck the "always create backup" option as AW Admin suggested.

BPhillipYork · Sep 17, 2019

onesecondglance said:
This may be useful in understanding how and when these files are created:

https://wordribbon.tips.net/T008836_Specifying_a_Location_To_Save_Automatic_Backup_Files.html

Tbh it sounds from your original post that you don't actually want these backups, so the solution would be to uncheck the "always create backup" option as AW Admin suggested.

No, sadly, I do want them to exist, I just want them to be invisible (hidden). Otherwise, I would've just turned them off.

Jason · Sep 29, 2019

If you want the files created, but do not want them visible, another option would be to set up a script that moves them from that location to another location:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15968949/windows-batch-script-to-move-files

Instead of the *.*;*, the syntax would just be *.wbk;* (or something along those lines I believe....it's been a while since I've done Windows scripting). Whether the "other location" is another folder on your computer, or perhaps a SAN, is really just a matter of personal preference. I should also note that this is just ADvice (and we all know that's the worst vice of all...). Do what you feel most comfortable with, and keep in mind that you should know your own level of comfort better than anyone as to what changes you make on your own systems.

I don't want to see .wbk files, anyone dealt with this

BPhillipYork

Sphinx of black quartz judge my vow

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head

AW Admin

BPhillipYork

Sphinx of black quartz judge my vow

AW Admin

BPhillipYork

Sphinx of black quartz judge my vow

onesecondglance

pretending to be awake

BPhillipYork

Sphinx of black quartz judge my vow

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head