PDNBAK Files

[ninjamax237]

So occasionally I'm working on something, then I save and close it, and there's this weird file. If the image is called Panda(.png) then there will be a PDNBAK file called Panda.png.0.pdnBak, I don't know what it is but judging by the "BAK" thing, it may be a backup, which I don't need since I just saved and closed the file. I can't open it or delete it (the bak file; the normal one works fine), and it's just sitting there. It doesn't seem to affect anything, but my folders are crowded enough and it's really annoying.

Also, I had this problem before once and it was fixed, but I don't remember how.

Any help is appreciated!

Edited June 10, 2013 by ninjamax237

[Rick Brewster]

When you save, Paint.NET first writes the data to a ".pdnSave" file. Then, it renames the original file to ".pdnBak", and renames the ".pdnSave" file to original file name. Then it deletes the ".pdnBak" file. With this procedure, if there's an error/crash while saving, it won't overwrite/corrupt/destroy the original file contents. 

 

If you still have "pdnbak" files getting littered around, then most likely you have an over-anxious antivirus scanner which is locking those files and preventing Paint.NET from deleting them. You can safely delete them yourself, of course.

 

Note that the algorithm described above is not always used, depending on circumstances, and is not guaranteed to be used or be unchanged in the future (this is simply a pre-emptive liability check against anyone hoping to take a dependency on this behavior).

[ninjamax237]

For whatever reason, I can't delete them manually. It asks for admin permission (I'm the admin) and then it gives an error message.

 

In any case, the pdnbak files have disappeared, so everything's okay.

[Rick Brewster]

Then something has locked them, like your anti-virus (the usual suspect) or the indexer (which is what powers "search"). This isn't Paint.NET's doing. Anyway at least you got rid of them!

[jytub310]

I was having the same problem, and a quick reboot fixed mine.

[Elmer]

2 colleages of mine has got the same version of paint.net, one never has the .bak issue and the other always get's that.bak file.

Both have the same virusscanner. The bak file cannot be deleted, even if you are administrator.

If you delete the file as administrator it does not gets removed, after reboot the file is gone. But when you reopen a file and change something again you will get this bak file (on the same location where the real file is saved).

Can anyone help please, can we remove, disable the bak option?

[Rick Brewster]

Your antivirus program is overzealous and buggy. This is not a bug in Paint.NET.

[stark096]

it just started after the latest upgrade. Ive been using paint.net and my antivirus together for a long time. I have never had this problem before....Are youplaing politicianand passing the buck?

[toe_head2001]

@stark096, Why not temporarily disable your antivirus program, and find out?

[glynch42]

Hi Folks,

I hit this unusual situtation as well on a Windows 7 pro machine, I have two .pdnBak files of which I cannot delete or take ownership. Access denied.

Procexp shows no threads open that are using these files, and they are exempted both from Indexing and realtime virus protection (ThreatTrack's Vipre)

I have not yet tried reboot, but will try that and update the thread. I feel like this is unlikely to resolve, but since I cannot see the actual file DACL I do not know for sure that nothing has permission to these files. However, as a member of the local admins group I find it concerning that I cannot take ownership, even as the local administrator account.

I am wondering if the auto backup feature can be disabled by changing a config file in either the program files or my profile settings for the program.

Many thanks!

 

[Ego Eram Reputo]

These files are created to ensure data protection when saving. Here's Rick's explanation

 

 

Try turning off your AV and try deleting them.