Persona 4 Golden illustrates why a save “slot” can be more than one file. Steam stores data under app ID 1113000, and documented cross-platform workflows pair each dataXXXX.bin with a companion .binslot structure whose checksum may need to agree. A backup of only the visibly largest file is therefore incomplete. SaveEditor recommends copying the whole remote directory first, then treating any conversion or editor workflow as a separate operation on duplicates. Microsoft Store is again represented by WGS and is not presented as drop-in compatible.
Choose the correct backup boundary
For Persona 4 Golden, the researched PC save location is Windows: Steam: <Steam-folder>userdata<user-id>1113000remote ; Microsoft Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesSEGAofAmericaInc.D0cb6b3aet_s751p9cej88mtSystemAppDatawgs<user-id>. The known save file or folder pattern is Steam commonly uses dataXXXX.bin with corresponding dataXXXX.binslot metadata; cloud metadata also resides in the remote directory.. Back up the entire 1113000remote directory before changing a slot. Preserve the matching .bin/.binslot files and cloud metadata together so the original pairing can be restored. Copying the complete documented save boundary is safer than selecting one visually obvious file, because companion metadata, indexes, backups, or multiple slots can be required together.
Make an offline copy before changing anything
Close the game first, wait for the active launcher to finish writing, then copy the save data to a separate folder that the game and sync client do not watch. Label the copy with the game, storefront, profile, and date. Documented launcher context: Steam, Microsoft Store. A .bin slot and its .binslot metadata should be treated as a pair. Microsoft Store WGS transfer is a separate conversion problem, not a simple rename.
Account for cloud saves
Steam Cloud and Xbox Cloud are documented. Before restoring an older backup, decide which copy should win. If the game or launcher starts while an older manual copy is in place, synchronization can replace it before you confirm that it works. Keep the untouched backup outside the live save path until the restored progress has been opened and saved normally.
Restore without changing format assumptions
Steam stores the save set under app ID 1113000. Community-documented Vita/PC and edited-save workflows note a checksum relationship between dataXXXX.bin and dataXXXX.binslot. Microsoft Store uses WGS. Compatibility note: Edited or cross-platform slot data can fail if companion checksum metadata no longer matches. Avoid mixing a .bin from one snapshot with a .binslot from another. Restore into the matching storefront/profile context whenever possible. Do not rename a save extension, move a folder into a different container type, or assume a console/mobile copy is equivalent unless a tested migration path specifically says so.
Recovery fallback
If a slot warns or fails to load, restore the matching pair. When moving from Microsoft Store, verify the transfer workflow for the current game version instead of treating WGS blobs as Steam files. If the restored copy fails, put the untouched original back first. Then compare location, account/profile, cloud state, and the full directory structure before trying a different backup. The objective is reversible recovery, not repeated destructive experiments on the only copy.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki Persona 4 Golden save-location and Vita-transfer/checksum notes.