Should File History Schedule show up in Task Scheduler?

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  1. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #11

    I use File History and often leave my backup drive disconnected for days on end (normally until it bugs me to plug it in again). When I connect it it then writes all the changes to the backup drive. I imagine (based on the link above) that it does the same if it is connected - keeps the changes in it's cache and only writes to disk when it determines you aren't using the PC too much.

    Are you concerned about it not writing to the backup disk every hour or are you missing changed documents? If the latter then most likely so am I...

    I've changed File History to save every 10 minutes. I'll make a document and will change and save it every 10 minutes to see if that is really true though. We will see in an hour or so...
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  2. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #12

    Dirty Butter said:
    "BUT it does NOT save every hour. - how have you determined that?"

    I Run it manually and then check back after more than an hour - and I see that it is not running and has not run since the manual one.
    To ask a more exact question:
    Have you tried changing a file, then after a bit more than an hour, tried recovering it from backup and then found the backup did not include the change?
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 32
    10 Anniversary
    Thread Starter
       #13

    I've done that previously, but just to be sure I've just created a file. Will reply after an hour.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #14

    This is my results for file history set for 10 minutes with the drive disconnected so it can't write anything at all to my backup drive:

    I changed the file File History Test.docx and saved it every 10 minutes and also made and deleted a file with the time in the file name...

    Should File History Schedule show up in Task Scheduler?-capture1.png
    Should File History Schedule show up in Task Scheduler?-capture2.png
    Should File History Schedule show up in Task Scheduler?-capture3.png
    Should File History Schedule show up in Task Scheduler?-capture4.png
    Should File History Schedule show up in Task Scheduler?-capture5.png

    So file history seems to work fine (at least for me) irrespective of writing to the drive (with the exception of it being a bit vague about what 10 minutes means - it looks more like 11 minutes, but never mind - the test was too short).

    EDIT: When I connected the drive it correctly copied all versions to G:\FileHistory\Hali\MacBook\Data\C\Users\Hali\Documents
    Last edited by lx07; 15 Sep 2016 at 15:24. Reason: added copy results
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  5. Posts : 32
    10 Anniversary
    Thread Starter
       #15

    Well, I'm glad it works for you - but as I expected - my external drive does NOT have a copy of the test file I added at 2:27 and it is now 3:50 my time. The File History shows files last copied at 1:17 when I did it manually.

    The FileHistory log has this Warning entry at 2:56:

    Unusual condition was encountered during scanning user libraries for changes and performing backup of modified files for configuration C:\Users\XXX\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration\Config
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  6. Posts : 32
    10 Anniversary
    Thread Starter
       #16

    And I just did another Manual Run of File History and the test file is now on the external drive.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #17

    Hi, it's usually worth searching for the error message- useful you've posted that.
    I searched for
    Unusual condition was encountered during scanning user libraries for changes and performing backup of modified file
    - plenty of results.

    It's late- I'll just copy some links: (this is not an unknown situation)
    Receiving error message Unusual condition was encountered during - Microsoft Community
    Previous Versions / File History
    File History no longer working | Windows Secrets Lounge
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #18

    Dirty Butter said:
    Well, I'm glad it works for you - but as I expected - my external drive does NOT have a copy of the test file I added at 2:27 and it is now 3:50 my time. The File History shows files last copied at 1:17 when I did it manually.
    But did you check in the Restore your files with file history screen (like in my screenshots above)? What time do you see your file appear?

    From what I can see File History writes to it's cache at the frequency you define and to the disk when it can/wants to based on the conditions in the linked TechNet article above. If you aren't seeing your changed files at the correct time in the Restore your files screen then there is a problem. If the only issue is it not writing to disk on schedule then this appears to be by design.

    Dirty Butter said:
    And I just did another Manual Run of File History and the test file is now on the external drive.
    Yes - it flushes the cache to disk when you run it manually - I found that also.
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  9. Posts : 32
    10 Anniversary
    Thread Starter
       #19

    I didn't realize what your screenshot was from, as I've never restored anything - only copy/pasted to a new computer, deleting the characters File HIstory added. I'll do the test again tomorrow now that I understand what to do to answer your questions.
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  10. Posts : 32
    10 Anniversary
    Thread Starter
       #20

    OK - Thank you for your patience as I now see that the computer IS saving the history in cache every hour, but for whatever reason is NOT saving it to the external drive. I'm going to get off the computer but leave it running, so I can see if it will eventually save to the external automatically. Files were last copied to the disk at 1:19 PM my time today, 9/16/16.
      My Computer


 

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