Do I need Both Win 10's File History and Win 7's Backup?


  1. Posts : 89
    Windows 10 Version 21H2 (os build 19044.2604)
       #1

    Do I need Both Win 10's File History and Win 7's Backup?


    I have them both, and I'm beginning to get faith in indexing and I wonder if I need to keep the Windows 7's back up regime.

    The only problem I have with indexing is it seems to keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger - and I don't know what to do.

    My entire data drive*(E) is ~ 100Gigs, yet my file history drive is almost 300Gigs.

    *I have a SSD for programs (C), and one data drive E, and one partitioned removable drive F & H
    Data drive E is backed up by File History to H on my removable drive.
    My Win 7 Back up of E goes to F on my removable drive

    So my issue is:
    If you had a choice to make would you keep File History, or Windows 7's back up system?
    And why is my file history getting so large?

    Thanks in advance...
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 31,478
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #2

    chuckiechan said:
    My entire data drive*(E) is ~ 100Gigs, yet my file history drive is almost 300Gigs. ... why is my file history getting so large?
    That is normal. File History keeps multiple different versions of your documents from different dates. You can manage how much history you want it to keep.

    Delete Older Versions of File History in Windows 10

    Change how Long to Keep File History in Windows 10


    If you had a choice to make would you keep File History, or Windows 7's back up system?
    To be honest, the more types of backups you keep the better. It isn't really an 'either/or' choice - you can use both. You can never have too many backups :)

    'Backup and Restore (Windows 7)' is a deprecated feature in the Fall Creators Update. It may be removed in later versions of Windows 10.

    Microsoft said:
    System Image Backup (SIB) Solution
    We recommend that users use full-disk backup solutions from other vendors.
    Features removed or Deprecated in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update

    There are better solutions to the two functions Backup and Restore provides, backing up your files and making a system image to restore a working system to your disk , should it fail or become corrupted. Most here recommend Macrium Reflect (free).
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 175
    Windows 10 Home ver 2004
       #3

    +1 for Macrium
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #4

    chuckiechan said:
    If you had a choice to make would you keep File History, or Windows 7's back up system?
    Without a doubt File History. If you delete some file and backup your system the deleted file will not be there.

    If you deleted all your tax records 2 years ago where will they be? In your latest backup (Windows 7 style or Macrium)? Nope they will not.

    They will be in your backup from 2 years ago (assuming you remembered when you deleted them and restored the correct backup). Alternatively you can just flick back in time through File History until you find them and the fact it was 26 months not 24 doesn't matter.

    Both would be the best answer but given a choice, File History. It is trivial to reinstall Windows and only takes 20 minutes.

    Just make sure your file History drive isn't permanently connected so if you get ransomeware it isn't corrupted too.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 89
    Windows 10 Version 21H2 (os build 19044.2604)
    Thread Starter
       #5

    lx07 said:
    Without a doubt File History. If you delete some file and backup your system the deleted file will not be there.

    If you deleted all your tax records 2 years ago where will they be? In your latest backup (Windows 7 style or Macrium)? Nope they will not.

    They will be in your backup from 2 years ago (assuming you remembered when you deleted them and restored the correct backup). Alternatively you can just flick back in time through File History until you find them and the fact it was 26 months not 24 doesn't matter.

    Both would be the best answer but given a choice, File History. It is trivial to reinstall Windows and only takes 20 minutes.

    Just make sure your file History drive isn't permanently connected so if you get ransomeware it isn't corrupted too.
    I try to keep my back up drive unplugged, but do you know of a way it could be disabled in device manager, and started up automatically only when it's time to back up when the computer is idle, and the chance of getting ransom ware remote (since no one is operating the computer).

    And thanks to all for the advice. I'll probably dump Win 7 back up, remove the partition and dedicate the drive to File History but shorten the retention period if it heads for a Tetrabyte.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 1,621
    Windows 10 Home
       #6

    "...but do you know of a way it could be disabled in device manager, and started up automatically..." You have to both disable and re-enable said divice within device manager. I know of no automatic software way to re-enable that external device.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 89
    Windows 10 Version 21H2 (os build 19044.2604)
    Thread Starter
       #7

    RolandJS said:
    "...but do you know of a way it could be disabled in device manager, and started up automatically..." You have to both disable and re-enable said divice within device manager. I know of no automatic software way to re-enable that external device.
    I'm sure if it was easy and effective, someone would have done it!
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #8

    chuckiechan said:
    I'm sure if it was easy and effective, someone would have done it!
    Better to physically disconnect - anything you can do programmatically so, potentially, could malware. File History will store changes and flush them to backup disk automatically when you connect it.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 89
    Windows 10 Version 21H2 (os build 19044.2604)
    Thread Starter
       #9

    lx07 said:
    Better to physically disconnect - anything you can do programmatically so, potentially, could malware. File History will store changes and flush them to backup disk automatically when you connect it.
    one more question. If I used Win 7 to make a system image (C drive), will I be able to load it using Win 10?

    Btw, I have no data on the C drive, only the O/S and programs, so this should be the entire image, with data backed up by File History. That is my new plan.
      My Computer


 

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