Can I use a separate partition on my hard drive for File History?


  1. avadamr
    Posts : 1
    Windows 10
       New #1

    Can I use a separate partition on my hard drive for File History?


    I am trying to enable File History in WIndows 10, but "No usable drive was found" error is given. I have partitioned my main hard drive to have another virtual drive (Y:) to maintain copies of files as backups. I want to use this separate partition on my main hard drive as the location to be used for File History. Can I? Or File History in Windows can't accept a SEPARATE partition (Y:) on the same HARD drive on which it is installed (in a different partition - the main C:) as a usable location for File History backups?
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  3. dalchina
    Posts : 42,988
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #2

    Hi, backing up to the same drive- or even drives in the same PC isn't a robust solution.
    a. Drives fail/become corrupted/inaccessible
    b. PSU's fail

    That said, it may be possible- I've not tried:
    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

    Before you can turn on and start using File History to back up your files, you need to first select where your backups are saved. You can select to save backups to an internal hard drive, externally connected drive (ex: USB drive), or you can save to a drive on a network.

    From
    Windows 10 Tutorial Index | Windows 10 Tutorials
    Last edited by dalchina; 07 Oct 2018 at 08:38.
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  4. lx07
    Posts : 5,478
    2004
       New #3

    It must be a separate drive by default - it will not let you choose another partition on the same drive.

    You can however share another partition on the same drive (or folder on it) and then it works - see here how to use file history on a partition (of the same drive) [solved] Windows 10 Forums

    File history will also work (and keep file versions) in %appdata% which are automatically flushed to backup when you connect it so you could set it up using external drive and only plug it in occasionally. In this case you can setup file history using an external drive, unplug it, and the functionality (flicking back through versions of a file for example) will still work.
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  6. Mooly
    Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       New #4

    I always used to run File History to a separate partition on my main drive. Its a while since I did that but what you do is create is a folder on the partition and then set its properties to be a networked location.

    Post #2 here:
    how to use file history on a partition (of the same drive) [solved] Solved - Windows 10 Forums
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  7. Mooly
    Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       New #5

    Thanks for the rep

    (You seem to have visitor messages turned off)
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