Windows 10 file history backup for drive D not working


  1. Posts : 186
    Xp, Vista, 7, 8.1, 10
       #1

    Windows 10 file history backup for drive D not working


    Hi everyone:

    I'm trying to set up a File History backup from a Windows 10 desktop to an external 4TB hard drive. I have a large internal 1TB drive D: that I've redirected all my user folders to (documents, desktop, pictures, music, etc.) so for convenience I want to just backup drive D, which I added to the file history list of folders to include in the backup.

    But it hasn't backed up anything, even if I click "Backup now" it tries for a little bit and does nothing.

    What am I missing there?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,223
    W10-Pro 22H2
       #2

    If you are in Settings>Backup>More Options, click 'See advanced settings', which will take you to the (old-fashioned) Control Panel view of FH - then click 'Advanced settings' again (I know!) and click on the 'event log' option. There may be something there. However, when i did this there were no event log entries - perhaps because mine is working?

    If that is no help: how do you know nothing has happened - have you checked the external drive for a FH folder, and if so is it empty, non-existent or what?

    Further to that, I also redirect my user folders to D:, but the backup of these was (I think) specified by simply selecting the icon immediately below 'This PC' - Windows sorted out where that referred to. I may not have had to do that, because as I recall, FH defaulted to backup a range of folders, and I mostly had to remove ones I did not want. I don't know if it can backup a whole drive, so have just tried it... well, it certainly lets me select a drive - only time will tell if it does it - I may be back ...
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 2,548
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit
       #3

    Personally I would forgo file history backup & use Macrium Reflect.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 2,731
    Windows 10
       #4

    I use both File History and Image backup, there is no problem with doing that. Each is with a different objective in mind.
    You certainly have to Edit default file locations in File History, some are definitely not wanted.

    Actually use File History from the History Icon in File Explorer. See if you have a time machine of file versions in a Folder where there are regular changes in your user files.

    You can look at the File History folders and drill down a few levels to the data for dates etc. if you wish.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 186
    Xp, Vista, 7, 8.1, 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thanks guys. I did check the Windows event log in the Applications section and it had nothing concerning file history.

    As for drive D: I have a folder with virtual machines in it, which I would want to back up too. That is why I picked D. Another thing is that I have two Windows accounts. One is an admin and the second one is a standard user that I usually log in with -- both are redirected to drive D:. And it seems like that File History thing is set up per user account. And if so, it may not have permissions to access my admin folders from a standard user account. Could that be an issue? I thought it was running under System anyway.

    And to explain how I know that nothing was backed up. It's a brand new install of Win10. All the folders that I'm trying to back up are about 30GB in size. And the "File History" on my external drive is 80K. That's how I know.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 1,223
    W10-Pro 22H2
       #6

    ... I'm back: I wanted to wait for FH to run on its own, which for some reason took a while: it did not back up the included drive. It seems it happily lets you add a whole drive (root folder), but then ignores it. <oops - brain fade meant I excluded the drive, not added it> It is backing up now.

    Having said that, I'm not sure that using FH to backup VMs is a good idea, as they will be large, and it will save a new copy for each change (unless that is what you want).

    FH can happily run for more than one user on the same backup device, so just set it up as you require for each user.
    Last edited by mngerhold; 06 Feb 2020 at 06:04. Reason: made a booboo
      My Computer


 

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