File History Error 200 Every 2 Days?

spilly said:

I have a very similar problem, and want to re-initialise FH to start a completely new backup


FH failed on me when it found an Apple Mac file that had an invalid character in the filename
The FH log identified the full file path. I've since removed the file, and don't think there are any more
My back up config is just the standard libraries.

Right now I'm getting the following error

‹Attachment 325467

I got this after taking the following steps

Settings Backup switched OFF
Stopped the FH service
Deleted from %APPDATA% the entire Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory folder
Deleted the entire backup FH Folder from the external drive
Rebooted & checked FH service still stopped

Used Control Panel \ File History to select a drive
It showed the correct drive, but there was no "Copying for the first time..." message
There was no Run Now message either
I examined the FH Backup folder and found that the Data folder was empty.
There was no disk activity either

Used Select Drive again to choose another drive, that seemed to work
Response as expected with Run Now, but on click got the error message above

I have previously tested creating a new User, with just a few files in Docs
This seems to work perfectly in the new dummy account.
I have backed up, updated and restored, all as expected

How do I get FH to believe it's being run for the first time in my real user account?
I've been struggling with this on and off for weeks, and will really appreciate some help.

Spilly

Deleting the config file usually resets things, personally just had File History give me the 200 error again. Which is really annoying as I haven't had any updates or modified anything at all :/

- - - Updated - - -

Just an update if anyone else has this issue, I manually started a FH backup and it's working again now. For those who suffer from FH messing up and want to know if they get the error 200 you can use push bullet and a simple script to be notified when it happens. Check out this post on reddit, it'll save you from having to manually check it yourself.
Notification on Event Viewer Error? : Windows10TechSupport

nixed: I've made some suggestions on your error 200 problem at the end
I think my own FH problem is now solved thanks to clues posted here - So thanks guys
----

Unlike you, I wanted to abandon all old backup data and restart from scratch, but FH kept failing to initiate (post #20)
After reading Steve C's posts #16 & #18 carefully, FH now seems to be OK for me.
I went a bit further than Steve recommended
I deleted both of the 2 subfolders (Configuration and Data) from %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory

1. Stopped FH in Control Panel
2. Checked FHSVC was actually stopped (Task Mgr/Services)
3. Deleted both Configuration and Data from %localAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory
   leaving FileHistory empty
4. I also cleared the File History event log, just to give me a clean sheet
5. Re-booted while FH was switched OFF

After restart, I also deleted FileHistory folder from my external backup drive
(You probably won't want to do this )

In Control Panel, I turned FH back on. I think I had to click Run Now to kick it off. and all was well!!
-----


nixed Here are my guesses at solving your problem


Looking first in the backup drive, the Data folder contains all the actual file backups
and the Configuration folder is small holding Config1 & 2 and Catalog1 and 2

The %LOCALAPPDATA% Configuration folder holds Config1 & 2, Catalog.EDB 1 & 2 and Catalog.JFM1 & 2
- similar to but not direct copies of the Backup equivalent.

I think the local Data folder (called the staging area) must be the local data cache for when the backup drive is offline

Guess 1
The local Data staging area folder is not critical and is created at run time

Guess 2
Your error 200 may be caused by incompatibility between the two sets of Config and Catalog files
I guess the versions on the backup drive are the more important
If you delete the APPDATA versions first, there can't be a conflict.
- but the backup versions could be corrupted somehow.

Conclusion.
You've got nothing to lose.
Do steps 1 to 3 and 5 as I did above (maybe not step 4)

Explore the top folders in your backup drive, just so you know what they look like
e.g. note folder names & paths to the Config files

OR, if you want to, Delete the backup FileHistory folder (Nuclear option)

Then restart FH. If it finds existing backup data, accept and continue.

If FH restarts successfully, I suggest you again explore the backup folders as above and update your record

Good luck

spilly said:

nixed: I've made some suggestions on your error 200 problem at the end
I think my own FH problem is now solved thanks to clues posted here - So thanks guys
----

Unlike you, I wanted to abandon all old backup data and restart from scratch, but FH kept failing to initiate (post #20)
After reading Steve C's posts #16 & #18 carefully, FH now seems to be OK for me.
I went a bit further than Steve recommended
I deleted both of the 2 subfolders (Configuration and Data) from %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory

1. Stopped FH in Control Panel
2. Checked FHSVC was actually stopped (Task Mgr/Services)
3. Deleted both Configuration and Data from %localAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory
   leaving FileHistory empty
4. I also cleared the File History event log, just to give me a clean sheet
5. Re-booted while FH was switched OFF

After restart, I also deleted FileHistory folder from my external backup drive
(You probably won't want to do this )

In Control Panel, I turned FH back on. I think I had to click Run Now to kick it off. and all was well!!
-----


nixed Here are my guesses at solving your problem


Looking first in the backup drive, the Data folder contains all the actual file backups
and the Configuration folder is small holding Config1 & 2 and Catalog1 and 2

The %LOCALAPPDATA% Configuration folder holds Config1 & 2, Catalog.EDB 1 & 2 and Catalog.JFM1 & 2
- similar to but not direct copies of the Backup equivalent.

I think the local Data folder (called the staging area) must be the local data cache for when the backup drive is offline

Guess 1
The local Data staging area folder is not critical and is created at run time

Guess 2
Your error 200 may be caused by incompatibility between the two sets of Config and Catalog files
I guess the versions on the backup drive are the more important
If you delete the APPDATA versions first, there can't be a conflict.
- but the backup versions could be corrupted somehow.

Conclusion.
You've got nothing to lose.
Do steps 1 to 3 and 5 as I did above (maybe not step 4)

Explore the top folders in your backup drive, just so you know what they look like
e.g. note folder names & paths to the Config files

OR, if you want to, Delete the backup FileHistory folder (Nuclear option)

Then restart FH. If it finds existing backup data, accept and continue.

If FH restarts successfully, I suggest you again explore the backup folders as above and update your record

Good luck

Ah yes I've had to do that to get it to restart over completely. FH is great when it works, what causes this issue is not known. It says error with the configuration file but it doesn't seem to be reliably set off. Updates naturally can cause it to happen and have for me but it seems to happen randomly. Always good to make a restore point and backup of windows before updating.

Agreed... and using Macrium Reflect to do it for preference.
- That's the received wisdom at TenForums

g

spilly said:

Agreed... and using Macrium Reflect to do it for preference.
- That's the received wisdom at TenForums

g

Agree 100%, Macrium Reflect is a life saver