# Solved: File history not working right



## Plywood (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi.

I'm having trouble getting my files to backup properly with Windows 8's file history feature. I have a 1TB external drive just for backups as well as a 1TB internal drive that used to run my OS but is now used as backup since upgrading my boot drive to an SSD.

I have a 128GB SSD with my OS and programs installed, and a 3TB internal drive for my games, videos, pictures and music. My 3TB (D) drive has two folders - D>Games and D>Media. Inside the Media folder there are three further folders, D>Media>Music, D>Media>Pictures and D>Media>Videos. I have set file history to ignore the Games folder because it's larger than my backup drive, plus they're all Steam games anyway so I can easily re-download those should I need to.

When I run file history to either the internal or external drive, however, it only backs up the C drive and D>Media>Music. It completely ignores D>Media>Pictures and D>Media>Videos. The only folder I have set it to ignore is D>Games. I have tried running file history to both the internal and external backup drives separately, as well as pooling them together as one storage space. It simply refuses to backup anything other than my music folder on my D drive and I can't figure out why. The total amount of data in the D>Media folder is 85.2GB, which is WELL short of the 1TB available on both my backup drives, so there shouldn't be any issue with the amount of space available.

I also have it set to backup every hour but it has only backed up once since I turned file history on.

I've tried looking everywhere for answers but I can't find anything anywhere. Any help getting this to work properly would be really appreciated. 

Thanks!


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Hello

1. File history in its default mode will not backup to an internal drive - only to a network device or to an external drive
Before you start using File History to back up your files, you need to first select where your backups are saved. You can select an externally connected drive, such as a USB drive, or you can save to a drive on a network

2. Again in its default settings it will only backup certain files and folders
File History only backs up copies of files that are in the Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos and Desktop folders on your PC. If you have files or folders elsewhere that you want backed up, you can add them to one of these folders. 
*Note*


File History doesn't back up files on your PC that you have synced with SkyDrive, even if they're in folders that File History backs up.
3. Go to the folders on your disc lettered D
open the folder D Media
on each of the folders within that right click on it and click include in library then select which one or add a new one -
You can create a new library by clicking on "Create new library". The select folder is automatically added to the new library.

This does not actually copy all those to the Library as of course the library is only a virtual folder the pictures, music etc are not actually stored there

See my screenshot please

4. This will explain the libraries further for you
*Backup Other Folders*
If you have a folder that is not included by default, you can either add the folder to an existing library or creating a new library and then adding it to the new library. Remember that a library is just a logical group or container that holds pointers to the locations where the files are actually stored. See more info on what is a library below.

Libraries are collections where you can get to all your documents, music, pictures, and other files in one single place. In some ways, a library works just like a folder: you can use it to browse and sort files. But unlike a folder, a library gathers files that are stored in several locations. 

This is a subtle, but important, difference. Libraries don't actually store your items. 

They pull from folders that contain your items, and let you access and arrange the items in different ways. For example, if you have music files in folders on your hard drive and on an external drive, you can access all of your music files from the Music library.

You can select a folder and include it to an existing library. Select a folder, right click on it and move the mouse cursor to Include in library. Choose a library from the list.

5. IMHO every hour is far too often - I appreciate that is the default but I would set it daily

6. If you wish to use the internal drive then that must be configured using a loopback IP address - it is IMHO a bit gimmicky and I would not recommend it

7. File history is OK but of course it is only as the name suggests and I have explained - a file history - I consider system image backup is VITAL, so that you have the means for a complete recovery if required


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## Plywood (Aug 10, 2009)

Huzzah, my files are backing up! 

Thanks so much for the help. It turns out my music folder was already in a library, not sure how - must have been Media Centre or iTunes or something creating the library with information from my D drive.

About the internal drive needing to be configured using loopback IP addresses and such - the drive File History is currently backing up to is a virtual drive created by pooling both my internal and external backup drives into one 1.80TB drive. Am I right in thinking that File History will create a copy of my files on each of these drives or should I separate them and use them as individual drives?

As for creating a system image, I'd love to. I've tried, but a bug is preventing me from doing it. I had W8 and upgraded to 8.1. In order to create a system image backup I need at least 50MB of free space on the system recovery partition. Windows 8 makes a 300MB partition for this and takes up around 240MB of it, IIRC. After updating to Windows 8.1 though it takes up 284MB out of the available 300MB, so I don't have the 50MB of free space required for Windows to make a shadow copy of the backup. I'm not sure how to get around this... I have the Windows 8 install disc though so as long as File History makes copies of my files then it shouldn't be too disastrous should I need to reinstall everything.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

> Huzzah, my files are backing up!


Pleased to have helped and thanks you for replying and the appreciation.
It is always good to get a reply and with the thanks

Sorry do not know the exact answer to the question re 


> Am I right in thinking that File History will create a copy of my files on each of these drives or should I separate them and use them as individual drives?


never done it would have to run such an arrangement and check

Re the image
THANKS I have not yet upgraded my 8 to 8.1 as this is a self build triple boot with 8, 7 and XP
I am just not prepared to risk it
I bought two windows 8 when it was on offer at £24.99 and I will use the spare one on another computer - single boot and then upgrade that one to 8.1

Never knew about that bug on the 8.1
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...r/90e39029-ff0d-4318-8701-5f7078198cd0?page=9


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## Plywood (Aug 10, 2009)

It does seem that Windows 8 has its share of strange bugs and confusing error messages. When I was Googling for answers to my File History problem earlier I found at least two messages mean the exact opposite of what it seems like they do.

I hope the recovery drive partition issue is something that can be solved in a future update... Maybe 8.2 will take up less space on the partition.


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