Windows 10: Backup using File History files can't be deleted from USB drive

My new 256 GB Sandisk Ultra 3.0 USB thumb drive originally showed up in Disk Manager with a main partition of around 248 GB and a system partition of around 200 MB. I briefly used it in my Win10PC as a backup drive (Back up using File History). I later went back in and designated a different (non-USB) drive as the target for Back up using File History. But this did not remove 15 GB worth of old backup files from the thumb drive, and when I tried to erase them, permissions were denied. I looked and looked for a way to adjust permissions in order to get rid of them, without success, so I reformatted the thumb drive. But now the thumb drive only has 233 GB free space. In Disk Manager it has a 200MB healthy EFI System Partition, and a 233GB NTFS Healthy (Basic Data Partition). This suggests that around 15GB worth of backup files are still there, but now they are totally invisible and inaccessible. Is there any way to get this thumb drive back to its original, larger capacity? ------------------------------ (Windows 10 Pro ver 20H2 (OS build 19042.867)

:)

 

File History never copies anything

Hi,

Temporary system failure is one of the possible reasons why this issue is happening. To help resolve the issue, we suggest deleting the files in the USB drive. Follow the steps below:

• Open Settings > Update & Security > Backup > More Options.
  
• Click Stop using this drive.
  
• Delete the File History folder on your external drive.
  
• Try again to add the USB drive to backup File History.
  

Keep us in the loop with the result.

 

Swapping out the USB drive to use File History.

Thanks for your help. Turns out there were a few more steps required but I was able to start using the new drive for my File History by following your suggestions with these extra steps.

1. Turn off File History via settings (This MUST be the first step)

2. Plug-in new USB drive and quick format as NTFS (record new drive letter for use in later step)

3. Remove old File History drive from the system

4. Restart PC

5. Use the "Backup to a different drive" section in Settings/Update/Backup/more options to assign new drive to File History

6. Turn on File History

7. Use the "Back up now" button to start the first backup to the new drive.

Note: The old drive will still contain the old File History files if you ever need to resort them.

 

Can File History backup the contents of drives other than the C:\ drive?

Thanks Greg.

My Data drive, "M:\" is an internal drive, not a USB drive. I'm backing-up to an external 2TB USB drive.

As I said, I've used Windows Backup for many years and never had a problem.

File History seems attractive because it keeps a records of all file versions.

My questions still stand:

1. Can File History backup files on other than the C:\ drive? For example if I add M:\ to the "Backup these folders" list.
   
2. Does File History create an initial, full backup of folders listed in "Back up these folders"?

Regards, Dave.