Windows 10: Can't restore files in File History after restoring system with an image backup

After a recent win 10 update completely immobilized my hard drive, I was forced to backup the drive from a saved image. The system restored fine, but when I try to restore my files backed up through File History, I get into an endless loop of identifying the drive with the saved files. It sees the drive and identifies the existing backup with the last save date, but says 'this file history drive was already used' pops a box asking 'do you want to use this drive for file history again? this drive doesn't have your most recent files. To restore those files you'll need to reselect the drive you l

:)

 

Difference Between File History, Backup and Restore, System Image, and System Protection (Restore Points)

These feature names itself gives you a hint on their functionality.

File History: It is the complete record of changes made to a file. You can roll back changes and get an older copy of a file.

It is more useful, if your accidently deleted a file or it turned to garbage. You can simple use File History to restore the file.

Backup and Restore: As the name suggests, it is useful to create a system back and restore from a backup already created.

System Image: It is a clone of your C drive in a .vdi (virtual disk file), stored on another drive.

A system image can only be used to reimage the same computer on which it was created.

Tip: You can extract individual files from a System Image by mounting the .vdi with Explorer.

System Restore Point: It is a backup of all your Settings, apps and some other utilities required by Windows.

It is recommended to create a restore point before editing registry, installing a new software, etc.

 

Restoring files from file history after having restored a system image?

My system wasn't working right so I restored it from a complete system image taken on March 31 (It's now April 11).

The restore went smoothly and everything is working well again. However, I had numerous updated documents since the system backup on March 31.

When I try to restore them from file history, I can't navigate past March 31. When I've searched for a way to do this, all the answers seem to suggest you just select the same drive in the file history settings in control panel.

However, in said settings, it shows that "Copy files to:" lists the network location I had set file history to. I've turned it off for now for fear that a new backup might make me lose everything backed up since March 31. When I click on Select drive under
Available drives it shows the same network location. If I click on it is says "This File History drive was already used." and underneath shows several username and computer names that have backups, including this computer, where Last back-up date is correctly
2020-04-10 (this is a Windows server where I have daily system backups and also the file history backups).

I can also "Add network location" select the same location again but nothing changes when I do this.

I still can't see any of the backups past March 31, the date of the image I restored.

Does anyone know how I can get file restore to see the newer backups?

I can always get the files from an other image backup made prior to the restore, but I'd like to figure out how to do this with file history as I have another computer where that is currently my only backup.

Thanks!

 

how do I restore files from file history after system image restore.

i took system image backup in september.

file history backups continue through october.

had to restore september system image in november.

when I use file history restore to recover october files file history restore doesn't find them although they are in the file history data file.