Windows 10: Can't turn file history on

Thanks (I can't claim the credit for it though, that goes to Brink ? from memory). I find it works well and has no apparent impact on performance at all even when set to back up every 15 minutes.

I've never tried the USB/router thing, one for a rainy day perhaps *Smile

 

My files are automatically being backed up to C: drive, are they not? I mean, I don't have to make any adjustment to make that happen do I? Please let me know if there is.

 

The C drive (or C partition) is where the operating system lives. When you work with documents/pictures/music etc they are automatically stored there, with the operating system.

Files History copies those same files and puts them in another location away from the C drive (or partition).

If you take a typical laptop for example that has one drive installed, then the C drive can be either the whole of the space of that drive taken up by the operating system or more usually that one drive is split into different partitions (like a CD with more than one track on it). When the drive is split, the part holding the operating system is always called C. The other areas are then divided up as you wish , D, E etc. Any letter you want.

Does that help or not *Smile

 

Thanks, I understand. Just use the laptop for web browsing basically. The few files I have on it, I put on a flash drive....just wanted to make sure files were being backed upto C: (I pretty much knew that).

 

Yes, C is where it all happens but the files are there 'in real time only'. They are not backed up there. If you delete a file (picture say) from C then its gone. If you have File History backing them up to another separate location then the file is safely stored there as well... backed up and available to be reinstated.

 

I see you're UK based. If you have a BT hub (as I do) it's easy. Works on all BT hubs, but best with the new Smart Hub (their first to have a USB3 socket).

 

Yes, the Hub3 with the Open Reach modem. Never misses a beat *Smile

Backing up personal files is very important but so to is backing up the whole operating system, and that's something that most don't do. My PC's are laptops with a single drive.

1/ I use File History to save all personal stuff to a separate partition on the main hard drive. I know the risks in doing that... if the drive fails the files are gone. On the plus side there are no overheads and its great to have all documents and changes to documents ever made available. I use file History quite a lot but do so normally by manually browsing and picking out the file I want. In the course of a day I can be making and saving a dozen or more files/images etc and then deleting them, and just sometimes its good to be able to know you can get the one you made six months back if you need it for reference.

2/ I use flash drive (memory stick) to save all current personal stuff. That's easy, just right documents or pictures and select 'send to' etc. I do that every couple of weeks.

3/ I make daily/weekly system image backups. These to are stored on the main HDD (again knowing the risks). These consist of two backups a day and only cover the C partition. Why don't I back the other up ? Because if I did, then I would lose the stuff that's been put there from the time the backup was created until now whenever I did a restore. So I just backup Windows as a system image.

The image shows the system image backup files. I can restore to any one of those (and so the time the backup was made) with just a couple of clicks.

Every month I make a full 'month end' image (that's just a single full backup) and copy that to an external drive.