Windows 10: File History can't find file but it is there

I've been using File History for over 2 years on Win 10 with no issues. Files save to my external Seagate 2TB drive.

Now, today I discover that when I want to see the file history of any file in my "MY PICTURES" folder using the "File History" icon in Explorer, I get "We can't find your file, Files that are encrypted with encrypting..etc, on a network location, or on a drive that doesn't use NTFS file system can't be backed up."


Well, I assure you none of my files qualify for any of those problems. When I use file explorer to see my backed up files on my Seagate drive, they are all there. I see files backed up as currently as today from the "MY PICTURES" folder. So they are being backed up, but clicking the "File History" icon or any other way to see them just results in the same message.


This happens ONLY to files I have in my MY PICTURES folder, which is a subfolder of the main default Win10 folder "PICTURES" which contains the subfolders SAVED PICTURES, CAMERA ROLL, etc.


If I do a File History lookup for files in other folders, like my DOCUMENTS, or MY WEBS folders, it finds them just fine.


For example, I have a file in a subfolder of "MY PICTURES" named "lowry park 1952.jpg" . When I choose the File History icon I get the above mentioned "We can't find your file.." But when I search my Seagate Drive for that file, I get a hit for the day I modified that image, Feb. 21, 2021...

lowry park 1952 2021_02_21 00_52_40 UTC.jpg


I haven't modified it since then so I supposed that's why there aren't more recent versions.

If I search my Seagate drive for all files whose name contains "2021_02_21" I get 213 items backed up that day, most of which are from my "MY PICTURES" folder.

So I'm sure my files are being backed up from "MY PICTURES" but why can't File History option find them? Thanks!

:)

 

File History not backing up any files

Hello Victor

Thank you for the response. I had already checked that thread, but it hasn't helped me:

• The thread deals with Windows 8's implementation of File History, which is somewhat different to that of Windows 10.
• Most of the thread deals with setting up File History (which I have already done, precisely following the recommended steps). The third link in the thread might have been useful since it appears to link to a page that deals with troubleshooting File History
  (as opposed to setting it up), but unfortunately the link is dead.

Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

File History restart

Hi Jim,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community forums.



To change the backup drive for File History, the current process should be stopped. I suggest you to try the steps listed below to stop file history on an older drive and restart it on a new drive:



Change File History backup drive:

• Open Settings and navigate to Update & Security > Backup.
  
• Click on More Options, scroll down to locate
  Backup to a different drive section, and choose Stop Using Drive.
  
• Plug in the new storage drive, navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Backup,
  and choose Add a Drive.
  
• Restart File History and configure it by referring to the article
  
  File History in Windows.
  

Hope it helps.

Regards,

 

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.