Windows 10: My File History is not working properly. It's huge!

I have Win10 installed as an upgrade to Win 7

Simply stated, I have C drive for programs (~119 Gigs), E for user (~49 Gigs), H (784 Gigs) for my external back up ( which includes Win10 image.

My File History is 313 gigs on my external H drive. The only relative files are in E: user for a total of about 50 gigs.

Something is not correct. I didn't see a setting that I could change, and I don't know if deleting the File History folder on the drive will fix anything. But obviously I'm backing up something I shouldn't be!

So a little guidance would be appreciated...

If it matters, the C drive is an SSD, E is internal platter, and H is an external platter.

Thanks in advance.

:)

 

Is File History Working properly for some people?

Hi Gordon,

Thank you for posting the query on Microsoft Community. I am glad to assist you on this.

File History regularly backs up versions of your files in the Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, and Desktop folders and the
OneDrive files available offline on your PC. Over time, you'll have a complete history of your files. If the originals are lost, damaged, or deleted, you can restore them. You can also browse and restore different versions of your files. For example,
if you want to restore an older version of a file (even if it wasn't deleted or lost), you can browse through a timeline, select the version you want, and restore it.

I would suggest you to refer the below Microsoft article and check if it helps.

What if something goes wrong in File History?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/what-something-goes-wrong-file-history

Restore files or folders using File History

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/how-use-file-history

Set up a drive for File History

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/set-drive-file-history

Note: The above links also works on Windows 10.

Hope this helps. Please do let us know if you need any further assistance.

 

Is File History Working properly for some people?

Not helpful.

I understand how file history is supposed to work. I relied on it and found it to be most useful in Windows 8.

The description of how it is supposed to work does not answer the question I posted, nor does it help in any way with the problems I am having. None of the three links attached are relevant to the problems I am having.

I would prefer to have no reply at all to one that is a waste of time.

 

Hi.
I haven't used the W7 file backup in a while, but I do remember that it will make backups, then more backups, then even more backups. They are identified by date ranges, and you can find them in the Manage Backups area. I remember having to always go in there and delete older date ranges to free up space. Quite cumbersome, and not very reliable, so I am using Macrium Reflect Free now, with better control and more reliability.

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you. I use that too. But my issue is with the File History app.

 

It seems to be OK now.

I shut off File History, then I deleted the File History folder - it took an extremely long time for some reason. Then I made sure the back up folders that File History was to back up were only those on the "data" drive.

I restarted the computer, turned File History back on, let it run and repopulate all night. It seems to be finished and so far it's ~ 52 gigs, which is about what I would expect.

I'll check it again in a month, and it goes rogue again, I'll let you know.

Cheers.

 

Sounds good! *Smile