Windows 10: Restoring from File History on an external drive to a new external drive

I have a computer including an external drive (which contains all the photos). These two things have been backed up to another external drive using File History. So far so good.


Now, the drive containing the photos has been damaged and can not be used anymore. This means, I want to restore this drive from the backup onto a new external drive.


One would think that this should be really easy but apparently it's not. Has anybody ever done this and how exactly did it work?


I'm also wondering whether I can simply copy paste the contents? I know on a Mac Time Machine this is not possible, it needs to be restored properly. But not sure about Microsoft File History???


Any help is welcome - thanks!

:)

 

File History is off and won't recognize my external drive

Hi,



Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. Let me help you.

• 
  Have you made any changes in settings prior to the issue?
  
• 
  What is the status when you connect your external driver in your system?
  
• 
  Have you checked with a different external drive? What is the status?
  
• 
  Have you tried connecting the drive in a different USB port? What is the status?
  

I suggest you to disable your third party-software (If any) and check if it resolves the issue.

Important Note: Antivirus software can help protect your computer against viruses and other security threats. In most cases, you shouldn't disable your antivirus software. If you have to temporarily disable it to install
other software, you should re-enable it as soon as you're done. If you're connected to the Internet or a network while your antivirus software is disabled, your computer is vulnerable to attacks.

Check if it helps.



You can also try turning on file history by following the below procedure and check if it resolves the issue.

To enable file history on Windows 10, connect an external hard drive and follow the steps below:

• 
  Open Start menu and type
  File History
  
• 
  Click File History (control panel)
  
• 
  Tap or click Select a drive, and choose the network or external drive you want to use.
  
• 
  Turn on File History
  

Note: If the network drive you want isn’t in the list of available drives, tap or click Show all network locations. If the drive you want isn’t listed there either, open File History in Control Panel, tap or click Add
a network location, and follow the instructions on the screen.

Please reply with the details and updated status of the issue. We will be happy to assist you further.

 

File History of files on external USB harddisk drive

Hi,

I have a external harddisk connected to my pc using USB. This drive contains personal files which I want to add to file history. I simply want that everytime I connect my external harddrive to my pc, that file history backs up the files on it to a location
on the network. How do I do that?

* I have file history working for files on an internal harddrive

* I did add my external harddrive to the Documents library

* I tried adding the folder on the external harddrive using the "Add a folder" using the windows 10 settings. But the folder seems to dissappear from the list after a while.

Another detail: the disk is encrypted using DiskCryptor. Everytime I connect the drive windows says it has to be formatted. When I mount the drive by providing the key to DiskCryptor the drive becomes a valid one.

 

File back up to bitlockered external drive

Thanks John.

By trial and error the solution is,

• Set the file back up to the desired external USB drive, Back up using file history.
• Run backup to completion.
• Dismount, (Remove) the drive used.
• Remount (Plug in) the drive used for the file back up (Steps 1&2) and encrypt using Bitlocker.

Note you can only encrypt drives using some versions of Windows (Pro for eg not Home)

• Once the external drive has been encrypted dismount.
• Remount the drive, go to the file back up option, Open, Settings, Backup,
  Back up using file history.
• The drive should now still be visible and has been encrypted.
• Accessing the drive will be dependant on how it was set up in Bitlocker,
  Open with this PC, password, pin code etc.
• Repeat file back up as in the first two steps.

Hope this helps someone else.