Windows 10: Trying to use the Backup feature but "No usable drives found"

I have a fairly new Seagate 3TB USB3.0 drive that I've been using as a data backup on my desktop. I've been just copying stuff over to the drive once a month or so, but decided that I may as well use the backup feature in windows 10. However, I'm running into an issue.

The drive is usable and I can drag/drop files over to it. I've tried "Include in Library" both my data drive and my backup drives, but that doesn't seem to work. I've tried searching the forum but didn't find anything. Any suggestions?

:)

 

The backup option does not recognize my external drive. How do I fix?

When I try to use the automatic backup to my external drive I get a message saying "No usable drives found". The drive is displayed in the "This PC" folder.

 

File History Drive

I followed the steps in the link and when I go to settings>backup and click on Add a Drive, it says there are "no usable drives found".

 

With the removable hard drive inserted and visible in file explorer, post a screenshot of disk management:
Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of - Windows 10 Forums

Please read the tutorial because we need to see the information in the expanded columns.

 

Thanks.

It's the "Z" drive I'd like to use as the backup.

 

It doesn't look like you have too much on that drive, so what I would suggest is copy off of it whatever you want to save. Delete the existing partition on it. Create a new Primary NTFS Partition on it, assign it the drive letter you want. And before you copy anything else onto it and after restarting your computer, then try file history again.

Also, I would recommend a different letter than previously used as well.

 

Yeah, there's nothing on the drive. I just reformatted it. I'll give this a shot. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Well, still no luck. It's just not seeing any of my drives.

Edit to Add: The kicker is, it gives me the option to "Show all network locations" and I can find my small NAS and do the backup to that. *Banghead

 

Sorry, I can't help much more. What I read was that sometimes you get the no drives found because the available drives have hidden files on them from being previously used for other Windows backups. Reformatting and assigning a different drive letter should have fixed that if that was the problem. I guess one last thing is to right click on the drive letter in file explorer and look at the security tab. Add permission for "everyone" to have full access to the drive itself, but I don't think that will fix it.

I like the program FreeFileSync:
FreeFileSync download | SourceForge.net

A workaround, at least, until you get Windows file history figured out.

 

i had the same problem, but in my case it was that i have used the drive for my music files and have entered the location in windows
media player, as soon i removed that, then it see the drive.
you have to be sure you have not entered the drive in some kind of libary.

 

I'll probably just keep doing it old school...about once every two to three weeks, just copying it over.

I appreciate you taking the time with the suggestions anyway.

 

I'll search around for that. Thanks.

 

That did it! I had a "Documents" folder and a "Music" folder under "This PC" that were mapped to the USB drive. Once I changed the location (to where I really wanted them), I was able to see my USB drive. Thank you!

 

Looking at your Z drive .....in your screen shot, that drive is not activated so to speak, all you did was format it, but if you look at all your other drives in your pic, that WORK ....notice that their are no lines going thru them in your Disk Management screen. Its not an active NTFS partition at the moment. You should download MiniTool Partition Manager and use that Free program to fix your drive.
Much easier than windows disk manager ....just a suggestion. *Smile

 

The Z: drive partition only appeared that way because that was the one he had highlighted by clicking on it.