Windows 10: When I try to clean up old versions of file history backup I get the error message element...

When I try to clean up old backups on file history, I get the error message element not found. It won't let me clean up old backups older than 3 or 6 months. How do I fix this so that I can clean up my backup drive.

:)

 

File History, "element not found"

Going back at least two years: Redirecting

I did some experimenting and it appears that:

1. When the backup drive reaches full capacity ...
   
2. It cannot clean itself up, and ...
   
3. Creates a non-surface error (soft error) on the drive that prevents all forms of older version cleaning-up
   
   1. CHKDSK shows no drive errors, so it is soft.
      

The problems here are manifest:

1. Backup does not warn the user of repeated backup failures, leaving them vulnerable.
   
2. The only cure is to reformat the backup drive, which in turn eliminates old versions that might be important in a recovery.
   
3. Microsoft looks to not give a damn about their users data security needs, because two years is a long time for a critical bug to be left unattended.
   

MSFT, you NEED to attend to this.

 

File history can't delete old backups

I have tried all the obvious things, none of them work. I have been using File History for years too, and until about a year ago it worked faultlessly. It still does - in all respects except cleaning up versions.