Windows 8 File History backup creates duplicates

Anonymous
2013-02-05T16:18:46+00:00

I have run the Windows 8 file history since I installed W8 last October and each time I run it I get another duplicate set of documents, photos, video's, everything. After I accumulate 5-6 copies that amount to 45gb of space on my extended hard drive I delete the file history file and start over.

I'm using Windows 8 on a laptop and therefore do not have the HDD connected all the time. I run backups occasionally and whenever I run it all files are duplicated over and over again. By running it occasionally I mean sometimes daily, sometimes weekly. I've made all sorts of modifications but nothing works.

This is not a new problem and there are several complaints to Microsoft regarding people with this problem so I thought I'd ask the question on this forum.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w8itprogeneral/thread/14cedd95-b3b0-4830-be00-da793dda9e27/

My main question is, is there a different backup / restore application that will work besides the W8 File History? Does the old backup from Windows 7 still work?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

44 answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2013-03-08T15:16:27+00:00

    I am having a similar problem...

    I had a 6 terabyte backup drive that I thought would last me quite a while...for file history...but it turns out file history is re-saving multiple versions of files that I have not touched or looked at in a long time...

    Please Microsoft...the concept of file history is a good one...and I have used it to restore a couple of files to previous versions...but as it is right now I had to turn it off as my 6 terabyte NAS box was constantly being written too by file history...In a span of two months I have gone through 5.4 terabytes of backup space....mainly because of this bug with file history...

    Please fix this...

    Michael!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2013-03-08T15:40:27+00:00

    Duplicate files are generated by the task File History (maintenance mode) which can be disabled in the Task Scheduler under FileHistory.  Unless this task is disabled, it is run by the Action Center task Automatic Maintenance and duplicates all files in the Music, Pictures, and Video folders to your File History drive.

    For more details, see my Proposed Fix 2 (BlueDragon48) in thread

    Windows 8 File History - Excessive backup - Excessively saving copies of files (photos, videos, documents, etc.)

    http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w8itprogeneral/thread/14cedd95-b3b0-4830-be00-da793dda9e27/

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2013-03-09T00:54:29+00:00

    Thank you so much....for taking the time in the other forum for created such a detailed explanation of your proposed fix....

    As I said in the other forum...I will give your proposed fixes (both 1 and 2) a try and report back....

    Thanks,

    Michael!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

  5. Anonymous
    2013-03-09T02:41:19+00:00

    Duplicate files are generated by the task File History (maintenance mode)

    I just ran maintenance... yep, It duplicated pics,   but not all.  So strange.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments