File History and restore to another PC

I had the same issue, and there's a way to get File History to see the full range of backup points. I believe this is the solution Glenn Gailey was referring to, but here are the step-by-step instructions for Windows 10:

1. In the Start menu, type "Control Panel" to bring up the old Control Panel app - open it.
2. Click the "System and Security" section.
3. Click the "File History" section.
4. In the File History control panel, on the left-hand column, click "Select drive."
5. Select the drive that had your prior File History backups.
6. Once you have selected the drive, the bottom pane will show your existing backups. You should see the prior backup there (and possibly a backup from today if File History already tried to create a new backup). Select the past backup that you want. A message may pop up informing you that this is a past backup.
7. Once you're back at the File History control panel, on the left-hand column, click "Restore personal files." You should be able to use the File History navigation tool to navigate your prior backup and restore it.

Good luck!

Go to File History. Make sure the file history is NOT turned on for the current Windows 8 or 8.1 installation. Then in the top left select "Select drive". You will be presented with your External Drive. Select this drive. There will be the message "This File History drive was previously used". You also will see the file history version from the backup of you previous Windows installation. If you started file history on the new (current) installation, you will also see that version with a more current date-time stamp. Select the previous version . There will be the message "Do you wan tot use this drive for File History again?" Select yes.

It will return to the maim file history screen. File history will now be turned on.

Select "Restore personal files"

You will see all the previous incremental backups from your previous Windows 8 installation. Just select what you would like to restore and then click the "Green" restore button.

I was able to complete this by modifying the config.xml files.  Here are the steps that I completed to go from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 as a clean install and recover files through file history when the computer did not recognize a previous history.

Add external drive to computer and try attempts to have it recognize the previous backup.  If this fails, then try the steps below.

1. Turn on file history to the same drive.  Let it backup up files, then stop it and turn it off.
2. Browse the drive through windows explorer and you will find a path:
   1. ..\FileHistory{username}{ComputerName_Old}\
      1. Nested in that folder is a ‘Configuration’ folder  - copy and paste there to save a backup
   2. ..\FileHistory{username}{ComputerName_New}\
      1. Nested in that folder is a ‘Configuration’ folder  - copy and paste there to save a backup
3. In these configuration folders there should be 2 xml files (maybe 1 or maybe more).
   1. Config1.xml
   2. Config2.xml
4. Need to copy values from the configuration files in the Old to the New.  Make sure that you copy from old_1 to new_1 and old_2 to new_2.
   1. PCName
   2. UserID
   3. Change the PC Name in the Configuration path for
      1. TargetConfigPath1
      2. TargetConfigPath2
      3. TargetCatalogPath1
      4. TargetCatalogPath2

After all of these steps have been completed, then when you go back to turn on file history, there will be a box to check to add a previous history.  This will then allow you to restore items from the file history.

I too have the issue of having a Hard drive die on me and then coming to use File History to back up the lost files, only to find File History can't find the latest files on my external device.

regarding the advice above from K Rock:-

1. Browse the drive through windows explorer and you will find a path:
   1. ..\FileHistory{username}{ComputerName_Old}\
      1. Nested in that folder is a ‘Configuration’ folder  - copy and paste there to save a backup
   2. ..\FileHistory{username}{ComputerName_New}\
      1. Nested in that folder is a ‘Configuration’ folder  - copy and paste there to save a backup
   where it says "- copy and paste there to save a backup", what is it that you are supposed to be copy and pasting into the ‘Configuration’ folder?

Go to File History. Make sure the file history is NOT turned on for the current Windows 8 or 8.1 installation. Then in the top left select "Select drive". You will be presented with your External Drive. Select this drive. There will be the message "This File History drive was previously used". You also will see the file history version from the backup of you previous Windows installation. If you started file history on the new (current) installation, you will also see that version with a more current date-time stamp. Select the previous version . There will be the message "Do you wan tot use this drive for File History again?" Select yes.

It will return to the maim file history screen. File history will now be turned on.

Select "Restore personal files"

You will see all the previous incremental backups from your previous Windows 8 installation. Just select what you would like to restore and then click the "Green" restore button.

Thanks, worked for me.