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I would like to use the File History feature of Windows 8 and so far it has been working fine. However, I have come across a scenario and need input on practicality for the following:
2. System crashes and new HDD required
4. Time to use File History for restore.... BUT
From what I understand you cannot "point" the new Windows 8 machine to use the external drive with previous File History. You will need to do a manual copy and paste from the external USB (by selecting the appropriate file in the File History directory on the USB drive).
The problem is, File History appends the date and time stamp, thus the file name changes. For example, MYDOC.DOC become MYDOC.DOC ((2013_04_04 18_27_46 UTC).
How do you remove the parenthesis from the file name when copying the file back to its original location or is File History not a "system restore" type utility. Whilst the parenthesis will not stop applications working (like WORD, OUTLOOK etc), it looks horrible and creates these long file names that is unwanted.
Thoughts/suggestions/comments?
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.
I just had to try to do this, and I was able to (on a new Win8 machine) point at the previous backup by clicking Drives and then selecting my backup drive (a network share in my case). Then I was able to check "I want to use a previous backup on this File History drive" and it displayed my existing backups on that drive. Finally, I was able to do the regular (if not very intuitive) restore files by clicking the settings icon in the upper right of File History.
Hope that helps,
Glenn Gailey
Seems to work now in windows 10 without the need to modify the config.xml files.
I went in and added the external drive path to my old PCs File History and after a bit of jiffing about I saw an option below to check to add a previous history. Did this and then hit restore hostory I was presented with the my various documents folders that I needed to restore. Now they all restoring to my new PCs documents area which is great.
The interface is not so intuitive, so I was very worried the new PCs file history process might overwrite the old one when I selected its path, prior to restoring. Thankfully it did not.
K Rock - I decided to try your method. Re your opening paragraph, I clicked Run to run File History on my old flash drive inserted into the USB port on my new laptop. I could not tell if it was doing anything. I look around using Explorer and did not see anything new. I specifically looked for a few new files I have created, but I suppose the jbackup process wouild not necessarily start with them. More relevant, I saw only the old file structure on the flash drive. I saw ...ComputerName_Old, but I did not see ComputerName_New. Nevertheless:
2.1.1. I copied thed Configuration folder, but Windows would not let me save inside itself. So I saved a copy elsewhere.
2.1.2. As mentioned, I could not find ... ComputerName_New.
That's as far as I got. If I misapplied one of the steps please advise.
Thanks.
Hmmm. This appears a bit daunting. I will have to decide whether to tackle this or to continue with the laborious manual process that I have started. In any event, thank you!
I listed the directions above under my posting. The only step not listed was a searched for File History Settings. Then on that page under backup, there is an option under 'Looking for an older backup?' and link for 'Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7). This is the step that was able to find my existing backup after making the modifications to the config files.
Good luck!
