File History will not back up files to my external drive. Error 8100002F.

Hello

As far as I know, File History does not have the ability to change the read-only attribute of files. I suggest you go to the office section and ask questions to see if it is related to the office settings.

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We look forward to hearing back from you.

Best Regards

Patch - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Hello

Regarding the folders you mentioned that aren't visible in File Explorer, such as Contacts, Favorites, Links, Saved Games, Searches, and Camera Roll, these folders are often hidden within the user's profile directory. Here's how to find them:

1. Contacts, Saved Games, Searches: These folders are located in your user profile directory. You can access this directory by opening File Explorer, typing %UserProfile% in the address bar, and pressing Enter. This will take you to your user directory where you should see these folders. They might be hidden, so you may need to enable 'Hidden items' under the 'View' tab in File Explorer.
2. Favorites, Links: These folders are typically associated with Internet Explorer and can also be found in the %UserProfile% directory.
3. Camera Roll: This folder is usually part of the Pictures folder, especially if you have a device with a camera, like a tablet or a laptop with a built-in camera. It can also be found in the %UserProfile%\Pictures directory.

As for choosing between letting Windows choose the folders to back up or customizing the selection, it depends on your needs:

• Let Windows choose: This option is straightforward and covers most common folders where files are stored. It's a good choice if you want a hassle-free setup and are unsure which folders need backing up. However, it might include folders you don't necessarily need to back up, like OneDrive in your case.
• Customize: This option gives you control over exactly which folders are backed up. Since you want to exclude OneDrive and potentially other folders not relevant to your backup, customizing might be the better option for you. This way, you can ensure that only the folders you care about are included in the backup.

Given your situation with a new external drive and the need to exclude OneDrive, customizing the folders for File History might be the more suitable approach. This allows you to specifically exclude OneDrive and any other folders you don't need, ensuring your backup is as efficient and relevant as possible.

If File History is still not working after unlinking and uninstalling OneDrive, consider checking the external drive's format (NTFS is required for File History), ensuring it's properly connected, and that there are no errors with the drive itself. Additionally, reviewing the Event Viewer in Windows for specific error messages related to File History can provide more insight into what might be going wrong.

hope this helps.

Best Regards

Patch - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Hello

Clearing File History data and resetting it is a way to troubleshoot issues when the File History backup feature in Windows isn't working correctly. This process involves deleting your existing backup history and starting the backup process from scratch. It's a drastic measure and should be considered only after other troubleshooting steps have failed, as it will result in the loss of your current backup history. Here's a detailed explanation of each step:

1. Navigate to the File History Drive: The File History drive is the external drive or network location where your backups are stored. You'll need to open the File Explorer and navigate to this drive. The drive could be an external hard disk, a USB flash drive, or a network location, depending on your setup.
2. Find and Delete the FileHistory Folder: Within the File History drive, look for a folder named FileHistory. This folder contains all your backup data. Deleting this folder will remove all your existing backups, so ensure that you don't need any of the files or that you have them backed up elsewhere. Right-click on the folder and choose "Delete" from the context menu.
3. Turn Off File History: To turn off File History, you'll need to go into the Windows settings. Press the Windows key, then select Settings (the gear icon). Navigate to "Update & Security" > "Backup". In the Backup settings, you should see an option for File History. Here, you can turn off File History by clicking on the "Turn off" button or sliding the switch to the off position.
4. Turn File History Back On: After you've deleted the backup history and turned off File History, you can turn it back on to set it up again. This involves choosing a drive for your backups and deciding which folders to include. In the same Backup settings where you turned File History off, you can turn it back on. You might be prompted to select a drive for your backups if it doesn't automatically choose the previous one. After selecting the drive, File History will start backing up your files according to the new setup.
5. Set Up File History Again: With File History turned back on, you may want to go through the settings and adjust them to your preference. This includes choosing how often backups are made and how long versions are kept. These settings can help manage the space on your backup drive and ensure that you have a suitable history of file versions available.

By following these steps, you effectively reset File History, which can help resolve any issues you were experiencing with the backup process. Remember, this action deletes all previous backups, so it should be done with caution and only after other troubleshooting steps have been exhausted.

We look forward to hearing back from you.  

Best Regards

Patch - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Could you please let me know how to navigate to the File History Drive so that I can find the File History Folder and delete it?

I completed Steps 1-4 and it didn't work.

I then ran File History again to back up my files.

The back up ran for hours.

I then checked File History on my external drive.

When I checked that, the data folder is empty, so apparently no folders were backed up.

I also got this error:

Backup encountered a problem while backing up file C:\Users\****\OneDrive\Pictures\Saved Pictures. Error:(STATUS_WAIT_2 (0x80070002))

Hello Elaine Blumberg

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

I understand your frustration with the ongoing File History backup issues you're experiencing, especially given the importance of backing up critical documents and pictures for your work. The error code 8100002F you're encountering with File History on Windows 10 can be particularly challenging to troubleshoot due to its potential causes ranging from system file corruption to issues with the external drive itself.

Here are a few steps you can try on your own to potentially resolve the issue:

1. Check and Repair Disk Errors:
   1. Connect your external drive.
   2. Open This PC, right-click on the external drive, and select Properties.
   3. Go to the Tools tab and click on Check under the Error checking section.
   4. Follow the prompts to check the disk for errors and repair them if any are found.
2. Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM:
   1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator by typing cmd in the Windows search box, right-clicking on Command Prompt, and selecting Run as administrator.
   2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait for the scan to complete and repair any corrupted files.
   3. After that, run the DISM tool by typing DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter.
3. Ensure File History Service is Running:
   1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
   2. Scroll down and find the File History Service. Double-click it and ensure its Startup type is set to Automatic. If it's not running, start the service.
4. Change File History Drive:
   1. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Backup.
   2. Click on More options under Backup using File History.
   3. Scroll down and click on See advanced settings. In the File History control panel, click on Select drive on the left panel and try selecting a different drive or reselecting your current drive.
5. Clear File History Data and Reset:
   1. If none of the above steps work, consider clearing your File History data and starting fresh. Note that this will delete your existing backup history.
   2. To do this, navigate to the File History drive, find the FileHistory folder, and delete it. Then, turn off File History from Settings > Update & Security > Backup, and turn it back on to set it up again.

Disclaimer: When performing operations that may result in data loss, remember to save the data in advance.

If there is anything not clear or I can't understand your problem, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Best Regards

Patch - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist