If you want to have a custom folder or file included in the file history backup, just add it to the appropriate library.

My File History external hard drive has ran out of space. It is a 320gb drive and I have about 90gb of files, pictures, videos, etc. So at this time I'm not sure where my storage space has gone. Anyone else experience this?

I don't understand how File History works obviously.

I attempted to find a white-paper that would delineate specifically how this new feature works within Windows 8 but no luck yet.

I am assuming (probably erroneously) the following:

1.) Initially, when File History is turned on it copies all selected files to a folder called File History located on my blank external hard drive (320gb Western Digital).

2.) Then, on a 10-minute basis, it searches for files that have changed (edited documents; edited photos; etc.) and copies them to the File History folder with a new timestamp. By the way, I haven't updated many files since installing Windows 8.

3.) It then keeps these versions until it runs out of space. (which my external hard drive has done)

Yes, my offline cache is set to the default 5% of disk space but I don't really understand what this setting is for?

Since I have approximately a total of 90gb of documents, photos, videos, desktop, and favorites; why would my 320gb hard drive which was empty when I turned on File History, be full already?

I checked the File History log and it doesn't indicate any errors (i.e. ran out of disk space). In fact it has only two entries that are several days old - one being an open file it couldn't copy because another program had it open...)

I researched the contents of my File History's external hard drive and, now I know why my entire hard drive ran out of space! File History is making duplicate copies each day whether the file has changed or not. Wow! I looked in my Videos folder and I now have 4 to 5 copies of every video none of which I have updated.

I can't believe this is how Microsoft intended File History to work!

I don't think I can use this "feature" until this is resolved. I was thinking about installing an empty 2TB hard drive for my File History but as the program works now it would fill up a 2TB drive in no time!

Hello,

I am glad to hear it is working OK for you. However, mine is filled with duplicates (actually same file but with lots of different time stamps appended to them).

I believe there is a problem with the File system in the new Windows 8. I attached another USB drive in order to delete some old backups from it. It was an ordeal. I had to delete individual subfolders in order to delete the large folders. Since this is a beta I am going to repartition and reformat my system and reload Windows 7. There are just too many problems with my bare metal install of Windows 8 and I am pretty leary of it right now especially when it comes to deleting large folders on external usb drives. This is not to mention the problem I have with File History saving many versions of the all the files when they haven't changed.

Thanks for all you help by the way. I am hoping to use Windows 8 when it is released to manufacturing.

Cheers!