File History Won't Open/Start

Hey folks,

I've tried posting about this to the Microsoft forums, but I seem to be getting little help there. (Link)

Running Windows 8 Pro x64 as a Domain User with full Admin privileges, I am unable to use File History. I cannot open/start the File History tool. When I attempt to click on it from the Control Panel, nothing happens. When I try running it from the Metro search tool, it switches to the desktop and nothing loads. I've also tried in the Action Center, under Maintenance, "File History is Off. Turn On." Clicking "Turn On" does nothing.

All other items under the Control Panel that I have tried open and work with no problems.

I also tried in a "clean boot" according to a suggestion from the Microsoft forum

System file checker reported no errors.


Any ideas? This is really bugging me

Edit: I just noticed in Control Panel there is "Windows 7 File Recovery". If I launch that and try to set up a Windows 7-style backup, it seems to work. I suppose I could just use this older tool instead of the new File History, although I haven't researched the differences.

Edit 2: I have another machine with the same version of Windows 8, and I am able to launch File History with no problems. I click File History from control panel and am taken to another screen that allows me to enable it. No such screen on the problem machine. The only main difference is the working machine is a regular user account; whereas, the non working machine is a domain account

ncrawford said:

Hey folks,

I've tried posting about this to the Microsoft forums, but I seem to be getting little help there. (Link)

Running Windows 8 Pro x64 as a Domain User with full Admin privileges, I am unable to use File History. I cannot open/start the File History tool. When I attempt to click on it from the Control Panel, nothing happens. When I try running it from the Metro search tool, it switches to the desktop and nothing loads. I've also tried in the Action Center, under Maintenance, "File History is Off. Turn On." Clicking "Turn On" does nothing.

All other items under the Control Panel that I have tried open and work with no problems.

I also tried in a "clean boot" according to a suggestion from the Microsoft forum

System file checker reported no errors.


Any ideas? This is really bugging me

Edit: I just noticed in Control Panel there is "Windows 7 File Recovery". If I launch that and try to set up a Windows 7-style backup, it seems to work. I suppose I could just use this older tool instead of the new File History, although I haven't researched the differences.

Click to expand...

you need to stick in a 16gb flash drive & close the page & reopen it.

I am backing up to a network location, though. I don't even get as far as your screen shot. When I click file history from the control panel, it stays in the control panel page.

Update: I am able to File History on my local account (non-domain). But it still won't run on the Domain Account.

Does anyone have a fix for this issue? I have the same problem - domain users get no response from clicking file history.