File History is a feature that was first introduced in Windows 8.1 and is also a part of Windows 10 and the new Windows 11. It helps back up files automatically and keeps a history of changes. You need to assign a network drive or an external drive for File History to take a backup. Despite doing that, many users have reportedly bumped into the “File History does not recognize this Drive” error.
If you are in this situation, here are some of the best ways to get rid of the issue. But, first, let’s quickly have a look at some of the reasons why the “File History does not recognize this Drive” error occurs in the first place.
Why Am I Getting “File History Doesn’t Recognize This Drive”?
- Your File History is turned off.
- The drive that you have mounted for backing up files using File History is corrupt.
- File History service is turned off or not set to automatic.
- Corrupt system files could have meddled with the functionality of your system.
- File Indexing is disabled.
How To Fix “File History Does Not Recognize This Drive” Error
1. Have You Turned On File History
It could be that you haven’t enabled File History in the first place because of which you are getting the “File History does not recognize this Drive” error. If that’s the case, here is how you can save and restore data with File History. Or, it could also be that File History has unexpectedly turned off. Here are steps to check it –
- Go to Control Panel b searching for Control in your Windows search bar and select Open from the right-hand side.
- Under System and Security, select Save backup copies of your files with File History.
- Check if it’s turned on.
2. Select Another Drive
In addition to the above steps, you can also try unmounting the drive that you have currently decided to use for File History and instead use an alternate drive. Check if this works out for you.
3. Manually Start The Service
One of the common reasons why you might get the “File History does not recognize this Drive” error is that the related service is not configured properly. Here is how you can check the same –
- Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows + R
- Type services.msc and press Enter.
- Locate File History Service and double-click on it.
- Click on the Startup type dropdown and select Automatic.
- Click on Start.
4. Use An Alternate Way To Back Up Files
If you are constantly running into the “File History doesn’t recognize this hard drive” error, you may switch to some alternate method to back up your files. For instance, you can back up some of your files on a cloud storage medium, many of which offer you a considerable amount of storage space for free. If backing up is an important part of your job, then you can even choose from some of the best backup software for Windows.
One such software is EaseUS Todo Backup. It comes with a free trial and is packed with several great features, some of which we have discussed in this post.
5. Delete File History Configuration Folder
Up until now if you haven’t been able to fix the issue, you can try removing the File History configuration folder. Many users have been able to fix the issue by doing this. Here are the steps for the same –
- Press the Windows + E key to open Windows Explorer.
- In the search bar, enter the path given below
C:\Users\”username”\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration\Config
- Delete the above-mentioned folder path.
- First check if after deleting the path, you are still getting the error. If yes, head to Settings > Update and Security > Backup and uncheck Automatically Backup my files.
- Next, click on More Options and then scroll down and click on Stop Using Drive. After you have done that, add the drive you want to use for File History and you should hopefully not get the error now.
Writer’s Tip
There are times when issues like “File History doesn’t recognize this hard drive” may arise when there are some issues in our computer that we can’t manually look into. In such a scenario, a tool like Advanced System Optimizer can be of great help. It is a reputed Windows optimizer and cleaner that can declutter your PC, free up RAM, and fix invalid registry entries, and any common issues that are hampering your computer’s functionality. We have covered an in-depth post, where we have discussed its features and other aspects. You can check it out here.
Here’s how you can check common issues using Advanced System Optimizer-
- Download, run, and install Advanced System Optimizer from the button down below.
- Click on Smart PC Care
- Click on Start Scan
- Wait for the scan to get over and take the necessary actions. That’s it!
Wrapping Up
If you rely on File History to back up your data easily, errors like “File History doesn’t recognize this hard drive” can put a halt to productivity. We hope that the solutions above have helped you fix the issue. For more such content, keep reading WeTheGeek. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Flipboard, Instagram, and Twitter.