file history
[WHAT]
- ] file history - (aka backup and restore ++) is a new feature in windows 8 that enables continuous and automatic backups of your data files. Provides improved options for file recovery.
- technical - essentialy its a new ui to the vss service (ms version of a realtime filesystem backup service). This functionality existed previously in win 7, vista, even xp as part of the System Restore functionality, but now win 8 brings this functionality to the forefront with a user interface to provide an enhanced file backup system.
[WHY]
- ] your data files are the most important thing on your computer, you should always have a current back up your data. always!
- ] this feature makes it easy to do and its built into the new windows 8 operating system
- ] automatic
- ] continuos
[WHERE]
- ] part of your backup strategy for your windows 8 machines.
[WHEN]
- ] to use [what]
[EXAMPLE]
- ] what in action
[HOW-TO]
- ] how to backup file using file history feature
- ] how to restore file using file history feature
- ]
[REFERENCE]
- ] step by step article with screenshots for
- ] http://www.hanselman.com/blog/Windows8Step0TurnOnContinuousBackupsViaFileHistory.aspx
- ] an overall backup strategy
- http://www.hanselman.com/blog/OnLosingDataAndAFamilyBackupStrategy.aspx
- ] dr Z
- ]
- ]
new file system called ReFS (Resilient File System). It’s compatible with most NTFS file features, and, as the name suggests, it adds features to improve data integrity. Features left out include BitLocker, compression, and 8.3-format short filenames. What ReFS brings to the table is improved data verification and auto-correction: ReFS continually scans the file system, including rarely used older files, to ensure they haven’t become corrupted, repairing bad disk clusters and moving data as necessary. Note, however, that ReFS works only on secondary drives, not boot drives. Your boot drive will still be NTFS.
EXCERPT - Scott hanselmans Blog post comments
- ] In Advanced settings, what is the meaning of "size of offline cache"
- ] "how much of this drive to you want to use up?"
- ] When you use File History, you have to setup a backup drive (maybe a USB disk) or backup network share location as a backup target. When your backup target become temporary unavailable, File History will backup changed files into a local disk as a "offline cache". When your backup target become online, File History will copy these "offline cache" files into your backup target, then clear out the offline cache. So that the "size of offline cache" means "How much disk space will you used for these kind of offline cache?"
- ] In what form is the data saved? Is it some only-readable-by-win8 format? E.g. Can I reach the backup if I'm on some older Win os?
- No, that's the best part. It appears to just be files on the disk in folders.
- ]Two things to be aware of with this tool: 1) It does NOT do a full system backup, it only does your libraries. It isn't advertised as such so this isn't a criticism, but still... don't rely on this if you tinker with your system (fortunately Windows 7 Backup, which does do system backups, is still included in Windows 8 so you can use that instead).
- 2) If, like me, you add network folders from your NAS to your libraries for quick access it will back them up too! So if these network folders are huge, either don't add them to your libraries or don't use this tool.
- ] File History totally fails silently on files with path > MAX_PATH (long names, nested folders)
- silently == yeah there is an entry in the event log but from the user point of view nothing warns you files aren't backed up
Windows 7 backup does not clog up PC performance if Diskeeper Intelliwrite is not enabled.