Windows 10: explanation of how Windows Backup works

I did a backup of my computer on to a Samsung portable SSD T7 external hard drive with 1T of storage my T7 is my default location for backups. I had half of my hard drive filled but after my last backup my drive is almost filled. I have no idea why I used so much of my drive space during this backup. I tried to complete my backup 3 times but was never completed so I kept the partial backup. I think the backup contained of my whole computer resulting in duplicate files? If this is true, how do I change what gets backed up and how to remove duplicate files?

:)

 

Backup Issue - Microsoft 10 - Get Backup Errors - Third Try Didn't Work

This is my third try for help.

I've enclosed my problem, the steps suggested which I performed, and current status.

My backup stubbornly refuses to run. I can't run the initial backup, therefore the file history backups don't run either. This has been an ongoing problem for quite some time. Suggestions I've received have not worked so far. Following is the problem
and the failed resolution attempts:

• I get this message from the Event Log:

Unable to scan user libraries for changes and perform backup of modified files for configuration C:\Users\Papa\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration\Config

Event ID - 201

Level: Error

User - System

*** ---- There is no config file at this directory location. The contents of the location are:

catalog1

catalog2

config1

config2

• In another thread from July, someone suggested checking a particular service (I forget the name just now) is running. It is.

• Two days ago a Microsoft employee suggested the following steps. These steps resulted in no change, still no backup:

KA

Karthicka_R replied on

• Microsoft
• Support Engineer

Hi,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft community.

I suggest you to follow the below steps to start and stop the services “Windows backup” and “volume shadow copy” and check if it helps.

• Press “Windows+R” and in the run command box type “services. MSc”.
• Search for the service “Windows Backup” double click on it and check whether the service is started or not, click on “OK” button. I suggest you to stop and start the service again.
• Once done again search for the service “Volume shadow copy” double click on it and check whether the service is started or not. I suggest you to stop and start the service again, click on “OK” button and
  check whether you can perform backup successfully.

Hope this information was helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance. We will be glad to assist.

• I performed these steps multiple times. The backup still crashes, with the same error message. In addition I collected the following error message, but only one time:

Unable to start a backup cycle for configuration C:\Users\Papa\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration\Config

Event ID: 200

• Can anyone help me with this stubborn problem?

Thank you in advance.

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DM

Divya M replied on

• Microsoft
• Support Engineer

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

We sincerely regret for the inconvenience caused.



Method 1Perform a Clean Boot to see if there is any software conflict as clean boot helps in eliminating software conflicts.



Note: After performing the troubleshooting steps in clean boot, follow Step 7 from the link to return the computer toNormal startup mode.



Method 2: Run check disk to check for any errors.



Note: If any bad sectors are found in the hard drive then it might try to repair that particular sector. If you have any data on that, it might be lost.

You may also follow the below link and check if it helps:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/preview-backup-restore



Please let us know if you need further assistance.



Thank you.

-----------------------------------

Yes, I need more assistance.

I ran a disk check on both the source and destination drives for the backup. No errors.

I executed a clean boot. (I have left myself in the clean boot). It doesn't seem to work

I'm not sure to check whether it has worked, and I just couldn't tell. How do I confirm that the initial, image, backup has been completed?

The event viewer reports this error every time I attempt to manually initiate a backup:

Unable to scan user libraries for changes and perform backup of modified files for configuration C:\Users\Papa\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration\Config

Event ID: 201.

I'm assuming that with this error, my backups are not being done.

 

Backup Issue - Microsoft 10 - Cannot perform initial backup

Question

• 
  
  

Applies to

• Windows
• Windows 10
• Update, backup, & recovery

5 views Backup Issue - Microsoft 10 - Cannot perform initial backup




My backup stubbornly refuses to run. I can't run the initial backup, therefore the file history backups don't run either. This has been an ongoing problem for quite some time. Suggestions I've received have not worked so far. Following is the problem
and the failed resolution attempts:

• I get this message from the Event Log:

Unable to scan user libraries for changes and perform backup of modified files for configuration C:\Users\Papa\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration\Config

Event ID - 201

Level: Error

User - System

*** ---- There is no config file at this directory location. The contents of the location are:

catalog1

catalog2

config1

config2

• In another thread from July, someone suggested checking a particular service (I forget the name just now) is running. It is.

• Two days ago a Microsoft employee suggested the following steps. These steps resulted in no change, still no backup:

KA

Karthicka_R replied on

• Microsoft
• Support Engineer

Hi,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft community.

I suggest you to follow the below steps to start and stop the services “Windows backup” and “volume shadow copy” and check if it helps.

• Press “Windows+R” and in the run command box type “services. MSc”.
• Search for the service “Windows Backup” double click on it and check whether the service is started or not, click on “OK” button. I suggest you to stop and start the service again.
• Once done again search for the service “Volume shadow copy” double click on it and check whether the service is started or not. I suggest you to stop and start the service again, click on “OK” button and
  check whether you can perform backup successfully.

Hope this information was helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance. We will be glad to assist.

• I performed these steps multiple times. The backup still crashes, with the same error message. In addition I collected the following error message, but only one time:

Unable to start a backup cycle for configuration C:\Users\Papa\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration\Config

Event ID: 200

• Can anyone help me with this stubborn problem?

Thank you in advance.

 

Using network hard drive for backup

It depends what sort of backup you want to do. If you're happy just backing up regular files, then there are a bazillion (really, that many!) different bits of freeware to do that. There is a good list here:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/mg/sortname/back_up.html

and pretty much all of them can do network backups. Some even have fancy options like encryption. Really, the most useful thing is just being able to schedule them and know they ran OK.

You may also want to make a system image backup too, and you'll find that software in the very same list.

I don't have Windows 8 as yet, so I'm afraid I can't suggest any for that platform. Personally, I use Clonezilla for image backups.