By Michael | Last Updated
File History is a feature in the Windows system that can help users backup and restore important files, such as documents, photos, videos, audio, and so on. But sometimes users may encounter the problem that File History does not recognize your drive, in this article, we will introduce some solutions to let you backup files smoothly.
When your Windows displays an error message saying "File History does not recognize this drive", it is usually caused by the following reasons.
1. File History has been turned off.
2. Your drive is not properly connected to your computer, or is loose, or damaged.
3. The target drive is not formatted, or is formatted with an unsupported file system, such as FAT32.
4. Windows Search Service is not turned on.
Apart from this, if there is an error in the Windows system or File History is corrupted, it can also cause File History to fail to recognize the drive and give you trouble.
What if File History on your Windows fails to recognize the drive? Next, we will introduce you to several feasible methods to help you restore File History to its normal function.
If your File History feature is turned off, then it will not be able to detect your drive and you won't be able to use it to backup and restore files, so you should check if File History is turned on.
Step 1: Type "File History" in the search box of Windows 11 or 10 and click on the target option to enter.
Step 2: If the message "File History is off" appears, you need to turn it on. Then close the window and visit it again to check if it is working properly.
File History will not recognize this drive if it is not properly connected to the computer, or is loose or damaged (bad sectors), you should reconnect the hard disk to make sure it is firmly connected to the computer.
Now, check the hard disk for any physical damage such as cracks, warps or scratches. Then run the CMD command "chkdsk e: /f" as administrator and check the disk for errors (E should be replaced with your target drive letter).
If none of the above methods can solve the "File History doesn't recognize this drive" error on your Windows 11/10, you can select another drive to try to back up your files.
Step 1: In File History, click on "Select another drive" option.
Step 2: Select a drive from the list or add a network location and click "OK" to confirm the change.
The Windows Search service helps users quickly search for target files and programs, and File History relies on the Windows Search service to index and back up files, so its inability to recognize the hard drive may be due to the Windows Search service not being turned on on the computer.
Step 1: Type "Services" in the search bar and run the app as administrator.
Step 2: Scroll down the page to locate "File History Service" and double-click on it to open the properties page. If your "Windows Search" service's startup type is "Manual", or "Disabled", then you will also need to change it to "Automatic". After that, File history should recognize your hard drive.
If you have tried all the above methods and still haven't solved the problem that File History can't recognize the drive, then you can consider using other backup tools instead of File History. Clone Go is a professional backup and cloning software developed by the iSunshare team, which supports users to copy and back up all the files on Windows 11/10/8/7.
Besides, the software also supports you to completely copy c drive to new ssd without reinstallation.
Step 1: First of all, download and install iSunshare CloneGo on your computer and run it.
Step 2: Select the "Backup" option and then choose the partition you need to back up.
Step 3: Click the "Choose" button to select the path to save backup file, and then click "Start" to confirm the execution of the backup.
Wait patiently for the backup process to finish, when you see the message "Successfully backed up your partition", you can exit the software.
File History is a backup feature that comes with Windows and occasionally has problems such as "Run Failure" or "Unrecognized Drive". If you don't want to spend time to solve these problems, you can choose iSunshare CloneGo or other backup tools, which can back up your Windows system and files quickly and efficiently.
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