Shulou(Shulou.com)06/01 Report--

This article shows you how to use the Windows 8 file history function, the content is concise and easy to understand, it will definitely brighten your eyes. I hope you can get something through the detailed introduction of this article.

The Windows 8 file history feature is designed to automatically create local backups of user data. Users can use file history to recover lost files or restore files to previous versions.

How do I enable backup?

First of all, you must be aware that Windows 8 file history is not a complete backup solution. Its purpose is to protect the data that users are most likely to lose, and can achieve continuous protection without user intervention. Therefore, the file history cannot back up the user's entire PC. It backs up the user's personal data such as libraries, contacts, favorites, and desktops. File history can also back up Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud storage service. SkyDrive cloud storage services have been launched since Windows 8 and Office 2013, but Windows 8.1 will be more fully integrated with SkyDrive.

The file history feature does not provide configuration options for setting other backup locations. For example, you cannot set Windows to back up the D:\ YourData folder. However, if a user does have important data stored outside a supported location, the data can still be backed up with some techniques, such as creating a new library and pointing the location of the library to the data that needs to be backed up.

Figure A. You can exclude individual folders from the file history

Although there is no mechanism to add additional data locations to the backup task (in addition to adding it to the library), it is possible to exclude a location from the backup task. To exclude file locations, open the file history interface and click the link to exclude folders, as shown in figure A. After you have done this, you will see a list of selections that exclude folders from the backup.

Select backup location

The file history feature writes backup data to a dedicated external hard disk. However, it is impractical to provide a dedicated external hard disk for each user. In addition to cost considerations, external drives that remain online usually have a higher failure rate due to falling, water intake and other reasons.

Figure B. You can save file history data to a network location

As an alternative to using external hard drives, Windows also provides the option to store file history data on network storage. This option may be more in line with actual needs. To complete the location selection, open the file history interface and click to select a drive (or change the drive, if an external drive is already connected). Now, click the add Network location button, as shown in figure B, and then provide the network path you want to use to store the file history data.

Other configuration options

Click the Advanced Settings option, as shown in figure A, to allow you to adjust the backup frequency. By default, backups of historical data of files are performed hourly, but you can also change the frequency of backups according to your needs.

Figure C. The advanced settings screen allows you to adjust the backup frequency

The advanced settings screen, shown in figure C, also allows you to set how long the backup version of user data will be retained. The default setting is forever, but this setting can also be modified according to your needs.

Safety measures

It is worth mentioning that Microsoft does not handle file history in the same way as Windows 7's backup function. The backup feature of Windows 7 only allows users with appropriate permissions to run backups. Instead, any user can use the file history feature to back up their own data.

If you want to know more, file history is also compatible with BitLocker, so even if the user's PC has been encrypted with BitLocker, the user can still back up the data.

Group policy

The file history feature is not necessarily suitable for every organization. Specifically, organizations with strict document lifecycle policies should not use the file history feature because it bypasses existing retention policies and allows users to restore older versions of files. It is necessary for these types of organizations to use Group Policy to disable file history.

Group Policy can be used to disable file history, but cannot control any other parameters. The number of file versions retained by the file history is configurable. Windows does not let you specify the version values you want to keep. Instead, you can control version retention by file age, from one month to two years. The default setting is to keep the previous version forever. When there is insufficient disk space, there is also an option to clear all older version backups.

To disable file history, you must run the Windows Server 2012 domain controller (on Windows 8 computers, you can modify the local security policy). The setting to disable file history is located in: computer configuration | Administrative templates | Windows component | File History.

Conclusion

The Windows 8 file history feature can help users better protect their data, but it is not necessarily suitable for every organization. Because users are free to enable the file history feature, administrators should evaluate the appropriateness of the file history feature for their organization and disable it using Group Policy if necessary.

The above is how to use the Windows 8 file history function. Have you learned any knowledge or skills? If you want to learn more skills or enrich your knowledge reserve, you are welcome to follow the industry information channel.

Welcome to subscribe "Shulou Technology Information " to get latest news, interesting things and hot topics in the IT industry, and controls the hottest and latest Internet news, technology news and IT industry trends.