Microsoft → [WIN8] back up

Does Windows 8 have a back up program?

I can't answer the actual question, but apparently the Windows people think you wouldn't have used it anyway.

»blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/arch ··· ory.aspx

Yes, Windows Backup is still on Windows 8 along with File History.

Why did Microsoft retire "Previous Versions"?
It sounds like this new "File History" backup service now requires you to save any file changes to a separate volume? Is this true?

It seems like MS came out with a better solution than Previous Version.

As for separate volume question, probably is.

Played with this File History a bit. Impressive, Definitely better than Previous Version as PV depends on Windows Backup and System Restore. Having File History using USB sticks/drives or network share (what I used) makes more sense. Since if hard drive ever fail - you'd still have your data sitting on the network share. Windows Backup isn't that good - complicated for end users - but I verified it's still here on Windows 8.

To be precise, previous versions are made by either Windows Backup or by anything that creates restore points. So you get previous versions as a consequence of daily restore points, even if you never run Windows Backup. (It does require the appropriate checkbox in the Protection tab of the system properties sheet).

Except the fact System Restore points does not include personal files.

It does for me

I do not now, nor have I ever, used Windows Backup on Windows 7. And yet here I am with multiple versions of 'personal files'. I suppose that the indicated setting is the cause of this: all files and directories have Previous Version protection.

The feature is built on file system snapshotting, which has been around in one form or another since Windows Server 2003 (I also have a Server 2003 used as a NAS, with Previous Versions active on the shared storage).

(FWIW, you don't see a 'previous version' listed for files that have never been modified. Only when current != previous does Explorer list he previous).

Ah neat, that's very cool then. Not sure why MS dropped Previous Version then.

And yeah I just checked mine on 7 here. I see files I've deleted a while ago in Downloads.

So it was introduced in Vista.

»archive.feedblitz.com/30 ··· ~4072213

Of course...a "crude workaround" LOL

Weird. I got on my home 8 PC, and I clicked Turn on expecting a prompt to network share, it did it on my second hard drive.

Got Win8 installed on a PC here at work on one hard drive as I had to test as those article aren't 100% true.

Unfortunately, it is true that it wouldn't turn on with a single hard drive and nothing else - even with two partitions. But it does work if you have a second hard drive.

I'll be recommending people to go out and buy USB stick or hard drive and plug it in, go to File History and just click "Turn On" I think this is too simple for my customers instead of using the Window Backup software which is more cumbersome.