Cannot uninstall/freshly reinstall File History


Haydon

Haydon

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I do NOT mean the File History files that you can clean up to retain only files and file versions newer than 3 months, for example. I also do NOT mean turning off File History.

What I DO mean is uninstalling and freshly reinstalling the File History app itself. Is it just me or can't it be done?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro
It doesn't show in Settings, Apps so it probably isn't an installable program. This page may explain more but I didn't read it all:

Windows 11 File History Not Working? All You Need to Know

Having trouble with Windows 11 File History not working? Learn the best solutions to resolve the issue and keep your important files backed up efficiently.
www.ubackup.com www.ubackup.com

It does show in Control Panel but most of the icons there came with the installation of Windows. Some third-party programs can put their own icon there like JAVA, maybe AntiVirus, etc.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro RTM
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Vostro 3400
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 11th Gen. 2.40GHz
    Memory
    12GB
    Hard Drives
    256GB SSD NVMe M.2
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro RTM x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Vostro 5890
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 10th Gen. 2.90GHz
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Onboard, no VGA, using a DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" Dell
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD NVMe, 4TB Seagate HDD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender/Microsoft Security
If your File History app gets corrupted, then the only way to repair it is to reinstall the OS? Really? That's so odd that it ought to have been mentioned somewhere if it were true.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro
As I think a bit more about it, File History could be like the Libraries or Quick Access in File Explorer in only being pointers to the actual files in the Users folders. Saving files would reduce drive capacity rather quickly.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro RTM
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Vostro 3400
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 11th Gen. 2.40GHz
    Memory
    12GB
    Hard Drives
    256GB SSD NVMe M.2
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro RTM x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Vostro 5890
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 10th Gen. 2.90GHz
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Onboard, no VGA, using a DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" Dell
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD NVMe, 4TB Seagate HDD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender/Microsoft Security
Haydon said:
If your File History app gets corrupted, then the only way to repair it is to reinstall the OS? Really?
Click to expand...
There are several less dramatic options tor try first. All will keep your current files, installed apps and most settings.

www.elevenforum.com

Use System File Checker (SFC) to Repair System Files in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to run the System File Checker (SFC) tool to repair missing, corrupted, and modified system files in Windows 10 and Windows 11. System File Checker (SFC) is a tool built into Windows that will check for system file corruption. The SFC /SCANNOW command scans and...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
www.elevenforum.com

Repair Windows Image Component Store in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to repair Windows image component store corruption in Windows 11. If a Windows image becomes unserviceable, you can use the DISM (Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management) tool or Repair-WindowsImage cmdlet to update the files and correct the problem. For...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

If the above two (maybe repeated a few times) cannot fix it, then try.....
www.elevenforum.com

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, and 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Also running Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine.
Berton said:
As I think a bit more about it, File History could be like the Libraries or Quick Access in File Explorer in only being pointers to the actual files in the Users folders. Saving files would reduce drive capacity rather quickly.
Click to expand...
Pointers would not provide previous file versions that the name 'File History' implies, it has to be actual hourly (hourly = default setting) file versions, and yes, the GBs grow extremely fast.

A first time run of File History is as lean and mean as RoboCopy, say x GB. I may work on 0.1% of my user files in a month but the File History folder balloons to 3x GB. In other words, file versions of those 0.1% produce the 200% ! Those numbers appear completely out of whack to me, and I delete the File History folder at that point to start anew.

Bree said:
www.elevenforum.com

Use System File Checker (SFC) to Repair System Files in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to run the System File Checker (SFC) tool to repair missing, corrupted, and modified system files in Windows 10 and Windows 11. System File Checker (SFC) is a tool built into Windows that will check for system file corruption. The SFC /SCANNOW command scans and...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
Click to expand...
SFC is a very non-specific remedy, like taking vitamins to improve your general health.

Bree said:
www.elevenforum.com

Repair Windows Image Component Store in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to repair Windows image component store corruption in Windows 11. If a Windows image becomes unserviceable, you can use the DISM (Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management) tool or Repair-WindowsImage cmdlet to update the files and correct the problem. For...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
Click to expand...
I am not sure how repairing a Windows image can help with a (suspected) corruption of the File History app? Or are you talking VMs?

The impetus for starting this thread is that my File History (on a physical machine) no longer does the hourly runs in spite of the pertinent (default) setting. Some months ago, I tried running the little utility to reset File History settings that you posted, but it did not help.

Bree said:
www.elevenforum.com

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's appears to be a remedy with the least hassle, but it is still a very non-specific remedy, though, a very far cry from a band aid for a paper cut.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro
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