Windows temporarily copied backups to your System drive ... Yikes my SSD!

[Allan10]

Hello all,

File History didn't like my 20 TB QNAP NAS because it's EXT4 file system (much more efficient than NTFS, but that's another beef), and I got the subject message. I have been spending hours on end trying to find out where Windows 10 wrote these temp backups. Thought I'd take a break and ask you folks for help.

I now have 'File history turned off. I have other external drives, that's not a concern. I also have a better backup application that shipped with the NAS. I have it auto-syncing most of my HDD folders containing my docs, pics, tunes, movies, and the like. That's where my data weight is anyway. I had moved them all over to the HDD in Win 7 when I got the SSD. Win 10 tried it's utmost to assume that I wanted new user folders for them all back on my SSD! But I conquered, and got that sorted, during my first 12 hour 'win 10 update recovery' shift, I did.

I don't need windows to back up my critical stuff, and actually don't trust them for that, at least until they regain my trust. I do intend to turn it back on as soon as possible to back up itself, though (before I break it trying to get back to where I was, or it breaks itself ! ) Just remove all my critical stuff from the back up and them it have at her. My frist priority is reclaiming my SSD though.

Who might be able to tell me where those temporary backups have been written to, so I can make them permanent... ly gone that is?

Can someone direct me to any material written up for folks with SSD drives that suffered, and conquered Win 10's assumption they can just thrash our SSDs with temporary files?

And any clues about other folders that Win 10 is thrashing on my SSD, that wasn't happening in Win 7, would be welcome.

TIA, Cheers, Allan10

P.S..

I'm going to be many weeks recovering from the Win 10 update aren't I? Just say so. I can take it.

 

[Regedit32]

Hi Allan,

If you disconnected the drive you selected to save to, or that drive became too full to allow more content to be saved to it you will get the alert your thread title suggests.

In that scenario the default location to store temporary backup data would be:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory

That can be viewed the usual way, by opening File Explorer and typing or copy & pasting the above into the File Explorer address bar and hitting Enter key.

AppData being a System folder is normally hidden from view, but you probably all ready noticed in File Explorer there is a View tab where you can check a box to view hidden items, and file extensions etcetera.

Inside that folder you will see two other folders:

• Configuration
• Data

Those are the same two folders that will appear on your Drive you were saving to in the first place, although on that Drive you will need to expand FileHistory > the Username Folder (i.e. %userprofile%) and one other sub folder which if I recall correctly will also have your username on it too.

There is a good chance though no data actually got saved to the System Drive. If it did though, simply reconnecting the drive you chose to save File History and starting File History will automatically pull that temporary data on to the drive.

You can of course delete the contents inside those two folders manually if you prefer to.

Just note though if you delete the Configuration folder's content you will need to reset your File History information again as Windows will think its your first time turning it on.

Regards,

Regedit32

 

[Allan10]

Thanks Regedit32,

I found the File History locations on my SSD from your directions. I deleted them no problem. I was thinking 'great!' now I will just go and point the default File History to my Mechanical D drive (which is always attached). And then My other backup software will continue syncing all my critical stuff from D to my NAS, and I would be able to configure File History to exclude my stuff and just back up itself on D. Not so much 'great!'

When I go to select a Drive to use in File History, it finds 2 network drives mapped to my EXT4 file system NAS (which generated the subject error msg in the first place. Any USB drives (which can be detached thus bring me full circle back to the same msg). It does not List D drive! Although it does list the other internal SSD containing my Win7 forever install . Go figure!

I still have 1 last internal sata channel. I'll attach another small 250 GB mechanical drive and see if it comes into the File History's acceptable (and workable) list of drives. Then it can thrash away with small backups leaving me to worry about major backups. And will leave my SSD alone. I will post back with results. I might also investigate trying to move the File History target to my D using other means.


Thanks again for your thoughts and direction. Cheers! Allan.