I got this message when I turned on my computer a few minutes ago: "Reconnect your drive. Your files will be temporarily copied to your hard drive until you reconnect your file history and run a backup...also another message that says Windows Defender needs to scan your computer. (MBAM runs a scan every day). Is this file history issue something I need to worry about?..pc running fine and don't know how to run a backup.
The two messages are unconnected.
For your own protection Defender will try to do a regular scan in the background while your PC is idle. If you are busy most of the time it may skip the scan. If it has skipped too many it will ask you to do a scan yourself. Do a Quick Scan and the message will go away for a week or so.
File History works in the background to keep copies of earlier versions of your documents. It saves these to an external drive (could be on a USB drive or a network drive). The message is telling you that the drive it is set up to use is no longer connected. Either reconnect the drive or set File History to use a different drive. See this tutorial for more details:
File History - Turn On or Off in Windows 10
I haven't been backing up my files...guess I should start. Does this mean doc files, pics, videos, everything?
Actually, if File History is complaining about a missing history drive sounds like you've already started (albeit by accident). Read the tutorial link I gave earlier and follow its links to to understand how it works. File History is a simple-to-use and unobtrusive way to be able to restore a document and/or its earlier revisions.I haven't been backing up my files...guess I should start. Does this mean doc files, pics, videos, everything?
Basically the default settings will save file history for all you user folders (Documents, Music, Photos, Videos etc.). You can include other folders or exclude some you don't want. The tutorials give detailed instruction on how to do this.
File History is a simple way to keep 'backups' of your old documents, but it doesn't back up your Windows system files. There is a built-in way to make a system image...
System Image - Create in Windows 10
...but many find Macrium Reflect (free) to be more reliable and versatile as it can also be used to restore individual documents.
Macrium Reflect - Backup & Restore
You can never have enough backups. I use File History (pointing to a network drive), system images and my own custom backup utility. If nothing else, at least get your File History set up properly.
Will do. Thanks. I just checked (settings>backup and recovery>backup) and the computer has been automatically backing up my files...last time Feb. 4. I guess I should be backing up my files and folders to my external hard drive (which use to backup files on my desktop PC) or flash drive. As I understand it, I have to choose the option "change drives" to do this. Is that correct, or can I allow the computer to keep automatically backing up and also backup to flash drive?
Do not backup to a Flash drive, These drives are known to fail at anytime. They should only be used to transfer files from one PC to another. Never keep files on a Flash Drive that are important.
Your computer is setup to backup to your USB drive, if it was unplugged, or turned off during a backup, File History would not be able to complete the backup. Make sure the drive is turned on and plugged in and recognized by the computer. Check that the drive is selected as the backup drive, if not, change it in Change Drives. If you haven't backed up in a while, then Backup now.
I was planning on putting it on the flash drive from this computer (a laptop that I have on my lap sitting in a recliner...not much room), then transferring it to my external HD.
