Reconnect your File History drive now windows

Reconnect Your File History Drive Now in Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide

File History is a crucial backup feature in Windows that helps protect your personal files. However, you might occasionally encounter a notification urging you to “Reconnect your File History drive.” If you’re seeing this message, it’s important to act promptly to ensure your files continue to be backed up. This guide will walk you through how to reconnect your File History drive now [in] Windows and troubleshoot common issues.

Understanding File History and Disconnection Issues

What is File History?

File History is a built-in Windows utility that automatically backs up versions of your files stored in your Libraries (Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos), Desktop, Contacts, and Favorites. It periodically scans these locations for changes and copies modified files to an external drive or network location you designate.

Common Reasons for File History Drive Disconnection

You might need to reconnect your File History drive for several reasons:

The external drive was physically unplugged.
The drive letter assigned to the File History drive has changed.
If using a network drive, there might be network connectivity issues.
The drive itself might be failing or have errors.
Windows may have temporarily lost communication with the drive.

Addressing this “Reconnect your File History drive now windows” prompt is key to maintaining your data’s safety.

How to Reconnect Your File History Drive in Windows

Follow these steps to get your File History backup running again.

Step 1: Check Physical Connections and Drive Accessibility

Before diving into software settings, perform these basic checks:

For External USB Drives: Ensure the USB cable is securely connected to both the drive and your computer. Try a different USB port if possible.
For Network Drives: Verify your computer is connected to the network and that you can access the network share where your File History is stored.
Drive Visibility: Open File Explorer and check if the File History drive is visible and accessible. If not, there might be a more significant issue with the drive itself or its connection.
Drive Power: If your external drive has its own power supply, ensure it’s turned on and functioning.

Step 2: Re-select Your File History Drive via Settings

If the physical connection seems fine, Windows may need you to reconfirm the drive.

Open the Settings app. You can do this by pressing Windows Key + I or searching for “Settings” in the Start Menu.
Navigate to File History settings:
- For Windows 11: Go to System > Storage. Scroll down and click on Advanced storage settings, then select Backup options. Look for the File History section (“Back up using File History”).
- For Windows 10: Go to Update & Security > Backup. In the “Back up using File History” section, you’ll manage your drive.
If your drive is disconnected, you will likely see a message indicating this and an option to select a drive.
Click on “Select drive” or “Add a drive”. A list of available drives will appear.
Choose the drive you previously used for File History. If it’s not listed, ensure it’s properly connected and recognized by Windows (visible in File Explorer).
If the correct drive is listed but File History says it’s disconnected, you might first need to stop using the current (disconnected) drive. To do this:
- Click on “More options” (or similar wording like “Advanced settings” if you access File History via Control Panel).
- Scroll down and click “Stop using drive”.
- Then, go back and use the “Add a drive” or “Select drive” option to re-select your intended backup drive.
Once the drive is selected, File History should attempt to reconnect. You can initiate an immediate backup by clicking “Back up now” (this option is usually found under “More options” or directly on the main File History settings page).

Step 3: What if the Drive Letter Changed?

Sometimes, Windows may assign a different drive letter to your external drive, causing File History to lose track of it.

Re-selecting the drive as described in Step 2 often resolves this, as File History will then associate with the drive under its new letter.
Alternatively, you can manually assign the original drive letter back to the drive using Disk Management. Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions” in the Start Menu to open Disk Management, right-click your File History drive, select “Change Drive Letter and Paths…”, and assign it the letter File History was previously using. This is a more advanced step and usually not necessary if re-selecting the drive works.

Troubleshooting Common “Reconnect Your Drive” Errors

Error: “Your File History drive was disconnected for too long.”

This message usually appears if File History hasn’t been able to perform backups for an extended period.

Ensure the drive is connected and re-selected as per the steps above.
Allow some time for File History to process changes; it might take a while to catch up.
If the issue persists after ensuring the drive is connected and selected, you might need to clean up old versions to free up space or resolve potential corruption. You can find this option by searching for “File History” in the Start Menu to open the Control Panel applet, then clicking “Advanced settings” on the left, and then “Clean up versions”.

Error: “File History doesn’t recognize this drive.”

This could indicate a more serious problem with the drive or its formatting.

Try running a disk check on the drive: Open File Explorer, right-click the drive, select Properties > Tools tab > click Check under Error checking.
If the drive is new or has been reformatted, ensure it’s formatted with NTFS.
If the drive is failing, you may need to replace it and set up File History with a new drive.

Preventing Future Disconnections

Ensure Stable Connections: Use high-quality USB cables and avoid frequently unplugging the drive if it’s a dedicated backup drive.
Avoid Changing Drive Letters: If possible, try not to change the drive letter of your designated File History drive.
Regularly Check Backup Status: Periodically open File History settings to ensure backups are running as expected. Windows will usually notify you of issues, but a manual check is good practice.

Conclusion: Keep Your Files Safe

Promptly addressing the “Reconnect your File History drive now” message in Windows is vital for maintaining an uninterrupted backup вооружений of your important files. By following these steps, you can typically resolve disconnection issues quickly and ensure File History continues to protect your data. Remember, a working backup is your best defense against data loss.