"Windows 10 Backup: No usable drive found [Issue updated and solved!]"

No usable drives found When adding a drive for backup

File History in Windows 10 is a backup feature that runs alongside Backup and Restore from Windows 7. It automatically creates incremental backups of files and data stored in locations like your desktop, specific folders, contacts, libraries, and more, and saves them to a different storage location, including:

• Built-in hard drive
• Storage space
• External hard drive
• Network share

When backing up your data with File History, you might encounter a common issue: the list of drives is missing. Typically, you see an empty list of available drives, followed by an error message that says, "No drives were found." This error can occur for several reasons, including the following:

• "File History" is turned off: If you have File History disabled, either intentionally or unintentionally, your device won't be able to find any drives to back up your data.
• System Protection is disabled: If System Protection is turned off, it won't detect any available drives.
• File History drive isn't connected properly: Sometimes, if File History isn't connected correctly, your device might not recognize any available drives.

Given the description and causes of the "No drives were found" error, this article will provide possible solutions that you can try to see if they help resolve the issue. We'll also recommend an alternative tool that will assist you in backing up your files on Windows 11 and prevent backup errors in the future.

Also, you might be wondering: If Windows File History can back up everything, read the next section of this article to find out.


Does Windows File History Backup Everything?

Before backing up data with the Windows File History feature, you'd better confirm if it can back up everything on your computer.

Top priority: keep the backups coming

Regularly backing up your files is essential to prevent data loss due to computer failure, system crash, or malware attacks. While “File History” is a good way to back up files on Windows 10, Todo Backup tools is a better option for file backup.

This software tool helps you avoid common errors when backing up files with File History. It fixes potential issues and enables you to conveniently back up essential files, disks, partitions, and operating systems. With Todo Backup, you can achieve timely backups, as it supports scheduling automatic backups for Windows 11, incremental backups for Windows 10, and differential backups.

You can save multiple backups to internal drives, NAS, TOOLS cloud, external drives, and more. The software also features an intuitive user interface that makes the file backup process smoother.

Advantages of Todo Backup:

1. Improve backup efficiency. 2. Support bootable backup and recovery space. 3. Allow for multi-path backup storage. 4. Enable disk/partition cloning. 5. Allow for the restoration of backup files at any time. 6. Support password protection for backups.

If you need a better way to back up your Windows 10 files, Todo Backup is the answer. You should download and install the trial version of the software right away to enjoy its fantastic features. The steps to get started with Todo Backup are very simple, so you won't have any trouble throughout the process:

Step 1. To start the backup process, click the Select what to back up button.

Step 2: There are four types of backup: files, disks, operating system, and mail.

Step 3: A list of folders on your computer and network appears on the left side of the screen. Expand the folders and select the files you want to back up.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose where you want to save your backup file.

Click the "Options" button under "Backup Options" to ensure your backups are encrypted and set up a backup schedule. You can also initiate a backup at a specific time by clicking "Options" within the "Backup Schedule." Additionally, there are various other customizable options for you to explore.

5. You can save the backup file to your computer, to tools Cloud Service, or to a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device.

Step 6: Todo Backup lets users save backup files to third-party cloud storage or their own servers.

To back up your data to a third-party cloud storage, select “Local Drive,” then scroll down and add a “Cloud Device.” Enter your account information.

Then tap “Cloud Backup,” and sign in to your Edo account if you want to store the backup on Edo's own cloud service.

Click “Back Up Now” to begin the backup. When it's finished, it'll appear in the left pane. Right-click it for more options to manage the backup job in greater depth.

How to fix the issue of Windows 10 Backup not finding available drives?

If you're seeing the "No drives were found" error on your Windows 10 computer, this section offers some suggestions to help fix the issue. Here are some possible solutions:

1. Solution 1. Turn on File History
2. Solution 2. Disable and Re-enable System Protection
3. Solution 3. Choose Another Drive or Reconnect the File History Drive

Fix 1: Turn on File History

One of the main reasons for the "No available drives" error is that the File History feature might be turned off, either accidentally or on purpose. You might also encounter this issue if you manually deleted the File History drive. You can turn on File History by following these steps:

Step 1: Go to the search bar and type in Control Panel to open it.

Step 2. Click on “System and Security” and then go to “Backup and Restore (Windows 7).”

Click "System and Security".

Step 3: Next, click on the “Turn On” button. This will help restart the File History feature and get it up and running.

You can verify that these changes have taken effect and that file history is working as expected by following these steps:

Step 1: Go to the File History drive and click Advanced Settings.

Step 2. Click on “Open the File History event log to view recent events or errors.” This will open the “Event Log.”

Step 3: You should now see a detailed view of the file's revision history. This indicates that it's working correctly.

Solution 2: Disable and enable System Protection

Another way to ensure file history is working correctly is by checking the System Protection settings and making sure they're enabled. These settings might sometimes be disabled without your knowledge. You can disable or enable System Protection following these steps:

Step 1. Navigate to the search bar and type in Control Panel to open it.

Step 2: Next, go to Control Panel > System and Security > System > System Protection.

Step 3. Select the drive you want to enable or disable, and click Configure.

4. Click the “Turn off system protection” button and then click “Apply.” This will turn off System Protection.

Step 5. To enable System Protection, check the "Turn on system protection" checkbox, and then click "Apply".

These steps will help resolve issues with File History and make sure it recognizes all the drives on your computer.

Solution 3: Choose a different drive or reconnect the File History drive

Another possible solution is to reconnect “File History” or add a drive to back up your data. You can do this by following these simple steps:

Step 1: Connect the hard drive to your computer.

Step 2. Navigate to the left-hand panel and click on “Select Drive.”

Step 3. In the Choose a file history drive section, select the original file history drive or a new one.

Step 4. Click “Next.”

**Step 5** To add a location on a network drive for your backup, click Add a network location.

Select a “File History” drive

By following these steps, you should have a good chance of resolving the “No drives were found” issue.

Other Issues and Solutions with File History Backup

Apart from the "No available drives" error, you might encounter several issues related to the File History feature not working correctly. In this section, we've wisely shared some of those problems along with their possible solutions.

1. Issue 1: File History not backing up all files 2. Issue 2: File History not automatically starting or stopping

Question 1: File History didn't back up all my files

One way to fix this is to turn off File History temporarily, and then turn it back on. Another is to remove File History from the list of backup drives and then add it back.

If the issue persists, go to Advanced settings for File History, and check for errors in the Event Viewer. Also, make sure that the Retain versions setting is set to Forever.

< img src="/images/en/screenshot/todo-backup/guide/2-advanced-settings.jpg" width="699" height="522" alt="Advanced Settings" />

Problem 2: File History won't turn on or work automatically

File History should automatically back up your files. If it isn't, or if it's no longer working, try the following:

1. Step 1. Stop File History.
2. Step 2. Go to the following path and delete the configuration files: C:\Users\AppData\Local}\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration
3. Step 3. Restart File History. Use the backup drive that you originally selected to save your files. File History might start automatically and save your files.

There is also a solution for the problem of File History not backing up all files or not working properly, and that is by using the software Todo Backup Free to save your files. This software will help you solve issues encountered when backing up files with File History. Today, you can try out the free version of this software and enjoy its unique backup features.

Common issues for Back up with Windows 10: No drives were found

If you're still having issues with Windows 10 backup not finding a drive, check the questions and answers below:

Does Windows 10's backup work?

Yes. Though Microsoft has deprecated it, Windows 10 still includes Backup and Restore, at least for now. Its future is uncertain.

Why isn't my computer backing up?

If there are existing backup files on the drive you've chosen, your computer might not be able to create a new one. You can delete or move these old backups to make room for a new one.

3. How do I fix the "No drives were detected" issue?

Make sure that File History is on or off. If it's off, turn it on so your device can detect available backup drives. If System Protection is disabled, make sure to enable it. Another solution to this problem is to reconnect File History or choose a different disk for file backup.

4. Why doesn't Windows 10 Backup recognize external drives?

The main reason for this is probably a faulty cable connection or USB port. First, try plugging your external drive into a different port. If that solves the issue, then the previous port was the problem. If the issue persists, you should try connecting your drive to the computer with a different cable.

Conclusions

Now you know how to fix the Windows 10 backup 'No drives were found' issue and the file history 'No available drives were found' issue, along with the solutions. As you can see, fixing the 'No drives were found' issue is not difficult, and you can avoid data loss by backing up files regularly with a tool like Todo Backup, or by turning on File History.