📎 AI Summary:
Topic: A Windows 11 user’s File History tool stops after creating the top-level folders on a local NTFS drive, failing to copy files and logging parse point warnings. A responder outlines likely causes (target/permissions, reparse points in libraries, AV/VSS conflicts) and provides a prioritized, step-by-step troubleshooting checklist (drive health and format, volume details, reparse-point checks, forcing a backup, permissions, chkdsk, clean boot, trying another drive, VSS services, and recreating the File History config). Overall, the exchange is collaborative and diagnostic in tone, with the original poster seeking concrete next steps and logs to proceed.
mbratch

mbratch

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Dec 23, 2025
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Thread Author #1
I noticed my File History stopped working several months ago. I tried restarting it as well as completely resetting it and restarting it, and it's not working. I'm trying to save to a local drive, not a network drive. When I click Run Now, it starts running and creates the top level folders for the file history on the target drive. But then it continues to appear to run for several minutes with no files being generated. It finally stops running with no error or report. The File History event log shows a couple of warnings that it couldn't back up a couple of folders because they were a "parse point". It also shows this warning message:
Unusual condition was encountered during scanning user libraries for changes and performing backup of modified files for configuration C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Configuration\Config
Click to expand...
I've tried two different target drives. Each has the same symptoms. The drives are accessible, and FH clearly creates the top level folder structure for the files. But no files are backed up.

Interestingly, on another laptop running Windows 11, it also had stopped some time ago but I had no problem restarting it.

One difference between these systems is that the first is running 25H2 but the working one is running 24H2. Could be a coincidence.

But regardless, I'm at a loss for how to get File History working on the first system. I've tried a variety of things already.
 

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Solution
WindowsForum AI
Thanks — that’s a good description. File History creating the top-level folders but never copying files (and only logging “parse point” warnings) points to a few likely causes: the backup target/partition type or permissions, reparse/junction points in the folders you’re backing up, an AV or service conflict, or a File History/VSS issue. Below is a short, prioritized checklist you can run now (I’ll explain what each step checks and what to paste back if it still fails).
Before we start
  • I don’t see any attachments in your post — if you planned to attach screenshots or logs, please try uploading them again.
  • These steps are safe; I’ll flag any potentially destructive commands and how to undo them.
Quick checklist (try in...
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WindowsForum AI

WindowsForum AI

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#2
Thanks — that’s a good description. File History creating the top-level folders but never copying files (and only logging “parse point” warnings) points to a few likely causes: the backup target/partition type or permissions, reparse/junction points in the folders you’re backing up, an AV or service conflict, or a File History/VSS issue. Below is a short, prioritized checklist you can run now (I’ll explain what each step checks and what to paste back if it still fails).
Before we start
  • I don’t see any attachments in your post — if you planned to attach screenshots or logs, please try uploading them again.
  • These steps are safe; I’ll flag any potentially destructive commands and how to undo them.
Quick checklist (try in order)
  • Confirm the target drive is healthy, online, NTFS and has a fixed drive letter
  • Open Disk Management (Win+X → Disk Management) and confirm the backup partition shows: File system = NTFS, Status = Healthy, and a Drive Letter is assigned. If it’s not NTFS, File History often fails — convert or reformat to NTFS after backing up any data. (This checklist and commands are a common first step for File History troubleshooting.
  • Run the two quick commands (paste results here if you want help diagnosing)
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:
  • diskpart
  • list disk
  • list volume
  • exit
  • Open an elevated PowerShell and run:
  • Get-Volume | Format-Table DriveLetter,FileSystem,HealthStatus,SizeRemaining,Size -Auto
    These outputs show whether Windows sees the volume as NTFS/Healthy/Online and whether the device is removable/dynamic/basic etc. That info immediately narrows things down.
  • Check for reparse points / junctions in the folders you’re backing up
  • File History will skip some reparse/junction points (parse points) and will warn in the log. If a library or included folder points to another mounted volume, symlink, junction or OneDrive placeholder, File History may not copy contents. Search your source folders for reparse points:
  • In PowerShell (non-elevated) run: Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Force -Attributes ReparsePoint -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
  • If this returns many entries, identify whether those are intentional (OneDrive placeholders, program data junctions) and remove them from the File History selection or include the real folder instead. (Your Event Log “parse point” warnings strongly suggest this is relevant.
  • Force a manual backup and check for console errors
  • Try forcing a File History run with the built-in tool:
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt and run fhmanagew.exe -backupnow
  • If File History still runs, watch the File History event log and paste any new entries here. The “backupnow” command is a standard troubleshooting step to force a run for diagnostics.
  • Check drive permissions and BitLocker
  • Make sure the backup drive is unlocked (if BitLocker-protected) and that your user (and SYSTEM) have write permissions on the root folder where File History creates its folder. If the volume is BitLocker-locked, unlock or suspend BitLocker and try again.
  • Run chkdsk on the backup drive
  • In an elevated Command Prompt run chkdsk X: /f (replace X: with the drive letter). File system issues can allow the top-level folder to be created but block file writes. Running chkdsk is a standard sanity check.
  • Try a clean boot / temporary AV disable
  • File History can be interrupted by security software. Do a clean boot (disable non-Microsoft services and startup items) or temporarily disable real-time protection and retry “Run now.” If it works under clean boot, a background app is the culprit.
  • Try a different target drive
  • Attach another external drive (NTFS) and point File History at it. If it works to a different disk, the original drive or enclosure is the issue (removable vs fixed, dynamic disk, drive firmware, enclosure chipset).
  • Check Volume Shadow Copy and related services
  • File History may use shadow copy for open files. Ensure the Volume Shadow Copy service and Task Scheduler are running (they’re pretty standard, so don’t change them unless you know why). If VSS is failing, other backup operations may also fail.
  • Recreate the File History configuration (clean reset)
  • If you’ve already “reset” File History, do this carefully: Stop File History, rename/delete the FileHistory folder on the target (preserve its contents if you need them), then re-select the drive in Control Panel → File History and Run Now. This forces File History to build a fresh repository. (You said you already reset it — this step only after the checks above.
Why you’re seeing “parse point” warnings
  • A “parse point” is a reparse/junction/symlink — File History logs those when it can’t/back won’t back up those spots. If your Libraries or included folders contain junctions (common with moved user profiles, OneDrive placeholders, or some app data), File History may create the top-level repo folders but skip copying the actual files. Checking for reparse points (step 3) is important.
If this still fails, please paste these things here
  • Output of the diskpart/list volume and Get-Volume commands above.
  • The exact File History event log warning(s) text (copy/paste the events) — especially the parse point entries you mentioned. If you’re comfortable, a screenshot of Disk Management and the event detail is helpful.
  • Results from fhmanagew.exe -backupnow (any console output) and whether chkdsk reported errors.
Short summary of the immediate next actions I recommend you do now
  • Run the diskpart/list volume and Get-Volume commands and paste results.
  • Run Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Force -Attributes ReparsePoint in PowerShell in one of your source folders and paste whether it returns items.
  • Run fhmanagew.exe -backupnow from an elevated prompt and check the event log for any new messages.
If you paste the outputs here I’ll read them and give exact next commands (assign drive letter, convert to NTFS, fix permissions, or suggest reformat). If you’d prefer, I can also give a short sequence of copy/paste commands to fix the common issues once I see the disk/volume output.
Would you like to start with the diskpart + Get-Volume outputs?
 

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Solution
mbratch

mbratch

Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2025
Messages
2
Thread Author #3
Well this could be a big nevermind. After letting the file history stay on all night, this morning, it looks like it actually started backing up some files. So maybe it's working. I'll let it run for a few days and see if the results are what I expect.
 

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