Cannot turn on file history

[harrc]

Have done a recent reload of Windows 10, and updated to latest release. All appears to be working except I'm unable to back up using MS file history

Windows recognizes an attached external hard drive, but when I click on "turn on" the program just hangs and I have to close control panel manually. 

When I check the hard drive, there is a folder entry, for every time I click on "turn on".  It creates a folder with the compter name, and every time there is another "turn on" click it increments and creates another folder with the same name plus the incremented digit.

Would like to get this going as I used it before rebuilding windows and was happy with it

Thanks for any help

[Vidya · Accepted solution]

You can try the following methods one after another...

Method 1. Enable Volume Shadow Copy service and Windows backup service

1. Type: service.msc in the search and select the first search result;
2. Locate: Volume Shadow Copy service and Windows Backup service and right-click on each one of the services one time;
3. Select Properties and go to Dependencies tab;
4. Note the dependency services and make sure that they are also running.

Method 2. Turn off and turn on System Protection to repair File History

1. Right-click on Start and open System > Select System protection;
2. Choose the location or drive and click Configure;
3. Select Disable system protection > OK;
4. Choose Yes to disable the system protection;
5. Reboot PC and go through the process to turn on system protection again. Click OK.
After all this, you may try to run File History and create backup task again.

Method 3. Perform a Clean Boot to fix File History not working error

A clean boot will help to check out whether there are any third party application or software are causing File History won't run problem.  Here is the link that will help you how to perform a clean boot...

https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows