Microsoft removing smart backups.

BulletDust

BulletDust

Supreme [H]ardness
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Apparently a leaked Windows 10 insider build is highlighting evidence that Microsoft may be removing, in my opinion, one of the best features to be added to Windows since Windows 8 - File history backups. Obviously in an attempt to increase revenue Microsoft plan on pushing people to cloud based backups using OneDrive. This is rediculious! I have clients (non business) that use this system, usually backing up terrabytes of data to a NAS, that are going to be majorly inconvenienced as a result of this possible attempt to increase revenue.

Is it so hard just to leave features the OS shipped with as part of the OS? Does greed always have to prevail? And before the shills jump onboard, where is this all going to end? What's next in an attempt to pilfer hard earned $$ out of your back pocket?

Even Apple doesn't stoup this low with Time Machine, a product that file history backups under Windows could equally compare to.

https://www.engadget.com/2017/06/04/windows-10s-smart-backups-may-be-going-away/

This has got nothing to do with Linux, this is myself as a Windows user downright sick of these underhanded tactics.
 
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Sad to see. File History and VSS are far superior technically to Time Machine, but MSFT never made a good UI for many of the features in Windows/NTFS and thus people never used them. Ever since Sinofsky took over Win 8, they've been steadily removing features and dumbing Windows down. Once he was booted at least they were able to restore the UI to some sanity in Windows 10 at least.
 
MrCrispy said:
Sad to see. File History and VSS are far superior technically to Time Machine, but MSFT never made a good UI for many of the features in Windows/NTFS and thus people never used them. Ever since Sinofsky took over Win 8, they've been steadily removing features and dumbing Windows down. Once he was booted at least they were able to restore the UI to some sanity in Windows 10 at least.
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I loved it, honestly it was one of the best additions to Windows in a long time - Vastly superior to any third party software application I've ever used.

Very frustrating!
 
They're removing the Previous Versions as part of the OS, and it's essentially being replaced with OneDrive backup and its File History.
At least, that's what was theorized in the article I read the other day.

So, while they are (kind of) removing it, it's more like they are moving the functionality to their online storage product.

Here's the article:
https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/117541/thinking-windows-10-file-history
 
Anyone remember Live Mesh and Sync? It was years ahead of anything else, it allowed syncing data in all kinds of ways, remote access, and was designed so any app could use it, not just for files. Killed it all.
 
gimp said:
They're removing the Previous Versions as part of the OS, and it's essentially being replaced with OneDrive backup and its File History.
At least, that's what was theorized in the article I read the other day.

So, while they are (kind of) removing it, it's more like they are moving the functionality to their online storage product.

Here's the article:
https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/117541/thinking-windows-10-file-history
Click to expand...

I certainly hope not because previous versions are part of the System Restore functionality. If File History goes away, I will be disappointed and just have to find something else to use. However, if they completely remove previous versions, that will be a really bad thing. (Previous versions helps when something gets accidentally deleted or something like that.)
 
ManofGod said:
I certainly hope not because previous versions are part of the System Restore functionality. If File History goes away, I will be disappointed and just have to find something else to use. However, if they completely remove previous versions, that will be a really bad thing. (Previous versions helps when something gets accidentally deleted or something like that.)
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So I read a bit more in to it, and I might be wrong. It doesn't appear to have to do with Previous Versions (aka Shadow Copy.)
They (or the Thurott article) specifically states File History, which was only introduced in... Win8 or 8.1 I believe?
But that's not something I've looked in to.
 
KarsusTG said:
Look at the bright side. Microsofts greed is literally going to be creating jobs...
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Lol, love it! :D

It's disappointing as File History backups was a really good feature, on par or better than Time Machine under macOS - In fact I'd say better as it's way easier getting File History backups working with a network share.
 
People are suggesting this has to do with moving to ReFS, stating that file system does not need file history backups because it's included as a feature. I have not read that about ReFS.
 
Hmm I wonder why would Microsoft want to have a copy of everyones full data set on their servers.
 
I have no doubt that it's just another attempt to generate revenue, just like Apple and iCloud on iOS devices.
 
the only cloud based backup I use are steam and GoG cloud save game files, I pretty much avoid every other form of cloud storage unless the files I am uploading is going to be shared.

OneDrive is one of the very first things I got rid of when I installed W10, but it didn't remove all traces of it. I am planning to do a reinstall of Win 10 off a modified iso that has it removed, completely.

the stuff I want backed up is too big to go to the cloud, and the stuff I need to have backed up is FAR too sensitive to be up there. You could try to sell me 1024 layers of 1024 bit encryption and I would still not even entertain the idea. Sensitive data isn't going on cloud, PERIOD.
 
chenw said:
the only cloud based backup I use are steam and GoG cloud save game files, I pretty much avoid every other form of cloud storage unless the files I am uploading is going to be shared.

OneDrive is one of the very first things I got rid of when I installed W10, but it didn't remove all traces of it. I am planning to do a reinstall of Win 10 off a modified iso that has it removed, completely.

the stuff I want backed up is too big to go to the cloud, and the stuff I need to have backed up is FAR too sensitive to be up there. You could try to sell me 1024 layers of 1024 bit encryption and I would still not even entertain the idea. Sensitive data isn't going on cloud, PERIOD.
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Very well said! I know the kind of data I'm talking about is also far too big for the cloud.
 
B00nie said:
Hmm I wonder why would Microsoft want to have a copy of everyones full data set on their servers.
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Not really dude but, nice try. I have some things on my one drive account but nothing important. I have seen no evidence that MS is replacing File History with One Drive, have you? (Not opinions, solid evidence.)
 
chenw said:
the only cloud based backup I use are steam and GoG cloud save game files, I pretty much avoid every other form of cloud storage unless the files I am uploading is going to be shared.

OneDrive is one of the very first things I got rid of when I installed W10, but it didn't remove all traces of it. I am planning to do a reinstall of Win 10 off a modified iso that has it removed, completely.

the stuff I want backed up is too big to go to the cloud, and the stuff I need to have backed up is FAR too sensitive to be up there. You could try to sell me 1024 layers of 1024 bit encryption and I would still not even entertain the idea. Sensitive data isn't going on cloud, PERIOD.
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The fact you have to do any special modification to remove a program you don't want is disgusting to me.
 
I don't like it either, but at the very least it's possible to remove it, so I am willing to tolerate it.

I have treated internet explorer similarly, except that back then IE was still Explorer and not Edge (I didn't have the know how to modify an ISO beyond injecting SATA drivers onto XP discs), I always have used IE exactly once: to download another browser, and then after that I remove it and all associations to that particular program. I am merely treating OneDrive as another such program, with the exception that it doesn't cleanly removes itself after you install Win 10 with it, so I have made an ISO with it off the face of the Earth (along with a lot of other default apps) and try it on another computer hopefully.

Am I unhappy? Yes, but at least it's removable.
 
chenw said:
I don't like it either, but at the very least it's possible to remove it, so I am willing to tolerate it.

I have treated internet explorer similarly, except that back then IE was still Explorer and not Edge (I didn't have the know how to modify an ISO beyond injecting SATA drivers onto XP discs), I always have used IE exactly once: to download another browser, and then after that I remove it and all associations to that particular program. I am merely treating OneDrive as another such program, with the exception that it doesn't cleanly removes itself after you install Win 10 with it, so I have made an ISO with it off the face of the Earth (along with a lot of other default apps) and try it on another computer hopefully.

Am I unhappy? Yes, but at least it's removable.
Click to expand...

One big difference about IE was you never had to see it again. With 10 advertising Edge to you with arrow and pop ups about how secure it is and resetting the default browser after a major update Edge is pushed in your face a lot more.
 
I never experienced that fortunately, but it could very well be that I am using Enterprise version of Windows. But I do remember there were settings that you could switch off targetted ads in your OS.

Once I build my HTPC I will be using Win 10 Pro and report back about this particular issue.
 
Cloud is DEFINITELY someone else's computer.

Off-site could mean an encrypted HDD in a bank vault.
 
B00nie said:
All your files on your computer are encrypted?
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I thought we were talking about cloud storage in general, not the full system backup. I would never do a full system backup in the cloud much less Microsoft's. Everything I do store in the cloud is encrypted though.
 
chenw said:
I don't like it either, but at the very least it's possible to remove it, so I am willing to tolerate it.

I have treated internet explorer similarly, except that back then IE was still Explorer and not Edge (I didn't have the know how to modify an ISO beyond injecting SATA drivers onto XP discs), I always have used IE exactly once: to download another browser, and then after that I remove it and all associations to that particular program. I am merely treating OneDrive as another such program, with the exception that it doesn't cleanly removes itself after you install Win 10 with it, so I have made an ISO with it off the face of the Earth (along with a lot of other default apps) and try it on another computer hopefully.

Am I unhappy? Yes, but at least it's removable.
Click to expand...

What's the point, when it's all changed back with updates or the next OS update.
 
I haven't had any of the removed components being 'replaced' with any updates I have performed. I would have known otherwise. The windows store apps have never been replaced, neither has OneDrive.

Granted, I am using Enterprise Win 10, so it might differ to Pro or Home.
 
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