File History is a new feature in Windows 8 that works like a
combination of Previous Versions and Windows Backup and Restore.
File History continuously monitors files stored in Libraries,
Desktop, Favorites, and Contacts folders and when it detects
changes in any file it then makes a backup copy to another
location - such as an external hard disk or a network drive. In
this edition of the Windows Desktop Report, I’ll show you how
File History works. This blog post is also available as a
TechRepublic Slideshow Photo Gallery. Launching File History in
Windows 8 is easy. Just press the [Windows] key, type File
History while on the Start Screen, select Settings, and click
File History, as illustrated in Figure A. Accessing Windows 8’s
File History from the Start screen is easy. Turning on File
History Once the screen appears, as shown in Figure B, you’ll
see that by default File History is turned off. You’ll also
notice that in this example, no usable drives have been found
and that the Turn on button is disabled