Armistice
Son of Yoda
So I've always used Windows Backup utility to back up my entire PC - via USB 3.0 to two separate external hard drives (ie. I do the same full back up twice...).
I'd do this weekly but as I'm not currently creating music, haven't done it in over a month. In that time I've installed various Windows updates and bought and installed a USB wifi adapter.
On Sunday when I went to back up again, I get an error in the backup screen that Windows Backup can't find the drive to back up to, which naturally is plugged in. The drive is visible and operable via Windows Explorer but does not show up in the list of available drives to back up to. Change to the other drive - same thing.
Went back to a restore point before the USB wifi adaptor to see if that did something, but no.
I've googled "Windows Backup doesn't recognise my external drive" and seen various suggestions re. changing drive letters, deleting services (yikes!) etc. and done what I feel safe doing, and no change.
Both these drives have multiple previous back ups on them - they're not new. I could actually restore from one of them probably - the files are there and the restore function appears to be functional - but I don't want to go there yet.
I'm thinking one of those pesky Windows Updates has fucked something up, but what, exactly...? Was thinking maybe to do with the USB 3.0 drivers which I believe aren't "native" to Windows 7 but then they wouldn't show up in Explorer. Or work. I presume as USB 3.0 capable drives I can't just plug them into a USB 2.0 slot (or can I?) to see if I can "see" them in Backup that way..
Was also thinking I'll just get a new backup utility if an upgrade has broken the Windows one, but I don't particularly want to do that until I've done further investigation here... and if it's a USB 3.0 issue, it's not going to work anyway.
Anyone have any ideas?
I'd do this weekly but as I'm not currently creating music, haven't done it in over a month. In that time I've installed various Windows updates and bought and installed a USB wifi adapter.
On Sunday when I went to back up again, I get an error in the backup screen that Windows Backup can't find the drive to back up to, which naturally is plugged in. The drive is visible and operable via Windows Explorer but does not show up in the list of available drives to back up to. Change to the other drive - same thing.
Went back to a restore point before the USB wifi adaptor to see if that did something, but no.
I've googled "Windows Backup doesn't recognise my external drive" and seen various suggestions re. changing drive letters, deleting services (yikes!) etc. and done what I feel safe doing, and no change.
Both these drives have multiple previous back ups on them - they're not new. I could actually restore from one of them probably - the files are there and the restore function appears to be functional - but I don't want to go there yet.
I'm thinking one of those pesky Windows Updates has fucked something up, but what, exactly...? Was thinking maybe to do with the USB 3.0 drivers which I believe aren't "native" to Windows 7 but then they wouldn't show up in Explorer. Or work. I presume as USB 3.0 capable drives I can't just plug them into a USB 2.0 slot (or can I?) to see if I can "see" them in Backup that way..
Was also thinking I'll just get a new backup utility if an upgrade has broken the Windows one, but I don't particularly want to do that until I've done further investigation here... and if it's a USB 3.0 issue, it's not going to work anyway.
Anyone have any ideas?