Windows 8 Gets OS X Time Machine-Like Backup With File History

From DailyTech: Apple, Inc.'s (AAPL) OS X has long offered dedicated backup. Introduced in 2007 with OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") Time Machine allowed users to restore older copies of files, preventing headaches and lost work. Then last year Apple introduced "Versions", software that allowed certain applications (such as office document editors) to dig even deeper into backup, offering finer grained restores.

Now Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), which long relied on only the bare-bones System Restore, Windows Backup, and a handful of other tools, is serving up a more dedicated backup solution. Similar to Time Machine/Versions, the new tool is dubbed "File History".

In Windows 8, File History will initially only be rolled out to protect files in Libraries, Desktop, Favorites, and Contacts. Of course any folder can be linked to the Libraries folder, allowing any folder of choice to be backed up.

These folders will be scanned by default on an hourly basis (the user can change the timed frequency of the scan). Any changes observed by the OS will be backed up, allowing users to roll back through their history of edits.

By default the backups are turned off, because Microsoft assumes its users want to delegate a proper storage location. To turn on the feature and set the storage location, you simply go to Control Panel > System and Security > File History.

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