I am running MyCloud on Windows 8.1 using File History. Where do these backup files live, on the myCloud hardware device, or on the cloud? So If I lose all my data from my PC, will I need to use the hardware device at all to retrieve my files?
Generally Windows File History backs up to either a USB hard drive attached to the Windows computer. To another hard drive on the computer or to a network location. You may want to see the following Microsoft document explaining how to use Windows File History. It also explains how to restore from Windows File History.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17128/windows-8-file-history
Sorry, but I’m still confused. If my PC dies, will I need to use the actual MyCloud physical device to restore?
The WD My Cloud is, at its core, a network attached storage device. If you have used Windows File History to backup files to the WD My Cloud, then you MUST have access to that WD My Cloud when restoring the files back to the Windows computer using Windows File Restore.
It depends where your File History is being stored…
File History can be stored on the same disk as the source files; this is for version history, not backup.
File History can redirect the history storage to a different disk, to provide version history, and independent backup.
You need to determine where how the File History is configured. If the File History is being stored on the MyCloud, then, yes, you will need the MyCloud to restore the files. If the File History is being stored on your PC’s HDD, and that HDD dies, then you don’t have a backup to restore from.
You also need to understand the limitations of File History; what folders it supports, for instance. That’s explained in the MS Support page Bennor linked.
If you need a more comprehensive backup (e.g. an operating system backup, or a fully configurable backup), you might want to look at third party backup systems.
For System Backups, I use Macrium Reflect, because it allows for easy restoration of a system image to an HDD of a different size to the original (Win7 System Image does not). I have changed the HDD in my little all-in-one media PC a number of times using this, each time to a different size HDD.
For file backup, I use FreeFileSync. I do not need or use version control, as I manage that manually, when required.
Thank you.
