Windows 7 Backup not working on Windows 10 - Fixes

Backup and Restore is one of the simplest ways to restore all Windows 7 or Vista backups to a Windows 10 system. However, many Windows 10 users have encountered difficulties when using Backup and Restore (Windows 7) to restore previous Windows 7 backups. Meanwhile, some users have encountered errors while using File History to save copies of all files stored on their systems. They encounter different errors when using these features. Fortunately, these issues can be resolved with some workarounds. This article shares some verified solutions to address the problem of Windows 7 backups not working on Windows 10. Therefore, examine the solutions below carefully and eliminate this issue.

Why doesn't my Windows 7 backup work on Windows 10?

There can be several reasons why Backup and Restore might not work correctly. Here are a few common reasons why a Windows 7 backup might not work on Windows 11:

• The File History service is not functioning properly
• Hard drive issues
• Damaged system files
• Disk errors
• Potential virus or malware attack
• Issues with an old backup
• VShadow copy service malfunctioning

How to Fix Windows 7 Backup Not Working on Windows 10 (14 Solutions)

Here, we have mentioned twelve ways to fix the issue with Windows 7 backup not working on Windows 10.

1. Enable File History and Windows Search 2. Disable and Re-enable System Protection 3. Enable Shadow Copy 4. Manually Remove Old Backups 5. Use the Chkdsk Command 6. Enable the Windows Backup Service 7. Ensure "Automatically Save My Files" is Turned On 8. Run a Virus Scan 9. Make Saved Versions Permanent 10. Adjust Disk Space Usage 11. Turn Off and Reset File History 12. Format the Drive 13. Replace the Drive 14. Use Third-Party Backup Software

1. Enable the File History service and Windows Search.

Some of the most common reasons for this issue are problems with the File History service and the Windows Search service. Both of these services are crucial for the proper functioning of backup and restore features. It's possible that these Windows services aren't working as they should, leading to this error. You need to enable the File History service and the Windows Search service through the Services Manager following these steps.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run program.

Step 2: Type services.msc in the <Search bar>.

Step 3: Search for “File History” and “Windows Search” in the Services section.

4. Right-click the File History service, and select Properties.

Step 5: Make sure that the Service status is set to Running, and the Startup type is set to Automatic (Delayed Start).

Step 6. You must follow the same process (Steps 1 through 5) for Windows Search.

2. Disable and Enable System Protection

System Protection is a feature in Windows that ensures the safety of all data and files stored within the Windows system. Occasionally, System Protection might stop functioning, indirectly affecting backup and recovery operations. We recommend disabling and then re-enabling System Protection to ensure it works correctly. Please follow these steps.

Step 1: Launch the Control Panel

Step 2: Open the Control Panel and navigate to the System and Security tab.

Click System and Security.

Step 3: Go to the System tab and then to the System Protection section.

Step 4: Click the Configure button to change the settings.

5. Set “Restore Points” to “Disable system protection.”

Step 6: Click Apply.

<Step 7> Reopen System Properties and turn on System Protection by setting Restore settings to Turn on system protection.

Finish by clicking on Apply and closing the window.

Step 9: Restart your computer.

Enable Shadow Copy

Shadow Copy is an essential service in the Windows operating system that facilitates backup and recovery functions. Occasionally, this service might stop working due to various reasons. Therefore, you need to follow the steps below to enable the Shadow Copy service.

Step 1: Open the Services app.

<Step 2> On the Services tab, search for the Shadow Copy service.

4. Go to the Dependencies tab of the Properties section.

Step 5: Make sure the service is running under Dependencies.

4. Manually delete old backups

Your old backups and recovery points might prevent you from importing your Windows 7 backup. In this case, we recommend deleting all old backups to ensure no errors occur. You can manually delete all old backups from the System Protection settings. Follow these steps to remove the old backups:

Step 1: Open the Control Panel app from the Windows search bar.

Step 2: In Control Panel, go to System and Security.

Step 3: Open System Properties and click the System Protection tab.

Step 4: Click on Settings to delete old backups and restore points.

Step 5: Tap Delete to delete all backups.

In the next window, click Delete Backup to remove all backups completely.

Click “Next”

Step 7: Click Apply, and then click OK to close the window.

Utilize the Chkdsk Command

Occasionally, backup and restore functionality may stop working due to disk errors. You can scan and fix disk errors by executing the Chkdsk disk error command in Command Prompt. Follow these steps to do so:

Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.

<Step 2> Type chkdsk /r X: at the command prompt, and then press Enter.

Note: In this example, X represents the letter assigned to your hard drive. Replace X with the letter of the hard drive you want to check for errors.

After that, type Y at the command prompt to schedule the scan to run the next time you start your computer.

4. Restart your computer, but do not press any key. Your computer will automatically boot into its scanning mode, where it will check and fix disk errors.

Step 5: You're done! Try restoring from that backup on your Windows 10 PC using the same method.

6. Enable Windows Backup Service

The Windows Backup service is an essential service that allows us to create and import backups of Windows 7 and Windows Vista. You'll need to enable the Windows Backup service through the Services app, and this article will show you how.

Step 1: Open the Services app.

Step 2: Under the Services tab, locate the Windows Backup service.

Step 3: Right-click the Windows Backup service, and select Properties.

4. Set the Service Status to Start, and make sure that the Startup Type is set to Manual.

Step 5: Click Apply, and then click OK.

Step 6. When finished, restart your computer, and try creating a backup again.

Make sure that the option to “Automatically backup my files” is turned on.

If you're wondering why Windows 10 isn't creating backups automatically, it's probably because the feature is turned off. You can enable the “Automatically backup my files” option with these steps:

Step 1: Open the Settings app.

Step 2: Select Update & security from the left navigation menu.

Step 3: Choose Backup and turn on the Automatically back up my files option.

8. Run a virus scan

One common reason for this issue is infected files and viruses. We recommend running a quick virus scan using the Virus and threat protection tool. Please follow the steps to check.

Step 1: Open Virus & threat protection by using the Search bar in Windows.

Step 2: Click on Quick Scan to start scanning for viruses and malware.

Step 3: Wait for the scan to finish and see if it finds any viruses. If it does, clean or quarantine all infected files, and then try to create the backup again.

What Is a Computer Virus and How to Protect Your PC From Viruses

Does your Windows computer behave strangely or run slowly, show pop-ups, or have programs you didn't install? Follow this simple guide. Here, we'll explain what a computer virus is, its types, risks, and what you can do to protect your PC from viruses.

9. Retain saved versions indefinitely

Changing your Save Version History settings might also resolve this issue. To change your Save Version History settings, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to Control Panel > System and Security > File History.

Step 3: Set Keep saved versions to Forever (default).

10. Adjust disk space usage

It might be because you've allocated all your disk space to programs and apps, leaving no room for backups. This could be why the backup from Windows 7 isn't working on Windows 11. You need to ensure that there's some disk space available for storing the Windows 7 backup and other essential tasks. Follow these steps to manage your disk space in Windows 10: 1. **Check Disk Space**: First, check how much free space is available on your hard drive. Press `Win + E` to open File Explorer, then right-click on the drive where you want to create the backup and select "Properties" to see the available space. 2. **Delete Unnecessary Files**: Remove any temporary files, old downloads, or unused programs. Press `Win + I` to open Settings, then go to "System" > "Storage" > "Temporary files." Select the items you want to delete and click "Remove files." 3. **Uninstall Apps**: If you have applications you no longer use, uninstall them. Go to "Settings" > "Apps" > "Apps & features," then choose the app and click "Uninstall." 4. **Use Storage Sense**: Enable Storage Sense to automatically clean up temporary files and old items. In "Settings" > "System" > "Storage," turn on Storage Sense and configure it to run regularly. 5. **Consider External Storage**: If you're still running low on space, consider using an external hard drive for the backup. Connect the drive to your computer, and Windows should recognize it as a possible backup location. 6. **Create a New Partition**: If you have an unused portion of your hard drive, you can create a new partition specifically for backups. Use the built-in "Disk Management" tool (press `Win + X` and select "Disk Management"). Right-click the unallocated space and choose "New Simple Volume," then follow the wizard to create the new partition. After optimizing your disk space, try creating the Windows 7 backup again on your Windows 11 system. If the issue persists, there might be other compatibility issues between the two operating systems, and you may need to explore alternative backup methods.

Step one: Open the Control Panel and then open System and Security.

Step 2: Click System Protection in the System settings.

Step 3: Click the Change settings button.

Step 5: Use the slider in the Disk Space Usage section to set the maximum usage as needed.

Step 6: Set disk space usage to 15% to ensure that the system has enough room to create and store backups.

Step 7: Click the Apply button, and then close the window.

11. Turn off and reset File History

Some users reported that disabling and re-enabling File History also resolved the same issue. You can disable the File History option by following these steps.

Step one: Open the Control Panel and then System and Security.

Step 2: Open File History, and then click Turn Off to disable File History.

12. Format the disk

In some cases, running the Chkdsk command to fix disk errors can resolve the issue with Windows 7 backups not working on Windows 10. If the problem persists in your case, we recommend formatting the hard drive and restoring it to its original state. Follow these steps to learn how to format a hard drive on Windows 10: 1. **Open File Explorer**: Click on the Start menu, and then click on the File Explorer icon. 2. **Right-click on the drive**: In File Explorer, locate the drive you want to format, right-click on it, and select "Format" from the context menu. 3. **Check the options**: In the Format window that appears, ensure that the "Quick Format" option is checked (this will speed up the process). If you want to erase all data and create a fresh start, leave this unchecked. 4. **Choose a file system**: By default, the file system should be set to "NTFS," which is suitable for most users. However, if you have specific requirements, you can choose another file system like FAT32 or exFAT. 5. **Allocation unit size**: For most users, the default allocation unit size is fine. Advanced users may choose a different size based on their needs. 6. **Click "Start"**: After reviewing your selections, click the "Start" button to begin the formatting process. A warning message will appear, reminding you that formatting will erase all data on the drive. Click "OK" to proceed if you're sure. 7. **Wait for the process to complete**: Formatting might take a while, depending on the size of the hard drive. Do not interrupt the process. 8. **Close the Format window**: Once the formatting is complete, the Format window will automatically close. 9. **Confirm the drive works properly**: After formatting, you can test the drive by copying some files onto it to ensure it's functioning correctly. Remember, formatting will erase all data on the drive, so make sure to back up any important files before proceeding. If the backup issue still persists after formatting, it may be necessary to investigate other factors, such as driver compatibility or software conflicts.

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run program.

Open Disk Management

Step 3: And there you will see all the <disk drives> connected to your computer.

Step four: Right-click on the hard drive you want to format.

Step 5: Choose Format from the Context Menu.

Step 6: Type the disk name in the Volume text box.

Step 7. Choose your Preferred file type under File system.

Finally, click the OK button.

13. Change the Drive

Even after trying all the above solutions, Windows 7 Backup might still not work on Windows 10. We recommend that you back up Windows 7 to another drive using a different hard disk and then transfer it to your Windows 10 computer. This is likely to solve the problem.

14. Utilize third-party backup software

As a last resort, you can use third-party backup software to back up regularly and transfer them easily. Apart from that, using third-party backup software is always a safer option because you never know when your Windows system will stop creating automatic backups. However, you won't have any issues while creating a system backup with third-party tools. There are various different third-party backup software available for Windows 10.

We recommend using the feature-rich Todo Backup tool, which comes with 250GB of free cloud storage. This tool is entirely free and can handle all backup creation tasks, from basic to advanced, with ease. You can use Todo to back up your system infinitely and store them in the 250GB of free cloud storage. Fortunately, it also supports automatic backups, so you won't have to worry about backing up your system.

Step 1: Run Todo Backup and click “Create Backup” on the homepage, then click “Select backup content”.

Step 2: Click on "System" among the four categories to start the backup process.

Create System Backup Step 2

Step 3: The system partition will be selected automatically; you just have to choose the location.

Step 4. You can choose to save the backup file to your local disk, cloud storage, or NAS. You can also connect an external hard drive to save the system backup.

Step 5: You can customize settings in the Options on the bottom left. Then, click on "Backup Now" and the backup process will start.

* After the backup is complete, you can right-click on the backup task on the left to check its status, recover, open, or delete the backup.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Will Windows 7 backups work on Windows 10?

You can still use the Backup and Restore feature in Windows 10 to access your Windows 7 and Windows Vista backups on a Windows 10 system.

Why does my Windows 7 backup keep failing?

It could be an issue with your internal or external hard drive. You can try running the disk error checking command. Alternatively, you can try formatting both your internal and external hard drives.

Last Words

We understand how frustrating it can be when you're trying to restore Windows 7 data on a Windows 10 system and constantly encountering failures. This issue could have multiple causes. We've shared some of the best methods to address this problem. You can try implementing the solutions mentioned above to resolve the issue of Windows 7 backup not working on Windows 10.