Needs info about how to backup a dev drive

[piskov]

Hey guys!

How does one backup a dev drive?

When I had my repository on C:\ I used Windows File History to have a live backup (every 10 minutes) of every file in it.

If disk fails, there’s still a copy of uncommitted files. How can I setup something like that with dev drive?

It would be great to have an info about this use-case in the docs.

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Document Details

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• ID: bfda7965-bc34-ab88-fdc9-efef4a5d8a9e
• Version Independent ID: bfda7965-bc34-ab88-fdc9-efef4a5d8a9e
• Content: Set up a Dev Drive on Windows 11
• Content Source: hub/dev-drive/index.md
• Product: dev-environment
• Technology: windows-devhome
• GitHub Login: @mattwojo
• Microsoft Alias: mattwoj

[frankieD3]

Have the same question. Drag and Drop only?

[qz2rg4]

Any Answer to this ?

[AdamBraden]

@piskov , @frankieD3 , and @qz2rg4 - can you tell me a little more about your scenario? I'm not familiar with this feature and how devs are using it as a backup for their source code control system.

[frankieD3]

Essentially the dev file system is attractive, however, we would like to use Onedrive to back up our work. I thought I saw something about six months ago that something was being worked on
Frank

[piskov]

I don’t care about OneDrive (no-one should put sensitive work files in the cloud).

macOS has Time Machine to constantly backup system files on a separate drive.

Windows still has File History (from Windows 7, if I’m not mistaken). With it you can restore any file to a several previous states in time. But it cannot copy files not from system drive.

Yes, there are separate paid solution to achieve incremental file backup, but this should be built-in.

can you tell me a little more about your scenario

Easy: it would be nice to have a backup of source code on Dev drive (preferably with ability to restore files to any point in time like with Windows Files History) in case of SSD failure: no one wants to loose any uncommitted work.

[frankieD3]

Piskov I have different needs than you do as I have no proprietary needs at this time. I am open to other solutions than OneDrive at this time of course.
This is a big hole as far as Dev drive goes.

[AdamBraden]

@frankieD3 - current model assumes you have a source control solution like github and git to keep your source safe. Though there is a risk as @piskov points out that in-progress/uncommitted work could get lost if you haven't pushed changes. Having OneDrive on your Dev Drive would negate some the perf benefits you gained and likely introduce other randomizations.

[AdamBraden]

At this point it is not a docs issue, it is a new feature ask. Please open a suggestion in Feedback Hub and post a link here so we can have users vote on it.

[piskov]

At this point it is not a docs issue, it is a new feature ask

It depends. If there is some intrinsic windows mechanic that allows backup of VHD, that would be nice to mention that in docs.

Or, at least, point to some commercial solutions.

[mattwojo]

Is this article helpful? https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-perform-a-backup-using-file-history-in/d269ab57-69e9-4467-9d06-3f13631e47d4