Discussion on:

Enable Windows 8 File History to protect your data (revisited)

Is File History on or off for your installation of Windows 8?

Can File History and the Windows 7 Backup and Restore both be utilized in windows 8? What I want to do is to use File History for my files and Windows 7 Backup and Restore for a complete system image backup.

So File History is an option for external backup if you don't like to get on the cloud?

After trial and error, it's simpler to have a dedicated drive for the file history. The first save can take a long time, so set your power options so they don't turn off your computer until the first save is complete. This is especially relevant if you are using a laptop that you move around without the external drive connected, then you know you have a full backup to start with. It's disconcerting to find that your initial backup isnt complete after several days on the road.