Microsoft OneDrive

[calico1597]

I bought a new window 10 laptop back in the summer. I've found when I download photos from my phone into my picture file they are also stored on OneDrive. If I delete them from OneDrive, they disappear from my picture file. I transferred a lot of photos from my old laptop to the new one, totally filled up the OneDrive and then I got message from Microsoft that I need to purchase more space. I didn't purchase any to start with and don't want their 'space'.

Any documents I save also go to OneDrive. How can I stop this?

 

[Jerry1]

Unlink it.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...0/4a816b61-1088-44ce-bda5-f93485e1af58?auth=1

 

[Tadpole]

Do all new computers with Windows 10 come preset to transfer your files to a drive outside your control? Is there a forever block of such behavior that, once set, is not reset by a mere update of the operating system? Do Apple computers do this?

 

[FIREmenow]

Do all new computers with Windows 10 come preset to transfer your files to a drive outside your control? Is there a forever block of such behavior that, once set, is not reset by a mere update of the operating system? Do Apple computers do this?

Of course this is not the case.

You would have to have signed up in some way with a Microsoft account and password to even be assigned a cloud drive repository.

Now, you may have signed up for a bunch of other stuff and not realized it was included in the fine print......

 

[rbmrtn]

When you set up W10 on a new install, it defaults to using microsoft accounts. You have to force it use a local account. So if are not aware when setting up your new PC you end up with a microsoft account which you may not have wanted.

Onedrive is built into W10, but you can "unlink" it as shown in the post from jerry1

 

[calico1597]

Thanks, I have followed the directions above from jerry1, will see how that works. When I bought the laptop it asked if I already had a Microsoft account and I said yes. Should I have created another account for this laptop? I still use my old one. How can I unlink the two laptops? Any changes I make on this one seems to affect the old laptop. Another day, another problem.........

 

[FIREmenow]

The account isn't really related to the laptop per-se. It is related to the email/password of whomever logs in, from whereever. If you use that login on another laptop, then, well, it's "you" over there, too.

The advantage of another login is that you would get additional space available - no other real reason that I know of.

I use the sync feature of OneDrive to keep backups of my important stuff. I encrypt the files that I don't want "visible" before syncing them.

There's a middle ground, that is not all-or-none, where you tell it to ONLY sync certain folders on your PC. Then you end up with a local copy and a backup copy in the cloud (conveniently accessible from all your other devices, BTW). Again, encryption is available for those files that are sensitive.

Works well for me, anyway......

Very Best Regards,

 

[bloom2708]

Open the OneDrive app. Disable OneDrive.

You get an allocation of free space. Once used, you can buy more of just use the free space.

We do an Office 365 subscription. It comes with 1 TB of data storage. It is nice for syncing files across devices. My Android phone backs up my photos and videos.

OneDrive is not really a backup tool. It is a sharing/storage solution. You should still back up to a fixed location for redundancy.

It sounds like you just need to disable and delete your files from OneDrive (make sure you back them up before deleting).

 

[FIREmenow]

We do an Office 365 subscription. It comes with 1 TB of data storage. It is nice for syncing files across devices. My Android phone backs up my photos and videos.

We do the same - with that subscription, you get up to 5 accounts, which is 5TB total!

OneDrive is not really a backup tool. It is a sharing/storage solution. You should still back up to a fixed location for redundancy.

It depends on how you use it. Syncing it to a local folder gives you a both local copy and a backup (of that folder). If a second computer (DW) syncs to the same folder, you get, automatically, two separate local copies (redundancy) in addition to the cloud copy. This is "backup tool" enough for me.

 

[cathy63]

It depends on how you use it. Syncing it to a local folder gives you a both local copy and a backup (of that folder). If a second computer (DW) syncs to the same folder, you get, automatically, two separate local copies (redundancy) in addition to the cloud copy. This is "backup tool" enough for me.

This kind of "backup" doesn't give you much protection against user errors though. If the user of computer A accidentally or deliberately deletes a synchronized file, it will be deleted from OneDrive and from computer B. This is pretty much invisible to user B and takes some detective work to think about looking for it in the trash on user A's computer; and if A has emptied the trash, you are out of luck. Don't ask how I know this.

 

[FIREmenow]

This kind of "backup" doesn't give you much protection against user errors though. If the user of computer A accidentally or deliberately deletes a synchronized file, it will be deleted from OneDrive and from computer B. This is pretty much invisible to user B and takes some detective work to think about looking for it in the trash on user A's computer; and if A has emptied the trash, you are out of luck. Don't ask how I know this.

I think there are some chronologies that can be turned on/off for files, not sure. Not sure that handles deletion, tho, either. Something for me to look into - thanks.

 

[FIREmenow]

This kind of "backup" doesn't give you much protection against user errors though. If the user of computer A accidentally or deliberately deletes a synchronized file, it will be deleted from OneDrive and from computer B. This is pretty much invisible to user B and takes some detective work to think about looking for it in the trash on user A's computer; and if A has emptied the trash, you are out of luck. Don't ask how I know this.

There is a 30-day "Recycle Bin" built-in to One Drive that you can restore from in that period.

Note: If you're signed into OneDrive with a Microsoft account, items in the recycle bin are automatically deleted 30 days after they're put there. If your recycle bin is full, the oldest items will be automatically deleted after three days. If you're signed in with a work or school account, items in the recycle bin are automatically deleted after 93 days, unless the administrator has changed the setting. See more information about how long deleted items are kept for work or school accounts.

Also previous versions are available: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Restore-a-previous-version-of-a-file-in-OneDrive-159cad6d-d76e-4981-88ef-de6e96c93893

 

[cathy63]

There is a 30-day "Recycle Bin" built-in to One Drive that you can restore from in that period.



Also previous versions are available: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Restore-a-previous-version-of-a-file-in-OneDrive-159cad6d-d76e-4981-88ef-de6e96c93893

Yes, I found this info as well. When this happened to us, our missing folder wasn't in the OneDrive recycle bin, so I'm guessing it had been more than 30 days since it was deleted. I did find it in DH's regular desktop recycle bin though and recovered it from there. We still use OneDrive to keep our shared files and photos in sync, but I now also use the Windows backup tool to backup to my external hard drive more regularly. I had gotten lax about that when I setup the OneDrive sync.

 

[Lsbcal]

The account isn't really related to the laptop per-se. It is related to the email/password of whomever logs in, from whereever. If you use that login on another laptop, then, well, it's "you" over there, too.

The advantage of another login is that you would get additional space available - no other real reason that I know of.

I use the sync feature of OneDrive to keep backups of my important stuff. I encrypt the files that I don't want "visible" before syncing them.

There's a middle ground, that is not all-or-none, where you tell it to ONLY sync certain folders on your PC. Then you end up with a local copy and a backup copy in the cloud (conveniently accessible from all your other devices, BTW). Again, encryption is available for those files that are sensitive.

Works well for me, anyway......

Very Best Regards,

I just bought a new PC and am struggling with OneDrive. I do not see how to access that "middle ground".

If I turn off sync on a folder, OneDrive removes it from my PC. For example, I create a folder TEST and then use "Choose OneDrive folders to see" and deselect TEST. This removes TEST from my PC but it is still in OneDrive. What I want is a folder that is only on my PC and not in the cloud.

How do I turn off sync to my PC's folder without it somehow being affected by OneDrive?

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

If you want a folder that is on your PC and not on OneDrive, don't put it in the OneDrive folder.

If you to see folders that are on OneDrive but not cached locally on your PC, mount the OneDrive as a network drive: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/map-onedrive-network-drive

 

[Lsbcal]

If you want a folder that is on your PC and not on OneDrive, don't put it in the OneDrive folder.

...

I took several folders from my old PC and downloaded them to the new PC (not to OneDrive). But they all show up on OneDrive. I see no way to remove the OneDrive copies without them disappearing from my PC. Perhaps I am missing something simple?

If I create a new folder on my PC, after a few seconds the little green check mark appears indicating OneDrive has copied it.

 

[FIREmenow]

I took several folders from my old PC and downloaded them to the new PC (not to OneDrive). But they all show up on OneDrive. I see no way to remove the OneDrive copies without them disappearing from my PC. Perhaps I am missing something simple?

If I create a new folder on my PC, after a few seconds the little green check mark appears indicating OneDrive has copied it.

You need to un-sync any folder you don't want copied - or better yet, only specify the ones that you do.

 

[Lsbcal]

You need to un-sync any folder you don't want copied - or better yet, only specify the ones that you do.

Great idea, now how do you do that? It seems to be all or none.

 

[FIREmenow]

Great idea, now how do you do that? It seems to be all or none.

LMGTFY

 

[Lsbcal]

LMGTFY

Unfortunately those links seem to apply to either older versions or to business OneDrive versions. One of those links shows what I have seen i.e. a way of unchecking boxes next to folders to unlink but this then says:

If you uncheck a folder you are syncing to your computer, the folder will be removed from your computer. The folder and its contents will still be available online.

I am scratching my head as anything I put on my PC immediately is grabbed by OneDrive and sync'd. This then seems to activate the italicized statement above which makes the folder the property of OneDrive.

-----------
BTW, I did see how to unlink from OneDrive entirely (the nuclear option). The link shown above must be to an older OneDrive version. For the latest version you do this:

click on the clouds icon in task bar
select settings
select Account tab
click on "Unlink this PC"

 

[FIREmenow]

Unfortunately those links seem to apply to either older versions or to business OneDrive versions. One of those links shows what I have seen i.e. a way of unchecking boxes next to folders to unlink but this then says:

If you uncheck a folder you are syncing to your computer, the folder will be removed from your computer. The folder and its contents will still be available online.

I am scratching my head as anything I put on my PC immediately is grabbed by OneDrive and sync'd. This then seems to activate the italicized statement above which makes the folder the property of OneDrive.

-----------
BTW, I did see how to unlink from OneDrive entirely (the nuclear option). The link shown above must be to an older OneDrive version. For the latest version you do this:

click on the clouds icon in task bar
select settings
select Account tab
click on "Unlink this PC"

I am not having these issues and have up to date everything. You may need to do the nuclear option, and then reset it up, choosing only certain folders at the beginning. Sorry - no time to investigate right now.....

 

[W2R]

When first setting up a Windows 10 machine, it tries to fool you into getting a Microsoft account and activating the cloud drive. The option to not do these things is in tiny tiny tiny print and hard to see. But you don't have to sign up and you don't have to use the cloud.

I don't, and never have on any of my Windows 10 laptop computers. I don't even have a Microsoft account. It's not a problem for me. You just have to be mindful and careful when you first turn on that new computer.

Going back? I don't know because I've never arranged to use their cloud. Guess I'm a bit of a privacy nut.

 

[Lsbcal]

I'm tending to agree with you W2R. As I mentioned above, it is pretty easy to do the unlink to remove the OneDrive function and I may do this. I think OneDrive is great for business collaborative work. It's not a backup solution.

On my old PC I used Dropbox to backup certain files that were not something I felt was too personal. Then I could see them on my iPad and Android phone when traveling. In an emergency this could be critical. We ran into just such an emergency situation in October with the wildfires and the need to evacuate. If one has a laptop that is fine, but I've got a desktop PC which would be awkward to grab and go.

So what I really need is a very limited file backup and cloud storage utility. The free 5GB Dropbox seems to fit the bill. I may just go back to that.

 

[W2R]

I'm tending to agree with you W2R. As I mentioned above, it is pretty easy to do the unlink to remove the OneDrive function and I may do this. I think OneDrive is great for business collaborative work. It's not a backup solution.

On my old PC I used Dropbox to backup certain files that were not something I felt was too personal. Then I could see them on my iPad and Android phone when traveling. In an emergency this could be critical. We ran into just such an emergency situation in October with the wildfires and the need to evacuate. If one has a laptop that is fine, but I've got a desktop PC which would be awkward to grab and go.

So what I really need is a very limited file backup and cloud storage utility. The free 5GB Dropbox seems to fit the bill. I may just go back to that.

That sounds like a good solution.

I manually back up my laptop files twice - - once to an external hard drive, and once to a thumb drive. I do this every weekend. My backups are less than 50 GB because I only back up data files and so on; programs can be re-installed to a new laptop should there be an emergency. Back when I still had and used my desktop, I did the same but one of my desktop backups was to my laptop and vice versa.

I never feel the need to access any of my files from phone or iPad, though, so this probably wouldn't work for you.