Error 0x8007016A: The cloud file provider is not running. OneDrive Access Lost. Cannot open, copy, or move files.

Anonymous
2023-05-22T14:47:06+00:00

I lost access to a OneDrive account. I cannot regain access to that account. Many (or all) of the files for my OneDrive were present on the local PC when access was lost, but they were in the process of being synced with the cloud copy. The files are now marked with a grey X on the file icon. Any effort to move or copy the files gets the Error 0x8007016A error. Any effort to open the files in Word, Excel, Acrobat get error messages that the file can't be opened.

I believe the files are present on the local PC because the filenames have the correct extensions and the file sizes are what you would expect for a full copy.

It appears like all of these files are locked in some kind of "sync" status for OneDrive that makes them unavailable. Is there any way to force a change in that status to unlock them? I don't need the cloud version, the version on the local PC will be fine.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-01-18T15:03:23+00:00

    I just go online and enter one drive.com.

    It works for me

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-01-18T13:42:40+00:00

    Even easier is windows key+R copy or type wsreset.exe

    Note: a blank command prompt will open and close, then the Microsoft store will open. You can ignore these and close any unwanted windows.

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-01-07T18:59:04+00:00

    I have a similar issue. I might have found something to help. I copied the name of the file giving the error and searched my hard drive. The file popped up in a different location. So the file still existed on my hard drive and I can open it from this location. It appears, for me, that the files with the x in the one drive folder are a sort of ghost file from the sync process that is no working. My problem was a titch more complicated as I am at work, on work computer. Several layers up the food chain, the powers that be chose to change the name of our company wide path. Meaning, sync was broken, took a while to discover sync not happening, there is no longer a one drive with the original name to reset a connection to. I thought files were gone when I was just seeing the ghost file from the sync process. I believe in the end I have recovered all of the files.

    Hope this helps someone!

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-12-10T23:58:23+00:00

    I am having this same issue with some photos of family members. None of the photos on one specific file are opening and i keep getting this error. I did try to restore onedrive but it said the request was blocked. Any ideas?

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-11-23T16:04:19+00:00

    For anyone else searching for answers - check that your one drive sync is ON. Kept getting these errors and soon as I turned sync back on, I could move files. For any files that are on the OneDrive cloud, it has to have that sync connection open to move the files elsewhere on your pc.

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