OneDrive deleted local files and started syncing old files !

Anonymous
2020-04-03T18:14:49+00:00

Hi,

OneDrive has suddenly deleted files in local folders that was not synced with OneDrive.

I installed OneDrive a while ago on my work computer and copied a lot of different files including Visual Studio projects to the OneDriver folder.

Later found out that OneDrive was causing problems for the Visual Studio projects and even though I had marked all folders to also be kept locally it wasn't working correctly.

So I moved all of the Visual Studio projects and several other folders back to the original location to make sure I had them locally.

Time goes by, and today when I turn on my computer I notice a lot of old files have been synced to my Desktop which is synced using OneDrive.

Then I also realize that the files that I moved out of the OneDrive synced folders have suddenly appeared again and old versions from back when I initially copied the folders are being synced again.

When I look at the local folder that is NOT synced with OneDrive, many of the files are gone - just like that - GONE.

There is no way to get the files back and all my recent work is lost.

I have looked in the online Recycle Bin and the Second stage recycle bin and none of the files are there (since they were never in OneDrive but only locally).

It seems like OneDrive has reverted the old actions of when I moved the files to the local folder and now old versions from back then are being synced.

This is completely unacceptable.

I have lost all my recent work.

How do I get my local files that has now been deleted by OneDrive but which was not synced with OneDrive back?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-03-16T04:49:04+00:00

    In my case i had onedrive turned off for a few months. Turned it back on to find it hanging at signing in, so i reset the app then updated to the newest version that supports Apple Silicon.

    First few steps Of setup didn’t mention the fact that the sync folder already had files and could cause problems, it used to show this message. Next thing i know all my new local data since last sync is gone, blown away as it tries to download all my files from the cloud. I did find another folder with a few of these files in it, but the other 95% missing.

    Great job MS, no notification, no confirmation, just delete. How do you put a value to peoples private Personal day’ data? Sounds like class action lawsuit time….

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-03-28T07:23:44+00:00

    OH MY GOD!!!!
    I could not believe they had this problem 2 years ago and microsoft still have not fixed this problem!

    It is now 2022 and this just happened to me!

    This is really pissing me off! Shame on you microsoft!

    Please delete you product if you guys have no intention of fixing the bugs!

    UNBELIEVEABLE!!!! Words cannot describe how pissed off I am right now!

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-03-28T15:19:50+00:00

    Sorry this is continuing to happen to people. I spoke with a manager above the technical help people and explained how simple this would be to fix. It's messed up that Onedrive can delete your C: and empty your trash. He sounded interested and concerned but apparently Microsoft isn't. I guess fixing the problem might cost them $100k of their billions in the bank so they aren't interested.

    I've disconnected Onedrive and use it as an upload only as a pure cloud backup. The service will not work as advertised where everyone can access it without risk of it wiping you out. If you allow Onedrive to sync to your computer, you are 100% at risk for losing your data and there is nothing you can do about it. Be warned!

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-03-28T15:26:01+00:00

    After researching cloud service for a while and talking with various IT people I know, there does not appear to be a true cloud service out there that works worth a damn. I'm using Crashplan to actively back up my desktop to the cloud and an external drive as well as Onedrive as a disconnected cloud backup. I bought a laptop with a 1TB SSD so I can keep more data on it but have the external drive that I can throw in my pocket to have all of my company data with me if I need to be on the road for an extended time. The cloud sounds great until it almost wipes your business out.

    Whatever you do, do not trust OneDrive. Their tech reps will tell you that OneDrive is not designed to operate the way that they say it is.

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