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
    2022-01-31T20:49:38+00:00

    OMG!!! You are an absolute genius and I have found ALL 111 GB of my missing files! I have spent countless hours looking for these files and they were here all along.... I assumed that the location of C:\Users(profilename)\OneDrive would lead me to the incomplete file location on the OneDrive server.

    You have made me EXTREMELY happy and did more for me than the Microsoft Support people have done for me since October 8th, 2021, the date of my data loss. Why the hell don't they know about this faulty OneDrive issue!?!?!?!?!

    So, I will suggest all of you wonderful people look in the C:\Users(profilename)\OneDrive location on your hard drive ASAP.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-06-01T21:27:35+00:00

    Hi All,

    Thanks for your posting here and sorry to hear that you got the same issue as well.

    As OP posted this thread long time ago, to help you narrow down this issue effective and do more assistance, we suggest you post a new thread and our members and moderators will keep working for you.

    Best Regards

    Higgins

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-04-15T16:32:40+00:00

    Hi Martin,

    Thanks for your quick reply and share a detailed description to help us better understand your concern.

    Based on your description, even though the local file will be not affected by OneDrive, and the old version file will not be generated in OneDrive.

    However, due to this issue is truly happened and you didn't do any action related to OneDrive. In this scenario, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused by this event, and as the side of Office 365 admin has access to report this issue to the related team, we would suggest posting a ticket directly so that our related team could check the OneDrive server event from the backend and recover your files deleted within 15 days, and give you more effective suggestions about how to narrow down this issue. 

    If there is an issue related to OneDrive, while troubleshooting this issue, your feedback can also help our support team get a full understanding of your issue and then feedback to our product team so that we can fix this issue as soon as possible and update a satisfying version later.

    This is the best way and fast way to solve this issue.

    We truly hope that your issue can be resolved as soon as possible. Have a nice day.

    Best Regards

    Higgins

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-04-13T04:39:36+00:00

    Hi Martin,

    Sorry for the inconvenience caused by this issue and we will try our best to help you.

    According to your description, as Chitrahaas mentioned, OneDrive will sync the file automatically in the OneDrive sync folder, and once you move the file out of OneDrive sync folder to location, these files will be not affected by OneDrive.

    To narrow down this issue, may I confirm that if you enabled back up the Important PC folder? You can refer to Back up your Documents, Pictures, and Desktop folders with OneDrive

    If so, we would like to inform that your Desktop folder, picture folder and documents folder will be sync to OneDrive automatically, and if you have restored your entire OneDrive to previous time, all file like Desktop folder, picture folder and documents folder on your PC will revert to the old version. Therefore, please check if those old version files stored in those folders.

    Reference: Restore your OneDrive

    Besides, if you have checked those deleted files are not stored in the OneDrive sync folder and the important PC folder, we would inform that there is no current option to delete local file via OneDrive.

    To narrow down this issue, may I confirm that if there is anyone else used your computer?

    @uata Please check if you have enabled Back up Important PC folder and have anyone else used your computer before then you?

    Looking forward to hearing your reply.

    Best Regards

    Higgins

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-04-03T18:34:30+00:00

    Hi Martin,

    Sorry for the trouble caused at your end.

    First, we would like to convey that OneDrive doesn’t delete the content by itself unless there is some other action like polices applied by the organization or due to some third-party software.

    Second, when you delete the files in OneDrive synced folder which is online-only(blue cloud beside the files), it will delete the files permanently.

                      

    If you delete the files that are Always keep on this device or locally available files (when you opened the Online-only files), those files will be moved to the recycle bin of Windows. So, you can check the recycle bin of Windows and restore it.

    Thanks,

    Chitrahaas

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