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
    2020-08-18T18:52:40+00:00

    This just happened to me this morning. I unsynced OneDrive two weeks ago because I prefer to save my files locally and back them up every so often. This morning, a Windows update automatically synced me back to OneDrive and then deleted ALL my local files. The OneDrive files are back but saved from two weeks ago.

    I have lost two weeks of work. Of course, Microsoft support will only point fingers. I can't believe this could happen.

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  2. 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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  3. 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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  4. Anonymous
    2021-03-31T17:57:57+00:00

    Unbelievable.... I spend 10+ hours working on a local document over the past couple days. Saved it last night on my hard drive. Woke up this morning and one-drive had synched the old file in the cloud to my hard drive and DELETED my local copy with no notice or backup that I can find. 

    THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE MICROSOFT!!! ****

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-08-07T17:50:45+00:00

    That is the big-brother-est, "I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that" sounding response.  We are customers, who you make money off of.  Your product can't screw up our work with no accountability.  I'm glad I don't own any Microsoft stock (even in my mutual funds) because I sense a class action lawsuit a-brewin'.

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