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I often do work on files (Word and Excel) while not connected for the internet, sometimes for a couple weeks while traveling. Then when I do have internet, OneDrive keeps replacing the updated files with older versions it has stored. I lose weeks worth of work. It is so frustrating. How do I recover the lost work? Why does OneDrive replace newer, updated versions with the old ones?
Second, when I disconnect OneDrive, although I have it set to keep all files on my laptop, I no longer have the folders or files on the laptop. I go to Windows Explorer and Documents and Pictures folders are gone. Also, I go to This PC>Window>Users and there are no folders, no files.
A Microsoft file hosting and synchronization service.
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.
"I see some other people saying that this is due to booting up old laptops have haven't been used in a while, and OneDrive updating old documents as if the much older documents are new versions."
That's exactly what just happened to me. It is unbelievable. Microsoft should provide me with a financial compensation for all the work I have just lost !!!
I have exactly the same problem. Now I have to keep a second copy of the OneDrive, but this is almost like not having OneDrive. I cannot walk around with a usb stick either.
That is exactly what happened to me. Opened up an old laptop and lost the changes on my new one. This sucks! Versions aren't available too. Going back to Dropbox...
I really appreciate that you are tring to help us, but the point really is that no one from Microsoft seems to care about this issue. Multiple people are saying the same thing: OneDrive automatically saves older versions of files by rewriting newer versions of the same file. If I have to rename each file to protect it from OneDrive doing this and causing more harm to my work, then OneDrive is BROKEN and needs to be FIXED!!! So here is the dilemma: a service that we pay for is not functioning properly, and it appears Microsoft is doing absolutely NOTHING to fix it. The system is supposed to work automatically. When I open my laptop and edit a .xls or .doc file and save the changes, then I go home and turn on my desktop and laptop to let them sync, the older version from my desktop writes over the newer version on my laptop, and all my work is lost. I have turned one drive off on my computers until this is fixed, and I am seriously thinking about using a different cloud document service that is more reliable than this. We are pleading with Microsoft to fix this, but we are not seeing any action. I hope you hear my frustration's tone loud and clear, and maybe you can get the folks at Microsoft to do something. That would really help.
This morning I had just updated the file. and usually update it daily . suddenly in the evening. I realized that the file was replaced with a older version file from 3veeek ago. It mean I had lose my 3 week data. very frustrated. Had check the history file . however the version are old version.
Are you saving the changes to the file. If Autosave isn't working, click "Save" before closing the file.
If Save isn't working, you can save the file by renaming it. You can use "Save As" to save the file with a different name. But be sure to make the name unique.