OneDrive replaces newer versions of files with old versions

not sure what you mean - I don't have an On / Off switch under "Files On Demand".

these are the settings on Device A.

On Device B, since making the post, I have selected "Free up disk space" on all files at the highest folder level, in the hope that that will fix it.

Ultimately, I agree, it should not be based on which device has the downloaded file, but should maintain the most recent file from the Sharepoint server.

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.

Check OneDrive -> Settings -> Sync and backup -> Advanced Settings -> Files On Demand.

It seems that if this setting is Off for Device A but On for Device B it will assume that Device A must automatically have the latest versions and no further checking of dates and versions is carried out. If that is actually what happens then there is a simple but potentially devastating logic error in the OneDrive code which should be fixed urgently.

Hi Richard,

I was proposing "saving as" a new file, with a new name. Not changing the name of the existing file.

That should work, no?

changing the name does not help... save as a new new name still gets screwed up you have to do a copy then save the new name...

I have experienced this exact same issue.

I was working last night on a file on Computer A - and connected to the internet / OneDrive. The latest version of the file should have been from Computer A.

I started working on Computer B this morning. The file from Computer A was replaced by the pre-existing and older file on Computer B.

It was only because this file was very recent, that I immediately saw the problem. Going into version history, I was able to see the file from Computer A, and save it under a new file name. This has happened before, and I did not notice.

This bug completely defeats the purpose of OneDrive versioning and is incredibly frustrating. I will go back to my practice over the past 30 years of saving under new file names regularly.