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Patch reliability is unclear, but widespread attacks make patching prudent. Go ahead and patch, but watch out for potential problems. |
MICROSOFT 365 By Peter Deegan Saying that Microsoft pushes OneDrive on customers is putting it mildly. It’s more like ramming OneDrive down the throat
[See the full post at: Escape from the clutches of OneDrive]
Elly, 
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lmacri Peter,
My personal approach is to Uninstall One Drive and then use the Web interface to move items I want on the Net. Since the only thing I use One Drive for is files I share with others this strategy works perfectly for me.
That said, a very informative article…well done!
Sure- that works but it’s more than a little clumsy and time-consuming.
The OneDrive app is quite well-behaved. It doesn’t use a lot of memory nor CPU. Importantly, it’s not a bandwidth hog especially when uploading files in the background (there are bandwidth controls if you want to limit the app even more).
With the app running you can just drop files into a synced folder and forget about it. Sometime later, perhaps, go back to the folder and change the file status on the right-click menu to ‘Free up space’. That keeps the online file in OneDrive but recovers the space on the local drive.
Since you know PowerShell, you could setup a scheduled task to change some/all files in a folder to ‘Online only’ using attrib +u or attrib code 5248544 . That would ‘tidy up’ the local files sometime after the upload has occured.
My general recommendation is to leave the OneDrive app running but not necessarily syncing everything that Microsoft tries to force upon us.
That said, whatever works for you. I’m about offering readers options.
Peter Deegan
Thanks for this. As far as I can tell, OneDrive is just another attempt to steal your personal data. “There is no cloud. It’s just someone else’s computer.”
When OneDrive first became available, I didn’t want the OneDrive folder in my Documents folder (this is before the Documents folder was moved into the OneDrive folder in a Windows Update/Upgrade). I moved the OneDrive folder to a partition on a different physical drive.
Then I used Task Scheduler to daily copy the folders that I wanted synced with OneDrive. I don’t need to save room on my PC for files, I have 6 SSD’s and plenty of space, so I don’t want any cloud-only files.
I don’t have a Microsoft account on any of my PC’s. I have some Microsoft accounts, but they are all online only. OneDrive is very well behaved for me. When I log in on my PC, OneDrive automatically logs in online. I can access my files via my Android phone or laptop. When a group of files are ready for archival storage, I move them from the OneDrive folder on my PC to an archive partition on a separate drive. That also removes them from OneDrive online.
I’ll get a tray notification from OneDrive that I have deleted files, and asking if I want to restore them to OneDrive. I click Delete (I still have my local copy, just no longer in the OneDrive folder) and OneDrive online sends those files to the online Recycle Bin where they will reside for 30 days.
I’ve had no problems with OneDrive. The Update/Upgrade that made OneDrive the containing folder for Documents, etc. had no effect on my setup, since OneDrive was not in my user profile is my assumption in that regard.
There will be some difference between Windows 11 and Windows 10 but I don’t think there’s anything major.
The equivalent of Figure 2 (File Explorer | Home in Win11) in Windows 10 is the Quick Access item on the left-hand side. In a default Windows setup that shows the Known Folders.
If those folders aren’t there, you can add / restore them as you wish.
Peter Deegan
I’m sure Onedrive is a fine program with useful features…. but I want nothing to do with it.
Uninstalling it via Programs and Features appears simple: it is listed; right click produces the option ‘uninstall’. However doing so takes about a nanosecond, and there is no confirmation.
It is my feeling that this does not actually uninstall Onedrive and all of it’s ‘tentacles’. For example, in MS Word, the option remains to save a document to Onedrive. Is there any way to confirm that it is uninstalled, or to perform a more robust uninstall?
Richard
Peter,
If you mentioned this in your article, I apologize for searching for it but not finding it:
Specifically, in your introduction you write:
“I’ll discuss how Windows changes when OneDrive is enabled, and how to undo it.”
Can you provide us with directions for removing OneDrive completely from a recently fresh Windows 10 install (from an OEM retail DVD version)?
Our work requires long-term retention of digital imagery because there is no statute of limitations for that evidence.
That dataset may NOT be uploaded to the Internet.
Thanks!
It’s possible to uninstall OneDrive however that should not be necessary since there are less drastic options available.
Quit OneDrive and stop it automatically logging in on startup. The app will still be there, ready to use when wanted but otherwise dormant.
Allow OneDrive to run but limit the synced folders to a small range, as per the article.
In your situation, as described, all you need to do is ensure that none of the “digital imagery” files and folders are included in those synced with OneDrive. With that done, OneDrive doesn’t “know” the other folders exist, let alone copy them to cloud storage.
Microsoft does have an article on various ways to disable OneDrive. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-off-disable-or-uninstall-onedrive-f32a17ce-3336-40fe-9c38-6efb09f944b0
Hope this helps,
Peter Deegan
Thanks for the article. I enjoyed it immensely and am beginning to understand One Drive a little better. One thing I need a little help with is computer naming conventions and file structures. I have several computers (2 PCs, MacBook and iPad) and they are all named with my first name so I can’t tell which one is which in the OneDrive file structure! If I had it to do over again I would not have done that way but honestly I am a little lost right now to know where to start to fix it. Any tips about this? Or point me to another article to get things straightened out.
I have known for years that my file organization is atrocious but it’s only gotten worse. I used to have a pretty good system on Google Drive but that got all messed up by having One Drive come on the scene. I have 365 and run mostly Word and Excel that require One Drive (I like the AutoSave). I also have some ham radio programs with databases that I use that can only be run locally. I think One Drive has “stolen” one of those and put its data on there so I have to straighten that out also.
Thank again.
David
Windows Heretic here:
Over many years, we’ve found that a fast USB 3.0 enclosure housing a fast and modern HDD, like the Western Digital “Black” 3.5″ series, is practical and very effective for several reasons:
(1) we leave it switched OFF until and unless we need to backup files e.g. drive images(s)
(2) using our StarTech model external enclosure, we simply need to switch it ON and Windows 10 recognizes it and adds the drive letter(s)
(3) for debugging purposes, we disconnect it completely, cables too, and that gives us an extra level of physical security e.g. no way malware can be written to a HDD that is powered OFF;
(4) I’m not sure about this point, but there was a time when Windows would not boot from a USB drive; so do your own research to determine the current status on that point; readers here are welcome to bring me up-to-date on that point.
Bottom Line:
You can create in effect a “mini cloud” with one or more fast HDDs connected via USB 3.0 external enclosure(s).
Here’s the Newegg page for our StarTech external enclosure:
https://www.newegg.com/startech-s351bmu33et-enclosure/p/N82E16817707441
Out of Stock at Newegg <—- probably a very good indicator of its popularity!
It’s a little more expensive at the manufacturer’s website here:
https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/s351bmu33et
Try it / hope you like it as much as we already have.
I set up a laptop with a clean Windows 10 install 5 months ago, during setup I unchecked everything that would install/default to Cortana or One Drive….but get this…..
When I right clicked properties on Documents I was told they lived in C:Users/Kevin but when I went to the security tab the truth came out.
They were actually in C:Users/Kevin/OneDrive/Documents !
Considering that Windows only accounts for something like 5% of MS income I see no reason for their constant sleazy and misleading activities.
Oh, and lets not forget the fact that every link for ‘help with’, or an ‘explanation of” for something over 2 years old we get the polar opposite, any link to a helpful answer has been re-routed to a “Buy Windows 11” page Could the extra $100 that this behavior brings in really be worth the scorn and ridicule they’ve brought upon themselves?
Let’s not forget also the unnatural turnover (recently announced layoffs).
As I said … Microsoft is VERY pushy about linking Windows folders to OneDrive.
The company will, whenever possible, put its interests ahead of customers. These days that means putting everything in cloud storage by fair means or foul.
Peter Deegan
I’m not as expert as many here so I hesitate to contribute. However, it seems to me that OneDrive is just one of the Microsoft things referred to as “bloatware”. There are a number of tools out there to address this concept. Here is one:
https://freetimetech.com/windows-10-clean-up-debloat-tool-by-ftt/
It does seem to successfully remove most (or all) references to OneDrive.
Richard
More insidious than bloatware. At its worst, it can now force the unsuspecting/uninformed user to pay for increased amounts of Microsoft’s “backup” (aka cloud) which they(M$) have automatically activated for the user.
@RichardMerchant. Thank you. I like the looks of that landing page and GUI. I might try it.
Human, who sports only naturally-occurring DNA ~ oneironaut ~ broadcaster
Under Apps & features, find and select Microsoft OneDrive, and then select Uninstall.
Never use/rely on Microsoft uninstaller.
Use 3rd party uninstallers like free portable geek uninstaller, Revo uninstaller, free portable HiBit uninstaller..
Never use/rely on Microsoft uninstaller.
So true. And when installing software or even running a “portable” app for the first time, I do it from within the Revo Uninstaller Pro app so it traces every file and registry entry. I usually look at the installation logs. Some (but not all) portable apps leave tracks (disk & registry) that would not be removed by just deleting the .exe file.
I’ve used Revo Uninstaller before with good results. When I re-image my current box it would be a good time to try using it again.
Human, who sports only naturally-occurring DNA ~ oneironaut ~ broadcaster
Thanks so much for this very timely article! I have for years avoided using OneDrive, but just recently used the Dell data migration tool to move data from a failing Win 10 machine to a new Win 11 laptop. I was shocked when I discovered that all my locally-stored data was NOT moved to the local drive on the new machine, but instead moved to OneDrive, without my knowledge or permission. I’m working on correcting that right now!
Here is an update to my previous comment.
The article says “Changing any Known folder to “Not backed up” will actually change the folder location back to its usual local folder under \users\<user name>\. ”
But I find that this is not the case when transferring files to a new machine with OneDrive enabled. Those transferred files apparently went straight to OneDrive exclusively, with no locally stored files being created. If I turn off OneDrive “backup”, what I find in the local folder is not locally stored files, but rather a “shortcut” link to the files on OneDrive.
I’m going back to the article now to see if I can learn how to copy those OneDrive files to local folders. Then I will need to find out how to delete the files in OneDrive without also inadvertently deleting the locally stored files.
Exorcising OneDrive is like trying to slay the Hydra!
I cannot get it to go away from my Windoze computer or to go away from my Android fone.
So I filled it with lockscreen images, yet it still wants me to backup to you know where!
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