Desktop crammed with extra files and folders

I turned on the PC and everything seemed fine. Next thing I know, my desktop is crammed with extra files and folders, many files on top of each other since the entire desktop is full. If I pick something up and put it back down in the same place, the entire left side of the desktop "shakes" as if it's changing things around and piling more stuff on top of other stuff.

I open a couple folders I regularly use, and I see a lot of extra files in there, coming from Archive folders and files I thought I had deleted.

Every folder either has a tiny checkmark in the lower left corner or the cloud icon. If I try and delete something, it tells me it's online only and won't go to the recycle bin.

I checked Windows Update, and it says it tried this morning around 7:20am EDT but failed. I tried again, and it failed again.

What the heck happened? I have no idea how to fix this.

More: I noticed every spreadsheet everywhere got a 'copy made. i.e. if I had a sheet called "dogs" now I also have one called "dogs - copy". The copy is the latest version with changed from as recently as yesterday. The other is older - up to 3 months older.

It's become apparent Windows did an unasked-for restore from Onedrive. The files appearing on my desktop match up with what was up there.

Other than not opening Onedrive when I boot up, how can I permanently disassociate my PC with it? It's obviously horribly integrated.

please check out post #15 in this thread by @glasskuter

best of luck Steve ..

I can't figure out how to turn off auto backups.

Everywhere I look, websites tell me to open Onedrive, go to Options. There is nothing there that has anything to do with turning them off. There is nothing that says "Synch and Backup".

Fargol said:

I can't figure out how to turn off auto backups.

Everywhere I look, websites tell me to open Onedrive, go to Options. There is nothing there that has anything to do with turning them off. There is nothing that says "Synch and Backup".

Click to expand...

And... here's some things that you may find useful...

Ghot said:

Turn On or Off OneDrive Folder Backup Syncing Across Windows 11 Devices

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off OneDrive folder backup and sync for your Microsoft account across all your Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices you sign in with the same Microsoft account. You can use OneDrive to sync files and folders between your computer and the cloud, so you...

www.elevenforum.com

And... here's some things that you may find useful...

Quickie Eleven Forum Setup Guide for new Members

Quickie Interface tour... Quickie set up... At the top right, click on your name, then choose "Preferences". Then go through everything on the left side. Quickie navigation... Click Forums and choose a subforum, OR... Click Forums, then New Posts or What's New Ranks, Trophies...

www.elevenforum.com

Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

www.elevenforum.com

Windows 11 Tweaks - Leader Board.

These are tweaks I've seen asked for... many times. They are collected here for easy access. All of these and more can be found in the Eleven Forum Tutorials Make sure to read the "notes" in the various tutorials. At the bottom of the first post in all the "tutorials", there are links to...

www.elevenforum.com

Click to expand...

Thank you. The steps were many, but I got to the one where I was able to turn off for Desktop, Folders, and Pictures.

The overlapping files are gone and nothing has the Cloud icon in the corner. Everything is just shuffled around but no big deal.

Is this going to prevent this from happening again? I don't think the backup was the problem; Windows 11 did an unrequested restore from Onedrive. All the restored files and folders were roughly 2-3 months old.

I also forgot to mention that when I turned the PC on this morning, it started me with the screens that come up when Windows 11 thinks it's a new installation.

I would be fine with removing Onedrive from my system but nervous about doing that since it seems so deeply integrated.

Thanks again!

I've removed OneDrive completely from all my systems. I don't need yet another cloud service emptying my wallet, and I already have both off-site and cloud backups that aren't invasive like OneDrive is.

gunrunnerjohn said:

I've removed OneDrive completely from all my systems. I don't need yet another cloud service emptying my wallet, and I already have both off-site and cloud backups that aren't invasive like OneDrive is.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I use other backup means but for some reason haven't purged Onedrive yet.

If there's no danger, I'm going to do it.

Thanks.

Fargol said:

Is this going to prevent this from happening again?

Click to expand...

I have no idea. I completely removed OneDrive when I installed Win 11.