Missing files

Banjoman301 · 2026-08-22T17:55:53-0400

M1000tutorials said:
when installed, I go to task scheduler , like he did?

You can...but if System Restore is just turned on, it will create an automatic restore point every 24 hours if your system is up and running.

That said, don't consider restore points as a backup method.

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T18:07:23-0400

Hi
I have used Disk Drill about 8 years ago. I lost about 40% of files, but most were backed up.

thanks but I dont think Disk Drill would help.

remover · 2026-08-22T18:09:31-0400

@Banjoman301 comments? Or should you stop here until we can get a senior forum user to help?

M1000tutorials let me send you a pm

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T18:23:45-0400

Where do I launch Shadowcopy? I dont see it on Start menu

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T18:24:16-0400

remover said:
@M1000tutorials let me send you a pm

sure

remover · 2026-08-22T18:26:12-0400

PM sent, (the mailbox to the rt. of your login user name)

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T18:27:01-0400

I replied. thanks

idgat · 2026-08-22T18:29:48-0400

M1000tutorials said:
Im concerned with missing files

What "files" are missing?? What "files" are you looking for??

Or are you just suspecting files must be missing just because of empty folders???

garlin · 2026-08-22T18:31:55-0400

1. Half of everyone is assuming the files were recently deleted. If that was true, then a recent disappearance of thousands of files would be obvious in how much free disk is on your drive.

2. The other explanation is a large number (probably thousands) of files were previously synced under OneDrive. When you stop syncing, or backed the files up to OneDrive, it will delete the files and leave empty folders behind. The empty folders are preserved, in case OneDrive has to resume service and begin repopulating your PC with files from the cloud.

If there are any files currently held by OneDrive, you can logon to your OneDrive account on the web and check what's being stored.
Microsoft OneDrive

OneDrive can operate in two modes. It can either leave a full copy of files on your local system and sync them to the cloud. Or it can save you local disk space and only pull files on demand from the cloud.

The easy way is to check the timestamps on the empty folders. If you assume something deleted all the files inside the folder, the folder's last write timestamp should be around the same time period. If the last write times for other OneDrive folders are all over the place (different weeks or months), then the folders were unsynced.

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T18:37:58-0400

idgat said:
What "files" are missing?? What "files" are you looking for??

Or are you just suspecting files must be missing just because of empty folders???

Yes !!!

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T18:40:13-0400

Its not about OneDrive

In gmail, the last corresponence mentioning OneDrive is Nov 2024

garlin · 2026-08-22T18:46:10-0400

In post #3, all your folder examples are OneDrive staging folders. You asking why you have tons of empty OneDrive folders, I'm giving an explanation. The client stopped sync'ing and never cleaned up the folder paths underneath.

I'm not saying your files are on OneDrive (maybe some are still mirrored there), but you had the client running at one point. And this fits the expected behavior when syncing is stopped like you don't use OneDrive any more.

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T18:49:25-0400

garlin said:
The client stopped sync'ing and never cleaned up the folder paths underneath.

Can I just delete the Onedrive files safely by manually deleting?

I didnt have examples of missing files that were more recent.Maybe I should wait, until I come across empty folder and come back here

garlin · 2026-08-22T18:59:57-0400

If you stopped using OneDrive; and you're sure those folders are completely empty then there's nothing wrong with deleting them.

Do you have empty folders which don't have "m1tho\OneDrive" in their path? I'm not talking about Windows folders.

Marie SWE · 2026-08-22T19:03:15-0400

M1000tutorials said:
I dont use OneDrive.

I have Dropbox

M1000tutorials said:
Here are captures of files/folders where I have many folders (1000+) but no files

Image show path C:\Users\m1tho\OneDrive\Desktop\ZZZZ......

M1000tutorials said:
I havent had One Drive for a year so I dont think that would help, but thank you

M1000tutorials said:
That was my mistake. I used an older capture from a time when I used One Drive.

You use Dropbox instead of OneDrive since a while back.
You wonder where the files are that was stored in your \Users\m1tho\OneDrive\Desktop\ folder and you have turned off OneDrive and have not used that for at least a year...

If you turned off OneDrive the folder \Users\m1tho\OneDrive\Desktop\ then windows should have stopped moving/syncing files from \Users\m1tho\Desktop\ to \Users\m1tho\OneDrive\Desktop\
I know @TraderGary is a heavy user of OneDrive so lets see if he agree on this i just said.

Did you upload everything to Dropbox before you disabled OneDrive?
Do you have all the files and folders on another location.. say \Users\m1tho\Desktop\ or Dropbox or on a backup drive?

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T19:04:29-0400

garlin said:
Do you have empty folders which don't have "m1tho\OneDrive" in their path? I'm not talking about Windows folders.

sorry, I dont know what you mean

My username has changed. It is M1000

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T19:08:05-0400

View attachment Bandicam 7665.mp4

M1000tutorials · 2026-08-22T19:10:43-0400

Marie SWE said:
Did you upload everything to Dropbox before you disabled OneDrive?
Do you have all the files and folders on another location.. say \Users\m1tho\Desktop\ or Dropbox or on a backup drive?

I dont remember

My files are on my desktop. The files arent in Dropbox because all my files wont fit. I have 28 GB free on C drive

Banjoman301 · 2026-08-22T19:20:18-0400

remover said:
@Banjoman301 comments?

There seems to be reluctance on the OP's side to follow advice, and missing core concepts.

Until that's resolved, I doubt we can get much farther.

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