OneDrive infiltration


sidr

Member
Local time
7:55 AM
Posts
49
OS
Windows 11
Hi
It has taken me 5 days to set up my new Windows PC, and I don't wish to re-format it.
However I have a serious problem.
I think I selected One Drive when setting up my new Windows 11 PC, lured in by $3 offer... instead of waiting until after everything installed as with previous PC.
I assumed that it would only make reference to One Drive, in the One Drive folder in Windows Explorer... nowhere else unless I specify so.
However it infiltrated everywhere, and I have troubles fixing it:
-The easier fixes are when I do short-cuts on desk top, and find the OneDrive has been in properties which I can remove.
-The much harder fixes are in other not critical places like ThisPC -> Pictures, where I can't remove One Drive from it's path. I just want Pictures to look in C: not One Drive.
I have tried Control Panel / Programs & features / MS One Drive (right click)... then Uninstall... but that didn't fix problem.
Any suggestions to remove One Drive references (other than 5-day re-format & reinstall)?
Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    15s-eq1544AU AMD Athlon™ Gold processor
Disable "Files on-demand" to make sure, that all your files are available locally. Then disable/uninstall onedrive.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 3600 & No fTPM (07/19)
    Motherboard
    MSI B450 TOMAHAWK 7C02v1E & IFX TPM (07/19)
    Memory
    4x 8GB ADATA XPG GAMMIX D10 DDR4 3200MHz CL16
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Radeon RX 580 ARMOR 8G OC @48FPS (08/19)
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster Z (11/16)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" AOC G2460VQ6 (01/19)
    Screen Resolution
    1920×1080@75Hz & FreeSync (DisplayPort)
    Hard Drives
    ADATA XPG GAMMIX S11 Pro SSD 512GB (07/19)
    PSU
    Seasonic M12II-520 80 Plus Bronze (11/16)
    Case
    Lian Li PC-7NB & 3x Noctua NF-S12A FLX@700rpm (11/16)
    Cooling
    CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S@700rpm (07/19)
    Keyboard
    HP Wired Desktop 320K + Rabalux 76017 Parker (01/24)
    Mouse
    Logitech M330 Silent Plus (04/23)
    Internet Speed
    400/40 Mbps via RouterOS (05/21) & TCP Optimizer
    Browser
    Edge (No FB/Google) & Brave for YouTube & LibreWolf for FB
    Antivirus
    NoAV & Binisoft WFC & NextDNS
    Other Info
    Headphones: Sennheiser RS170 (09/10)
    Phone: Samsung Galaxy Xcover 7 (02/24)
Unfortunately in my desperation, I already disabled One Drive beforehand, which didn't help. Anything else?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    15s-eq1544AU AMD Athlon™ Gold processor
Unfortunately in my desperation, I already disabled One Drive beforehand, which didn't help. Anything else?
To relocate/move files from Onedrive to local PC, visit the link below.

 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microcenter B677
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-9400
    Motherboard
    ASRock H310CM-HDV/M.2
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Intel Kaby Lake - High Definition Audio / cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech) [A0]
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG Model: GSM59F1
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1080
    Case
    Lian Li 205M
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky AV
I'm sorry, I didn't explain my problem properly.
I don't need to move files from One Drive to my hard drive.
I need to not only uninstall/disable completely One Drive (done), but remove all references of One Drive from my PC
eg in ThisPC folder, I want "Pictures" folder to point to C: not One Drive.
This was the case on my old PC, when I entered No to One Drive during initial setting up PC.

If this is not possible, I will have to reformat my PC and reinstall everything (including answering No to One Drive) taking 5+days.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    15s-eq1544AU AMD Athlon™ Gold processor
I'm sorry, I didn't explain my problem properly.
I don't need to move files from One Drive to my hard drive.
I need to not only uninstall/disable completely One Drive (done), but remove all references of One Drive from my PC
eg in ThisPC folder, I want "Pictures" folder to point to C: not One Drive.
This was the case on my old PC, when I entered No to One Drive during initial setting up PC.

If this is not possible, I will have to reformat my PC and reinstall everything (including answering No to One Drive) taking 5+days.
You want to have the folder location in the User account, which would be the default without Onedrive, correct? If that's correct, you need to change the path. If you watch the video in the link all the way through, I believe you will achieve the result you are attempting.


As you state, you have already completed the first few steps, you just need to keep going.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microcenter B677
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-9400
    Motherboard
    ASRock H310CM-HDV/M.2
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Intel Kaby Lake - High Definition Audio / cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech) [A0]
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG Model: GSM59F1
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1080
    Case
    Lian Li 205M
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky AV
I think I selected One Drive when setting up my new Windows 11 PC,
I think you may not have been given the option, MS has made it very difficult to avoid OneDrive. I fear your best bet is to bite the bullet > reinstall the OS > stop OneDrive sync (there is a tutorial) > uninstall OneDrive
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro
1. Unlink PC from Onedrive In task tray, click Onedrive icon. Click gear icon to get into Onedrive Settings. Under Account tab, select "Unlink this PC"
under Settings tab - Uncheck start Onedrive automatically with Windows.

2, TO MOVE PERSONAL FOLDERS TO THEIR DEFAULT LOCATION ON C: DRIVE see the following tutorial.

I suggest you you option 3. (bat file method) This tutorial is for your documents folder but at the bottom are links for moving all you other personal folders to their default location as well.
You will want to move documents, desktop, pictures, videos, downloads, and music folders.
Move or Restore Default Location of Documents Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial

2.
HOW TO CHANGE LOCATION OF PERSONAL FOLDERS TO A NEW STORAGE LOCATION SUCH AS A SECONDARY DRIVE TO SAVE SPACE ON PRIMARY DRIVE
  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to your storage drive
  3. Create new folders there named Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos
TO MOVE FOLDER LOCATION
In the left file explorer navigation pane, RIGHT click on 'documents' folder, select properties. (NOTE: If you don't see the Documents folder in the navigation pane, then type shellersonal into the address bar of File Explorer, and press Enter to open the Documents folder no matter where it may be located.)
Click location tab
Click Move button
Click the Select Folder button.
In the explorer window that pops up, browse to the secondary drive and select the DOCUMENTS folder you created.
Click Select Folder, Click Move. click Ok
You'll see a prompt asking whether you want to move files from the old location to new location. Select YES.
To prove to yourself that it worked, when you now go to properties of the documents folders it should show location as your secondary drive.
Repeat this process for the other 5 folders you want to move to your secondary drive.
Make sure that all the files that were originally in the folders that defaulted to Onedrive are there in the new location.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.3296
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1tb Solidigm m.2 +256gb ssd+512 gb usb m.2 sata
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro 22H2 19045.3930
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 9020
    CPU
    i7-4770
    Memory
    24 gb
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    256 gb Toshiba BG4 M.2 NVE SSB and 1 tb hdd
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell factory
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Internet Speed
    still not telling
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
I think you may not have been given the option, MS has made it very difficult to avoid OneDrive. I fear your best bet is to bite the bullet > reinstall the OS > stop OneDrive sync (there is a tutorial) > uninstall OneDrive
Great answer, Haydon !

Is it necessary stop OneDrive sync if you plan to uninstall ?

Also, I believe I have seen a tutorial on how to delete OneDrive files that have been accumulated ?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win11 Ver 23H2 22631.2506
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell
    CPU
    Intel i5
    Memory
    8gb
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    256gb
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Hi all, thanks for your help. I will re-install
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    15s-eq1544AU AMD Athlon™ Gold processor
Hi all, thanks for your help. I will re-install
Yeah, that's best (y)

FWIW, I uninstalled OneDrive (using the tools built into the OS) and I had to clean up the mess in the File Explorer navigation pane afterwards. One very believable comment said that I should have stopped OneDrive sync first.

After uninstalling the OneDrive app on your computer, you can access your OneDrive files in the cloud with a browser, including adding, deleting, and editing them. And in fact, I like to have a 'USB stick in the cloud' although I rarely use it.

I don't believe in half measures (like start/stop sync) because MS takes every opportunity and every inaccuracy on your part to make you use OneDrive again and again, and MS does that in such an unobtrusive way that you often don't notice that it happens.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro
Hi all, Thanks for your help
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    15s-eq1544AU AMD Athlon™ Gold processor
I have reformatted from scratch, and starting to reinstall everything, but I have a problem which re-formatting should have fixed.
When I load Windows Explorer, and click on "Pictures" under both "Quick Access" and "This PC" the folder is empty.
However when I click on C:, then users, then <name>, then Pictures it isn't empty (it has all my restored backups).
Any suggestion?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    15s-eq1544AU AMD Athlon™ Gold processor
I wonder the same thing. I also just reformatted and selected to keep documents and photos on ONEDRIVE and on my device. These files are in the ONEDRIVE folders but not in C: users. The folders are empty. Do I have to manually copy my documents and photos to that location as the 2 locations do not speak to eachother. What is the purpose of the Document, Pictures, Music and Video folders under C: Users? There are no files in them.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2022-12-02 190925.png
    Screenshot 2022-12-02 190925.png
    9.3 KB · Views: 1
  • Screenshot 2022-12-02 191017.png
    Screenshot 2022-12-02 191017.png
    9 KB · Views: 1

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win11 22623.891
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel R Core TM i7 - 1165G7 @ 2.80GHz
    Memory
    16gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel R Iris R Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek R Audio, Intel Smart Sound
    Hard Drives
    C
    Browser
    Google
    Antivirus
    Windows Security/Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Downloaded MSEdgeRedirect
I have reformatted from scratch, and starting to reinstall everything, but I have a problem which re-formatting should have fixed.
When I load Windows Explorer, and click on "Pictures" under both "Quick Access" and "This PC" the folder is empty.
However when I click on C:, then users, then <name>, then Pictures it isn't empty (it has all my restored backups).
Any suggestion?
Right after reformatting from scratch and setting up, and before reinstalling everything ...

... did you stop OneDrive sync and then uninstall the OneDrive app in your computer? While you were connected to the net / OneDrive in the cloud?

I hope you did ...

... is your Windows Explorer navigation pane now free of any OneDrive artifacts? Perhaps try rebooting a couple of times ... post a screenshot of your cleaned up (or not so cleaned up) Windows Explorer navigation pane ...

... after your Windows Explorer navigation pane is free of any OneDrive artifacts ... start restoring your files and folders. I suggest one folder at a time with reality checks in between, at least initially ,,, then install and configure your apps ... also one app at a time with reality checks in between.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro
I wonder the same thing. I also just reformatted and selected to keep documents and photos on ONEDRIVE and on my device. These files are in the ONEDRIVE folders but not in C: users. The folders are empty. Do I have to manually copy my documents and photos to that location as the 2 locations do not speak to eachother. What is the purpose of the Document, Pictures, Music and Video folders under C: Users? There are no files in them.
I think your case is quite different from the OP's and I have no suggestions, sorry! Other have given suggestions earlier on and perhaps will post more suggestions.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro
Hi Haydon, I am not sure what you mean by "stop OneDrive sync ", but before re-formatting, I did uninstall One Drive, so I hope uninstalling would stop OneDrive sync especially as I said no to installing OneDrive.. Note the highlighted Pictures folder is empty, but c:\users\name\pictures is not.
hp01.jpg
Here is photo. Even after uninstalling OneDrive before reformatting, there is still a OneDrive folder as above.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    15s-eq1544AU AMD Athlon™ Gold processor
I wonder the same thing. I also just reformatted and selected to keep documents and photos on ONEDRIVE and on my device. These files are in the ONEDRIVE folders but not in C: users. The folders are empty. Do I have to manually copy my documents and photos to that location as the 2 locations do not speak to eachother. What is the purpose of the Document, Pictures, Music and Video folders under C: Users? There are no files in them.
You should look for a separate folder OneDrive and in that will be Documents, Pictures, etc. OneDrive has appropriated these folders to its own desires, not the users.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2 (latest update ... forever anal)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Slim S01
    CPU
    Intel i5-9400
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GT730
    Sound Card
    OOBE
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 32"
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    2 x 1TB SSDs
    PSU
    OOBE
    Case
    OOBE
    Cooling
    OOBE
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Classic Australian w.a.p.
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    KIS
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro (latest upadte ... anally always)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion 15
    CPU
    i7-1165G7 @ 2.80GHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Hard Drives
    Samsung NVMe 512GB
    + numerous/multiple SSD Type C USB enclosures
    Internet Speed
    NBN FTTN 50
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    KIS
So to confirm, is it sufficient to:
-uninstall One Drive, then
-reformat completely?
I ask this because after all that I still have a OneDrive folder in Windows Explorer, as per above photo.

Either way, how do I now get Photos folder in Windows Explorer to point to c:\users\<name>\pictures?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
    CPU
    15s-eq1544AU AMD Athlon™ Gold processor
Hi Haydon, I am not sure what you mean by "stop OneDrive sync ", but before re-formatting, I did uninstall One Drive, so I hope uninstalling would stop OneDrive sync especially as I said no to installing OneDrive.. Note the highlighted Pictures folder is empty, but c:\users\name\pictures is not.
View attachment 46757
Here is photo. Even after uninstalling OneDrive before reformatting, there is still a OneDrive folder as above.
Yeah, there is a OneDrive icon in your Windows Explorer navigation pane, so chances are that you did not actually uninstall the OneDrive app. What happens if you click on the OneDrive icon?

Also, click on the Home icon (which is located above your screenshot) > do you see a OneDrive icon inside the Home folder? If so, click on that OneDrive icon and post what happens.

If during the setup (right after reformatting) you successfully said 'no to installing OneDrive' then the OneDrive icon(s) should not be in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer at all. So, chances are that you did not succeed in saying 'no to installing OneDrive' either.

If after the setup you successfully uninstalled OneDrive without stopping sync beforehand, then the OneDrive icon(s) in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer would be dead (produce an error message if you click on them) but the pinned icons would still sync to the OneDrive in the cloud and you cannot stop sync because the OneDrive app has been uninstalled. If that's what happened, then you could unpin the pinned icons and replace them with icons that point to your library folders, but that is really sweeping dirt under the carpet, it cannot possibly be a good long term solution.

I am not really sure what you did with your computer because what you say does not really jive with what the screenshot shows. But perhaps that can be clarified if you answer the questions, and post the corresponding screen shots too.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro

Latest Support Threads

Back
Top Bottom