Onedrive is Driving Me Insane

Due to a nasty virus, I had to reinstall Windows. Now, for some reason, all of my Quick Access and Library locations are defaulting to Onedrive. Even the Desktop, as you can see here:



I have uninstalled Onedrive and turned off syncing, but I can't get rid of these stupid folders. Even if I delete them and put them back, I still get them as C:\Users\(My name)\Onedrive\Documents for example. Before the reinstall it was just C:\Users\(My name)\Documents or Desktop or Downloads or whatever.

How do I get rid of this Onedrive thing? I do not want my files in the cloud.

That's why they call it OneDrive..., it's a OneWay trip to the looney bin!!!
I'm sorry..., I'm not being very helpful, am I?

@Catnip, I believe if you log in with a Microsoft acct during the setup phase of installing windows, this is the default behavior, as mine did that as well. I turned off OneDrive, so it would not sync to the cloud, but it still puts everything into the OneDrive directory.

You can change the location by right mouse clicking, for instance, on Documents and clicking Properties. In the Document Properties box, click the Location tab. There you can change the default location and move it away from the OneDrive folder.

I'm sure there is another way to do this, but to get a work around, try that.

@Catnip Here is a procedure that worked for me, back in December 2022, notice the exact sequence of the steps. From browsing pertinent threads, though, I get the impression that MS is changing from one algorithm to the next to make users adopt OneDrive one way or another > you have to try different things until you succeed, good luck!

I have always, and as long as I can, install Windows without a network connection and force a local account. Then you get the typical file structure, unless you use an unattend file during install and use another drive for your profile location. If you want OneDrive, set it up after you get Windows installed the way you want it.

I noticed on the last few Builds, Task Manager Startup items has a whole whack of OneDrive Silent Setup stuff...

Nobody and I do mean nobody can convince me the MS isn't trying to force users into buying extra One Drive storage or to buy Microsoft 365. First, they give a generous amount of free One Drive storage. Then the cut the amount of free storage dramatically. They did give an excuse that I only somewhat believe. Now they are forcing One Drive storage on everyone setting up a new computer and doesn't know how to either get around it or know how to move the folders to a local drive. They should give everyone an option of where the want their user folders.

@Edwin Aha, multiple execs with a SilentConfig! Whatever sticks to the wall, LOL

Anyway, that's what the OP is up against, curious how this pans out!

I love OneDrive ... it paid for my retirement. In a previous consultancy life, if it wasn't for the fees I got for troubleshooting users who got stuck up the creek with OneDrive (and egregious Outlook helped the finances a lot too), I'd be living on queer street (different "queer street" meaning back in those days, cf. todays' meaning )

I have a suspicion that whilst ever you're logged into your MS account, OneDrive will invade your computer. Go into outlook.com and logoff your MS account. Delete any folders/data stored in OneDrive (assuming it's saved elsewhere). If you're using this account for your computer usage, I'm not sure what affect that will have.

Don't you just love all pervasive, all invasive Microsoft ...

Winuser said:

Nobody and I do mean nobody can convince me the MS isn't trying to force users into buying extra One Drive storage or to buy Microsoft 365. First, they give a generous amount of free One Drive storage. Then the cut the amount of free storage dramatically. They did give an excuse that I only somewhat believe. Now they are forcing One Drive storage on everyone setting up a new computer and doesn't know how to either get around it or know how to move the folders to a local drive. They should give everyone an option of where the want their user folders.

Click to expand...

Problem is most of the chatter in these forums amongst ourselves is simply preaching to the already converted/technically minded. Unless someone inexperienced in the ways of MS is aware of these types of forums, they're suckers for the MS aggressive marketing tactics. And that's MS's target demographic. Predatory.

Edwin said:

I noticed on the last few Builds, Task Manager Startup items has a whole whack of OneDrive Silent Setup stuff...

Click to expand...

Yeh, I've got to a point where I've changed my install/setup steps. What used to be way down the list after other software installs, I'm now at the stage ..
- clean install (always, always no MS account. If the user wants it, do their own thing later. Their responsibility, and suffer the consequences)
- disable OneDrive (startup, et al)
- Windows update(s). Not much sense of uninstalling OneDrivebefore this point, MS will shove it back in your face with some later (major) update.
- install RevoUninstaller
- Uninstall/Nuke/Obliterate OneDrive
- then get on with the rest of the software installation.

idgat said:

clean install (always, always no MS account. If the user wants it, do their own thing later. Their responsibility, and suffer the

Click to expand...

That is the best way to clean install or setup a new device. On new devices, by MS not giving a choice of where the users folders can be installed and no explaination of the differences, MS is taking advantage of new users that have no idea of what MS is doing to them and that is so wrong. I have no problem with users using One Drive. I use it myself. I do have a problem with MS forcing One Drive on new Windows users that don't know that they don't have to use One Drive. Would I like to see MS get sued because of this? Yes! Can they be sued? Not being a lawyer, I have to say that I doubt it.

Winuser said:

That is the best way to clean install or setup a new device. On new devices, by MS not giving a choice of where the users folders can be installed and no explaination of the differences, MS is taking advantage of new users that have no idea of what MS is doing to them and that is so wrong. I have no problem with users using One Drive. I use it myself. I do have a problem with MS forcing One Drive on new Windows users that don't know that they don't have to use One Drive. Would I like to see MS get sued because of this? Yes! Can they be sued? Not being a lawyer, I have to say that I doubt it.

Click to expand...

Most likely the trade off of "free OS upgrades". To get money from its users, it's subscription software (Office 365) and just enough OneDrive space to make you need more.

kgarrett67 said:

Most likely the trade off of "free OS upgrades". To get money from its users, it's subscription software (Office 365) and just enough OneDrive space to make you need more.

Click to expand...

What MS is doing is so wrong. When you think about it, when someone buys a new computer, they paid for the OS that is pre-installed. It was included in the price of the device they bought and it's not free. There is no way in H*ll that what MS is doing by forcing One Drive on new users is right. It may be legal, but I hope it isn't and would like to see MS starts giving new users a choice. I happen to like having my files stored on One Drive. It was one of the reasons I subscribed to what is now called Microsoft 365. I just don't think that MS should make One Drive the default and not give the new user a choice.

Winuser said:

What MS is doing is so wrong. When you think about it, when someone buys a new computer, they paid for the OS that is pre-installed. It was included in the price of the device they bought and it's not free. There is no way in H*ll that what MS is doing by forcing One Drive on new users is right. It may be legal, but I hope it isn't and would like to see MS starts giving new users a choice. I happen to like having my files stored on One Drive. It was one of the reasons I subscribed to what is now called Microsoft 365. I just don't think that MS should make One Drive the default and not give the new user a choice.

Click to expand...

I agree with you entirely. I think the push, software wide, is cloud computing. Nothing will reside on a person's own computer. Even the OS will eventually become cloud based on day, in my opinion. A buyer should be able to make his/her own choices how they want to set up their purchase and those options should be transparent and not hidden or even removed.

Winuser said:

MS not giving a choice of where the users folders can be installed

Click to expand...

That is not correct. During OOBE or new user setup, when it gets to the onedrive part, though in small letters, you have an option of "Only save files to this PC".
If the user doesn't read every page of setup, he will miss it and most do.

@Catnip The following tutorials will get your folders back on your C: drive. If I remember correctly only desktop, pictures, and documents folder default to onedrive.

Use Option #1 or #2 in the tutorials listed below so that your files will be moved to the new location. Your new location would be C:\Users|yourusername\foldername
(The bat file method is easiest but then you have to manually move the files yourself.)

Desktop- Move or Restore Default Location of Desktop Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial

Documents- Move or Restore Default Location of Documents Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial

Pictures - Move or Restore Default Location of Pictures Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial

Verify that your folders are back on your hard drive and make sure everything is OK. Onedrive will still nag you with popups. Use one of the solutions in this article to prevent it. The easiest is the first one in the following article...stopping onedrive from starting up at login. Or you can uninstall onedrive per instructions there. However, even if you uninstall it, there's a good change an update will put it back. Get Rid of the Annoying Microsoft OneDrive Sign In Popup

glasskuter said:

That is not correct. During OOBE or new user setup, when it gets to the onedrive part, though in small letters, you have an option of "Only save files to this PC".
If the user doesn't read every page of setup, he will miss it and most do.

Click to expand...

I think we had this discussion before. I basically agree with @Winuser on the OneDrive issue.

Depending on what you select during OS setup you may or may not see the option 'Only save files to this PC'. Even if you do see and do select the option, OneDrive (app and folders) will still be installed although sync is set to OFF. But it is very easy to inadvertently set sync back to ON.

This is the pesky persistent issue that the OP @Catnip is up against.

The OP has now received a whole bunch of suggestions, but we have yet to hear back from him/her, the best interpretation is of course that at least one of the suggestions works

And a small, but ongoing aggravation. MS supplies the path to the local OneDrive folder as a default save location when a new software application installs and creates its own folders. Even though I've disabled OneDrive, every new program saves files to the local OneDrive folder until I change it. It's easy enough for the actual data files, but a lot of programs save settings, templates, that sort of thing there and they are harder to redirect. Apologies, I've forgotten it - there's a 4-letter acronym for the Windows settings. I scraped around for an hour trying to find it to change it, but never succeeded. It's got to be in either a folder or the registry somewhere.

FWIW, the OOBE first-time startup for my new Lenovo notebook didn't offer the option to configure the machine with a local account, so I got the full-boat MS account treatment and then got to try to figure out how to unwind it all.

@Winuser I was wrong. I haven't set up a new system since 22H2 was released and was unaware that OOBE for 22h2 has eliminated the option of save files to this PC if one has Home. It is still there with Pro. Please accept my apologies.

The biggest travesty in all this is the simple lack of it being a straightforward process to create a local account during setup so users are not aware that it can be done in order to bypass all the OneDrive crap. Therefore, it seems to me the easiest and best solution for the folks in this situation is:
1. copy any personal files to an external drive
2. create a new local account with administrative privileges
3. log out of MS account
4. login to newly created account
5. copy the data from external drive into new local account
6. From new account stop Onedrive from autostarting or uninstall onedrive
6. Delete the MS account.

The only problem OneDrive has is people's FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) and why the easy answer is to just disable/get rid of it. Once people learn what it is and how to use it, they'll find it rather simple, and very convenient.

Anyway, what you're seeing below is OneDrive backing up the OS desktop items.

Catnip said:

Due to a nasty virus, I had to reinstall Windows. Now, for some reason, all of my Quick Access and Library locations are defaulting to Onedrive. Even the Desktop, as you can see here:

View attachment 54272

I have uninstalled Onedrive and turned off syncing, but I can't get rid of these stupid folders. Even if I delete them and put them back, I still get them as C:\Users\(My name)\Onedrive\Documents for example. Before the reinstall it was just C:\Users\(My name)\Documents or Desktop or Downloads or whatever.

How do I get rid of this Onedrive thing? I do not want my files in the cloud.

Click to expand...

Anyway, I see the latest (non-insiders) version of Windows 11 Pro 22H2 (Build 22621.1344) has changed the OneDrive setting and look, but right clicking OneDrive in System Tray still works to prevent OneDrive from syncing Documents, Pictures, and Desktop. Simply right click OneDrive, click the gear icon (settings), click Settings,

Under "Backup important PC folders to OneDrive" click "Manage" and you will get the "Backup folder on this device in OneDrive". simply make sure those boxes are off (to the left). If you got the older settings panel, just make sure the boxes aren't ticked. Here's mine...



BTW, if you've got files OneDrive can't sync, as I do (I know what the issue is and is fixable), you will be notified as I am.