the entire content in my local Documents folder disappeared

I have a Documents folder on just local C: drive and another Document folder on OneDrive. I usually use the Document folder on OneDrive. But I do have about 12GB of data on the local Documents folder. I was very shocked over the weekend when I found out the entire content on the local Document folder disappeared. Fortunately, I have been using Macrium Reflect to backup my Windows 11 PC and the missing content has been restored. I am now trying to figure out what might have happened.

I am an experienced software engineer and frankly quite surprised by the event. I have a prebuilt gaming PC from Corsair and use it for training AI models, software programming, and photo processing, in addition to daily office work. About 6 weeks ago, this PC was still stuck at Windows 11 Pro 23H2 and I couldn't update it to 25H2, even with the download ISO image. With the ISO image, it stated my PC is not fully compatible with 25H2. My PC hardware is quite up to date, Intel i9-13900K and Nvidia 4090. So I contacted Microsoft online support. Their support person remotely accessed my PC and did the 25H2 upgrade. It seemed to be fine. But 2 weeks later, Windows Update failed. I contacted MS support again and was told that it was a known issue. Upon searching the net, I found that MS has a repair version for download. So I did that and it worked.

I use Windows Security, MRT, and a free version of Malwarebytes for virus control. I have downloaded a few more anti-virus software for double/triple checking. None of them found a virus. So what could be the cause of losing an entire folder?

Welcome to OneDrive.

gunrunnerjohn said:

Welcome to OneDrive.

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Why does this have to do with OneDrive?

vett93 said:

Why does this have to do with OneDrive?

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At the very least, maybe nothing. At most, most likely everything because so many folks don't understand how Onedrive works..

vett93 said:

I have a Documents folder on just local C: drive and another Document folder on OneDrive.

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When you sign in with a Microsoft account, Windows automatically sets Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and Videos user folders to use OneDrive as their default storage location. These folders are NOT on your system drive, but in Onedrive. You can verify a folders default location by right clicking on a folder>select properties>Location tab.

glasskuter said:

When you sign in with a Microsoft account, Windows automatically sets Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and Videos user folders to use OneDrive as their default storage location. These folders are NOT on your system drive, but in Onedrive. You can verify a folders default location by right clicking on a folder>select properties>Location tab.

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What is your definition of "system drive"?

I can clearly see that I have two Documents folders: one is in C:\Users\username\Documents and the other is in Onedrive. But this still does not explain why the content in the Documents folder under my home directory disappeared.

I do not use one drive. After windows installation, Delete One Drive.

Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and Videos and videos are stored on the C: drive.

glasskuter said:

At the very least, maybe nothing. At most, most likely everything because so many folks don't understand how Onedrive works..

When you sign in with a Microsoft account, Windows automatically sets Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and Videos user folders to use OneDrive as their default storage location. These folders are NOT on your system drive, but in Onedrive. You can verify a folders default location by right clicking on a folder>select properties>Location tab.

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Not quite so, Windows only sets default storage to OneDrive if selected to do so. Additionally, OneDrive does store files a user saves into its directories primarily locally indeed and uploads a copy into the cloud which in turns is copied/synchronized onto any additional machine logged on under the same MS account into the exact same directories either on demand i.e. when files are selected for opening or automatically fully if the "download all files" is selected within its settings.

vett93 said:

What is your definition of "system drive"?

I can clearly see that I have two Documents folders: one is in C:\Users\username\Documents and the other is in Onedrive. But this still does not explain why the content in the Documents folder under my home directory disappeared.

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It's a new "feature" of OneDrive in Windows 11 to move the contents of your Local Documents folder to your OneDrive Documents folder. Microsoft has neglected to tell users they have done this. This happens when the Windows Backup feature is turned ON and it's turned ON by default.

TraderGary said:

It's a new "feature" of OneDrive in Windows 11 to move the contents of your Local Documents folder to your OneDrive Documents folder. Microsoft has neglected to tell users they have done this. This happens when the Windows Backup feature is turned ON and it's turned ON by default.

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When did this new "feature" get introduced? But I see the content of my "Local Documents folder" is very different from the content of "OneDrive Documents folder". I checked my local Pictures folder and OneDrive Pictures folder too. They are different as well.

vett93 said:

When did this new "feature" get introduced? But I see the content of my "Local Documents folder" is very different from the content of "OneDrive Documents folder". I checked my local Pictures folder and OneDrive Pictures folder too. They are different as well.

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This new "feature" was introduced with Windows 11. Most people who use OneDrive and don't use the Local Documents Folder never notice a problem. Those that use both Local and OneDrive folders, such as you, see the problem. Once you understand how OneDrive actually works, it's not a problem.

TraderGary said:

This new "feature" was introduced with Windows 11. Most people who use OneDrive and don't use the Local Documents Folder never notice a problem. Those that use both Local and OneDrive folders, such as you, see the problem. Once you understand how OneDrive currently works, it's not a problem.

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I have been using the Win11 dual local and OneDrive folders for years. I believe I understand how OneDrive works. It is just another folder on the C: drive that gets sync to the Cloud. I had been using them in parallel with no issues until recently.

I still have no problems with OneDrive. My problem was with the local Documents folder that disappeared.

vett93 said:

I have been using the Win11 dual local and OneDrive folders for years. I believe I understand how OneDrive works. It is just another folder on the C: drive that gets sync to the Cloud. I had been using them in parallel with no issues until recently.

I still have no problems with OneDrive. My problem was with the local Documents folder that disappeared.

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I well understand. I too have used OneDrive for many years. Microsoft's idea of introducing Windows Backup using OneDrive was not well thought out and has caused a lot of confusion.

Microsoft's decision to move the entire contents of your local Documents folder to the OneDrive Documents folder without telling anyone that's what they were doing was totally wrong. You can't mess with a person's data like that. PERIOD! But that's what they did.

Win7ine said:

Not quite so, Windows only sets default storage to OneDrive if selected to do so.

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No, that is not correct. If one sets up a new computer (or during a clean install) to use a Microsoft account, the default location for documents. desktop. pictures, and videos IS ONEDRIVE. Period. You are no longer given an option to agree or disagree to using Onedrive. You just have to jump through hoops to undo it if Onedrive is not for you.

To not be tied to Onedrive, one either has to set up a local account during OOBE, or, after the new MS account is established, go through the step by step procedure that has been posted many times here to:
1. turn off backup folder syncing,
2. getting the personal folders/files back onto the system drive or another drive in the device (@vett93 the system drive is C: and the location is C:\users\yourusername\foldername)
3. unlinking the account & PC from Onedrive,
4. then uninstalling Onedrive or disabling Onedrive from autostart.

It's the way it is; It's a mess; and Microsoft is not going to back away from their decision that it be this way. Therefore, it is the user's responsibility to do due diligence to understand where their files are and why. It's just as important to handle Onedrive properly or you'll end up in an even bigger mess.

Here we go again!!!
You cannot blame a user's ignorance or naivety for this!
This is blatant, reckless implementation on Microsoft's part and it has to stop!!!

glasskuter said:

No, that is not correct. If one sets up a new computer (or during a clean install) to use a Microsoft account, the default location for documents. desktop. pictures, and videos IS ONEDRIVE. Period. You are no longer given an option to agree or disagree to using Onedrive. You just have to jump through hoops to undo it if Onedrive is not for you.

To not be tied to Onedrive, one either has to set up a local account during OOBE, or, after the new MS account is established, go through the step by step procedure that has been posted many times here to:
1. turn off backup folder syncing,
2. getting the personal folders/files back onto the system drive or another drive in the device (@vett93 the system drive is C: and the location is C:\users\yourusername\foldername)
3. unlinking the account & PC from Onedrive,
4. then uninstalling Onedrive or disabling Onedrive from autostart.

It's the way it is; It's a mess; and Microsoft is not going to back away from their decision that it be this way. Therefore, it is the user's responsibility to do due diligence to understand where their files are and why. It's just as important to handle Onedrive properly or you'll end up in an even bigger mess.

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Is there an issue with what I am doing? I have a set of local folders (Documents, Pictures, etc.) and another set of OneDrive folders (also Documents, Pictures, etc.) They are completely different folders. If I want my files to sync to Cloud, I put them in one of the OneDrive folders. If not, I put them in a local folder.

glasskuter said:

No, that is not correct. If one sets up a new computer (or during a clean install) to use a Microsoft account, the default location for documents. desktop. pictures, and videos IS ONEDRIVE. Period. You are no longer given an option to agree or disagree to using Onedrive. You just have to jump through hoops to undo it if Onedrive is not for you.

To not be tied to Onedrive, one either has to set up a local account during OOBE, or, after the new MS account is established, go through the step by step procedure that has been posted many times here to:
1. turn off backup folder syncing,
2. getting the personal folders/files back onto the system drive or another drive in the device (@vett93 the system drive is C: and the location is C:\users\yourusername\foldername)
3. unlinking the account & PC from Onedrive,
4. then uninstalling Onedrive or disabling Onedrive from autostart.

It's the way it is; It's a mess; and Microsoft is not going to back away from their decision that it be this way. Therefore, it is the user's responsibility to do due diligence to understand where their files are and why. It's just as important to handle Onedrive properly or you'll end up in an even bigger mess.

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Microsoft screwing up OneDrive after decades of its working well had to be some kind of misguided management decision and apparently management will not admit to its being a bad decision.

If you are a OneDrive user (as I am) you can turn OFF Microsoft Backup. That's done in OneDrive Settings. You have to turn OFF Windows Backup for each folder individually.

vett93 said:

Is there an issue with what I am doing? I have a set of local folders (Documents, Pictures, etc.) and another set of OneDrive folders (also Documents, Pictures, etc.) They are completely different folders. If I want my files to sync to Cloud, I put them in one of the OneDrive folders. If not, I put them in a local folder.

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That's exactly how use OneDrive. I turn Microsoft Backup OFF in OneDrive Settings.

@Edwin I don't think you will find many that disagree, but it won't change. It started in 10 but we had an option, been 4 years of it in 11 where they no longer gave the option(without a woraround), and if anything, MS is digging their heels into the Onedrive crap-trap heavier than ever.

TraderGary said:

That's exactly how use OneDrive. I turn Microsoft Backup OFF in OneDrive Settings.

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I renamed my local Documents folder to MyDocuments. Hopefully, OneDrive will have a less chance of messing up my local folders!