'Everyone Hates OneDrive, Microsoft's Cloud App That Steals Then Deletes All Your Files' (boingboing.net)
- Reference: 0180533181
- News link: https://it.slashdot.org/story/26/01/07/152242/everyone-hates-onedrive-microsofts-cloud-app-that-steals-then-deletes-all-your-files
- Source link: https://boingboing.net/2026/01/05/everyone-hates-onedrive-microsofts-cloud-app-that-steals-then-deletes-all-your-files.html
Author Jason Pargin recently outlined the problem: Windows updates can enable OneDrive backup without any plain-language warning or opt-out option, and the service then quietly begins uploading the contents of a user's computer to Microsoft's servers. The trouble begins when users attempt to disable OneDrive Backup. According to Pargin, turning off the feature can result in local files being deleted, leaving behind only a desktop icon labeled "Where are my files?"
Users can redownload their files from Microsoft's servers, but attempting to then delete Microsoft's copies triggers another deletion of the local files. The only workaround requires users to hunt down YouTube tutorials that walk through the steps, as the relevant options are buried in menus and none clearly describe their function in plain English. Pargin compared the experience to a ransomware attack.
[1] https://boingboing.net/2026/01/05/everyone-hates-onedrive-microsofts-cloud-app-that-steals-then-deletes-all-your-files.html
Been there.... done that. (Score:5, Informative)
I've had exactly this scenario happen, but on a fresh install of Windows. The worst part at the time was that Onedrive creates a bunch of 'virtual' directory structures and locations so nothing was stored where it was supposed to be, and in fact was encrypted / hidden so that you couldn't actually use file explorer to browse to it.
OneDrive is a pernicious virus created by Microsoft that intentionally steals your data then limits your access to it. I am forced to use Microsoft at work. Now, at home, I immediately use debloating tools to remove OneDrive from every aspect of my computer.
Their attempt to obfuscate save locations in their office software so that it automatically saves to OneDrive locations instead of to the local computer is equally pernicious, intrusive, and frankly disgusting. They have made it very difficult to navigate to something like "desktop", and require multiple clicks to do so.
MSWord.... errr. .. Microsoft Office.... err.... Office..... err.... Microsoft 365.... errr..... Microsoft Copilot.... Oh hell. Whatever. It's a steaming pile of crap that should be ripped off computers whenever it is found. Hell, Google's office suite is less anti-user/consumer than Microsoft's steaming pile of crap.
Re: (Score:1)
makes me so fucking angry... i mean it's already obviously illegal under existing laws, except that the legal system is too fucking stupid to recognize it
it's called theft, and just because it's happening on a computer doesn't mean that doesn't apply. it's in my house, you're not allowed to come in and take shit. Words cannot describe the level of contempt this deserves
Re: (Score:2)
Ran into the same thing with a friend's computer that was glitching, I went in to try and get as much data off it as I could in case it finally died and found exactly what you describe:
> a bunch of 'virtual' directory structures and locations so nothing was stored where it was supposed to be, and in fact was encrypted / hidden so that you couldn't actually use file explorer to browse to it.
And it had uploaded a large amount of her personal files, financial, medical, you name it, to some Microsoft cloud server somewhere without ever telling her. The closest thing I've seen to what it does is various types of ransomware. Dunno why they went to the trouble of implementing all this stuff, they could have just lic
Not really... (Score:2)
OneDrive wouldn't really be an effective synchronized cloud storage service if it didn't replicate a deletion.
Rather than resolving the issue by deleting files and expecting it to magically know that you're only looking to delete the online copies, you need to make sure all files are kept locally and then disable the backup (or remove your account from OneDrive). It won't delete the local files then.
I'm not defending Microsoft's pushy attitude at all; that sucks.
Yes, "everyone" (Score:2)
> This looks a lot like a Windows-exclusive problem. Everyone else ought to be fine.
No, [1]everyone [youtube.com] hates it.
I, a macOS user, hate it even more, because I'm stuck having to manage MS' bullshit on relatives' computers.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74BzSTQCl_c&t=10s
Re: (Score:2)
It took a decade, but my family now believes I, a career information technology worker in my 40s has no idea how windows works.
They now buy a mac or they get help from someone else.
garboin, garboot (Score:1)
destroying their product one stupid idea at a time
cloud services, generally, are retarded at the consumer level - i can manage my own files, thanks fuckheads
ai is more tard shit
seriously macroshaft, be less bad, yeah?
Sanctioned ransomware (Score:3)
> Pargin compared the experience to a ransomware attack
Good. Because that's exactly the way it behaves, and needs to be called out as.
Hate it (Score:2)
My wife is a professional and requires backups of her electronic documents, and health regulations require that if you use a cloud backup that it be stored only in the same country, so rather than use cloud backups we opted for backing up to a local server and swapping drives offsite. Discovered almost immediately that we weren't backing up her actual work files because OneDrive had helpfully turned itself on and stored them in the cloud anyway, and then moved them out of the real My Documents folder and p
As a long time Windows user... (Score:2)
I have long ago moved my personal folders OUT of the stock provided directories (photos, documents, etc), initially out of convenience as I had a D: drive and wanted to keep stuff there rather than on the OS drive, but more recently it's been advantageous to stop MS from snooping around and trying to auto index my content for personal reasons or even auto-move it to OneDrive.
The most irritating thing about this is the repeated advertisements on the start bar that I can't block (Hey! LIssen! Time to backup
OneDrive is their AI vaccum (Score:3)
What problem does OneDrive actually solve?
The only reason Microsoft wants to force OneDrive to be active, really boils down to them needing more content for AI. If the goal was just safe remote storage, the language, service, and support would be clear, clean, and easy to navigate, which it's not. Then you have the issue where OneDrive can turn itself on, why? If you turned it off, there is no, absolutely no, condition where it makes sense for it to self-enable, for the sake of the user. If OneDrive was for the user, and for some kind of remote storage / backup / document safety, it would be Opt-In, disabled by default, and a secondary storage system. It certainly wouldn't vacuum up files, and turn folders into cloud storage drives, without consent. It wouldn't delete your files when you turn it back off, and it wouldn't get in the way and make you want to punch your screen constantly.
It is clearly an AI vacuum, they need more data, you have data, they'll take it without meaningful consent. Meaningful consent, not a footnote under 100 pages of legal nonsense. Meaningful consent, where any legal terms, are short, relevant, and clear, so they know you can't be confused as an average user. Oddly enough, that is the opposite of any Microsoft terms and conditions.
Re: (Score:2)
OneDrive has been around a lot longer than the technology being marketed as AI.
It doesn't delete your files when you turn it off either. At least, it never has in my experience. When you disable OneDrive backup, it clearly asks you where you want the files to be kept. If you remove your account entirely, it leaves all local files in place. I find it really interesting that the TikTok at the root of the original article has no demonstration of the supposed behavior. It's just some dude ranting. I'd really li
Re: (Score:2)
I've seen it delete files, several times. In one occurrence it changed a user's filenames to be numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, etc... in place of the proper names, then corrupted them. That was ~12 months ago, he disabled OneDrive because it was causing really weird behaviour and messing with Office 365 online, which is what caused that number issue. I have four VM on this computer that all had the delete issue happen, not sure why, but within the last year I've seen each of my Windows VMs delete the files when dis
My solution (Score:2)
This sort of thing is why I have a folder "NotOneDrive"
Corporate Lawlessness (Score:3)
No one sued, so, it didn't get fixed.
Windows only problem (Score:1)
The funny part of this is - OneDrive on MacOS is great. Seamless. Runs in the background. No issues. OneDrive on Linux - also great! Seamless. Runs in the background. Totally invisible. Never given me ANY issues at all.
https://github.com/abraunegg/onedrive
OneDrive is only bad on Windows.
It would be tragic if it wasn't so terribly funny.
my \WORK drive (Score:2)
I have for decades created and used the folder c:\work to store all my data. I also backup my c:\work to a Linux SAMBA server on my home network. . I do not want ANY company digesting my information and to train their AI or try and sell me shit.
40 year MS user here. (Score:2)
I need a new computer and it is definitely going to be a Linux machine.
It's true (Score:5, Insightful)
This is why it's so important to use Windows with a local-only login, if you must use Windows.
Re:It's true (Score:5, Interesting)
They're continuously making it harder to set up a new Windows computer without a Microsoft account. At this point, someone without extensive experience and patience would be unable to do it.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, they're making it almost impossible to do, but you can set it up with a Microsoft account then immediately create a local-only account, if necessary.
Re: (Score:1)
Really? I have done just fine: what I do is have OneDrive (and Google Drive) as the default locations for my data. There have been occasions when I've had to move things from one laptop to another, and having it all on OneDrive saves me the trouble of moving things there. Only thing I have to do is install the applications that I used on the old computer over to the new one. Oh, and I back all of that up on an SSD, just in case....
The other thing that people miss is that OneDrive is not a backup: it's
Re:It's true (Score:4, Insightful)
Are you really trying to defend MS and the behavior descried in the TFA here? Ridiculous.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not defending anybody: just describing how one can have a workflow that easily gets around it
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The TikTok that prompted the original article doesn't provide any screenshots, and I can't replicate the behavior he says happened. If you disable OneDrive Backup it clearly and simply asks you where you want to keep your files - online or local.
I understand everyone wants to hate the evil empire, but there are plenty of legitimate reasons to do so. You don't have to make stuff up.