Serious Microsoft OneDrive Problem

I have a serious Microsoft OneDrive Problem. I have a Windows laptop that I have stopped using because of this problem. It runs Windows 10.

I used MS OneDrive to backup all of my data. It worked well. However, one day, when the Wi-Fi was down, I couldn't access my data.

After experiencing this 2-3 times, I deduced that OneDrive did not actually make a copy of my data to the cloud and leave the original on my laptop, it removed the original data from my laptop to the cloud. That is why I only had access to my data when I had wi-fi... Inconvenient, OK, I guess, but workable.

So, I thought, I'll just copy my data to an external drive in case I need it when wi-fi isn't available in the future. So, I tried that. All I got were empty files with the proper file names on them, but no data in them.

Then, I found out that I could tick a box and say, "keep a copy of this file on this computer," or something to that effect. So, I thought, I'll tick that box for each file, then save it to the external drive. So, I planned to "keep-a-copy-of-this-file-on-this-computer" of an entire sub-directory, one file at a time, then copy that sub-directory onto the external drive. Tedious, but I love my data.

However, as I went through the process to keep a copy of each file on my laptop, OneDrive would remove the file back to the cloud.

So, after many attempts, and after many, many, many hours or trying to get permanent possession of my own data from MS OneDrive, I still can only view my data when I have Wi-Fi.

That was about December. I have not used that computer since then. It started acting old and hinky. So, I quit using it.

Now I have a new Windows PC. I have uninstalled MS OneDrive from my new PC, so MS OD doesn't remove my intellectual property from this one.

Has anyone experienced this?

Does anyone know how I can permanently regain possession of my data via my old computer from MS OD? I dare not sign into MS OD on my new PC and risk having my current data removed as well.

Thank you for considering my situation. Paul

Edited by forgiven57, 13 November 2023 - 06:08 AM.

 

Does anyone know how I can permanently regain possession of my data

Use a browser and log into your account and download your files.https://onedrive.live.com/login/

Thank you. I will do that and see how that goes.