Windows 10: How do I get rid of duplicate files/Folders in File Explorer and OneDrive?

Using file explorer how do I delete duplicate files and folders that are already backed up to OneDrive without deleting them from OneDrive itself? My computer is almost completely full but yet I supposedley have everything backed up to OneDrive. Which files can I comfortably delete from my pc without deleting all copies from OneDrive too? Please someone help me?

:)

 

Multiple Duplicate Folders under This PC in File Explorer

After I installed OneDrive when I open up File Explorer (Windows Explorer); on the left side I now see:

1 "OneDrive" with appropriate folders underneath. That is good.

2. Underneath OneDrive is "This PC" with similar folders underneath, also good so far.

3. And below that is my "C:" drive. Standard stuff.

One of the folders I moved to OneDrive is my Documents (C:\Users\Grant\Documents). If memory serves me correctly I just dragged and dropped the folder into OneDrive folder in File Explorer. As a result If you look at C:\Users\Grant\Documents it is now empty
but the content can now be found at C:\Users\OneDrive\Grant\Documents. So now the "Documents" folder is underneath "OneDrive" not "This PC". This is all makes sense.

Here is the strange part. When looking at the left side of File Explorer I quite often see multiple duplicate folders named "Documents" that are under "This PC". If I click on any of them they are duplicates of the same folder under "OneDrive". This problem
is more of an nuisance than anything else. The number of Documents Folders underneath "This PC" folder varies from one (this is what should be there) to about 8 folders. The are all named "Documents" and with same content and green checkmark as found under
"OneDrive/Documents".

If I click on "This PC" on the left side of the windows, on the right side of the window it always shows only one "Documents" folder. So the duplicate files only occurs on the left side of the File Explorer window.

How do I get rid of these duplicate folders on the left side of the File Explorer windows underneath "This PC"? Rather vebose post but wanted to make it clear.

 

Multiple Duplicate Folders under This PC in File Explorer

Hi Grant,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Community. I understand that you are getting multiple duplicate folders for Documents in the left pane of File Explorer. I will surely help you.

I suggest you to exit OneDrive from Task Manager and System Tray, this will stop OneDrive Syncing. Now backup the contents of the Documents folder and delete the duplicate folders. Restart the computer and open OneDrive to start Syncing again. Now drag and
drop the Documents folder to OneDrive and check if you face any issues.

Step 1:

To exit OneDrive from Task Manager follow these steps:

a. Right-click on Task Bar.

b. Click on Task Manager.

c. Under Processes, right-click on OneDrive
and click on End Task.

Step 2:

To exit OneDrive from System Tray follow these steps.

a. Right-click on OneDrive icon in System Tray.

b. Click on Exit.

Hope this information helps. Reply to the post with an updated status of the issue so that we can assist you further.

 

onedrive duplicating my folders...

Hi.

Again, onedrive is going crazy and is duplicating my main folder, full of subfolders. It's locking me out of all my files. I have windows 10, Office 365 home. I paused synch at the moment before I have 1000 copy of my folder, which I can't open anyway!
Please don't ask me any question that will further delay the repair. Simply give me a step by step solution and then improve onedrive so this won't happen again to so many of us. I suggest you also add "onedrive" in the list of "Windows Topics" below since
thousands of users have issues with it.

Thanks

Michel

*** Email address is removed for privacy ***