Windows 10: OneDrive Sync Issue

Every time OneDrive starts, it puts this file into the OneDrive folder. When you shutdown your PC, or shutdown OneDrive, it is deleted by OneDrive.

I don't know what is does, but it's a file OneDrive needs. I also saw it in my folder and wanted to delete it, when I noticed I couldn't do it. Because I thought OneDrive was using it, I shutdown OneDrive to get access to it, but noticed it was deleted by OneDrive itself the moment it shut down.

BTW, today I noticed it was a hidden file, I'm not sure it was hidden before yesterday's update.

But, I think you don't need to delete it. It isn't uploaded to the server. However, it is needed by OneDrive to work properly... I guess. *Wink


BTW: I also had two OneDrive folders showing in Windows Explorer. I deleted the empty one, because OneDrive wasn't doing anything with it. The one that remained, it still labelled SkyDrive. *Smile

 

Hello Johnml, as you can see, we're trying to figure out the issue so you could keep and eye on the thread what happens.

Anyway your issue sounds different from mine so you'll need to create your own thread for your specific issue as mine deals with a single unknown file that's reading 0 (zero) mb.

That said, if your OneDrive says it's downloading 195mb, and you state "Onedrive sync has sync'd all the other folders (picture folders) with the exception of the Documents folder" then it sounds like you have legitimate files that are stuck in download. That said, you might check the folder contents and see what's not getting downloaded. Maybe delete those files and try again. Back up the files before deleting, then drop them back in the folder and see if they sync.

But again, you may need to create your own thread for your specific issue.

Thanks.

 

I'm out of ideas. Very strange and interesting issue.

A theory, no idea if this works: what if you copy the full contents of the OneDrive folder to an external storage, then copy and merge the contents of the SkyDrive folder to the same OneDrive folder now on external storage. Delete the problem file on the folder you created, not on OneDrive on C: drive.

When done, go to OneDrive settings and stop syncing, sync nothing. Let OneDrive process the changes, when done reboot. After the reboot go back to OneDrive settings, now enabling the sync, syncing everything. When OneDrive starts to sync your files from the cloud, speed the process up by copying your backup OneDrive folder from external location back to it's real place on C: drive.

This might work if, as I believe, you cannot delete this file as long as OneDrive is on, syncing enabled and OneDrive is trying to sync it but when the file is "out of its context" in an external location not connected to OneDrive it might be possible to delete it.

I use this method when reinstalling; I have huge OneDrive folders because all my user data is saved to OneDrive. Syncing might take a few days when you sync a few hundred gigs. When I want to reinstall, I will copy the full OneDrive from my user profile to an external USB3 drive, format my disks, reinstall, set up OneDrive and then copy the backup OneDrive folders back to their real place to speed up the sync process. With a few hundred gigs and USB3 storage even this process takes a few hours but it's considerably less than if I let OneDrive sync everything from cloud every time I reinstall.

Thinking of this OneDrive backup system I do every time I want to reinstall, I thought it might even work when used to this purpose, deleting a stubborn file.

I give you a hint: Check the screenshot again (Hyper-V) *Wink

 

I've just had the same issue - OD stuck at syncing my Images folder. The solution turned out to be fairly simple:
1. Disconnect the OD service (right-click on the tray icon, select "Settings", then "Disconnect")
2. Copy the now disconnected OD local subfolders somewhere
3. Delete the entire OD local folder
4. Clear the MS Office Sync cache (if you are using it)
5. Reconnect the service, choose which folders to sync. Do not sync the root of the hierarchy.

The OD folder structure should now recreate itself and resync. Once it's done, you can restore files and folders saved in step 3.

The above worked for me, let us know if it works for you too

 

@ Kari,

I'll give your suggestion a try, although I suspect the problem file won't copy to another drive as it's "in use by OneDrive"

@ poset,

Please read all my posts again, especially the first one, to get a better understanding of what's going on. Bottom line is when OneDrive is disabled, no matter how, the file in question disappears and can't be found for deletion. What needs to happen is for the file to be active so it can be seen and then somehow be deleted. And when the file is active, it can't be deleted because it says the file is in use. Read my first post, then read the "Didn't work" post.

Thanks.

Guys/Gals, I appreciate the help and welcome it, but please make sure you read and understand the problem before posting as there is nothing standard about this particular issue.

Thanks.

 

I know my suggestion is a long shot. Theoretically it should work, but as you said if the file in question does not copy over to another location, then this is useless.

 

I'm actually tried moving the file once, but got the same message... file in use. Evidently you don't have this file in your OneDrive folder?

I actually thought about deleting the SkyDrive folder and moving the contents into the OneDrive folder created by Win 10, but I'm not so sure that won't cause massive sync problems since everything is sync'd from the SkyDrive folder on the PC. I don't know *Confused

 

Even if you would succeed to delete this file, the next time you start OneDrive, it will show up again.

Like I mentioned before, this file is created by OneDrive the moment it starts. It has some need for this file, but I don't know what it does.

In fact, in Windows Explorer, you shouldn't be able to see the file, if you haven't ticked "Hidden Items".

The fact that the TS OneDrive is constantly updating, must be because of something else. My OneDrive's icon says, "OneDrive - Up To Date", and I also have that file in the OneDrive folder.

 

I also had a OneDrive and SkyDrive folder after the upgrade. However, the program uses the SkyDrive folder, so I just deleted the OneDrive folder. It isn't needed and there is no link to it by the program.

I did this straight away, so I can't say for sure if this is a solution for your problem. But OneDrive is working normally on my systems.

 

I did the same thing but restored it for now. In fact deleting that folder had no effect on trying to delete the problem file in the other folder. I was worth a try though. And yes, it is a hidden file, but I always enable show hidden files on my systems since I like to know what files are there.

Having a need for it is fine and dandy, but when it's constantly trying to sync the file and using needless resources then it’s an issue that needs to be fixed.

I'll continue to try and figure this out.

Thanks.

 

I believe I understand what your problem is. I should have mentioned that I also had the strange orphaned file at the root of the OD folder. In my case dropping the entire OD setup and starting clean helped. Correct me if I am wrong, but I haven't seen you trying.

 

Well I'm not sure what happened but the issue is now solved. This is what I did...

After backing up my contents (the .849C file didn't copy as I suspected it wouldn't), I disabled OneDrive and deleted the "SkyDrive" folder. Rebooted and ultimately had to recreate a new OneDrive folder since OneDrive complained it couldn't find one.

During the setup, OneDrive notified me that "there was already a folder on my system named OneDrive" (remember I had two), and that I could create a different folder with a new name or merge my contents into the existing folder, I chose to merge. After signing into my account, OneDrive started syncing my files... and the .849 folder reappeared.

To keep from having to re-sync 5 gig of data, I copied the backup contents back into the folder. Once OneDrive finished syncing I got a notification that all files were up to date, and syncing stopped.

So, even though the .849 file is still there, and can’t be deleted, OneDrive is no longer trying to sync since all files are up to date...






BTW I now only have one "OneDrive" folder on my PC since the one named "SkyDrive" was deleted by me, thus the re-creation/merge step.

Anyway this brings up some interesting theories…
1- The file in question is actually needed by Windows 10, and thus why it is hidden and can’t be moved or deleted. Kari can you check and see if you actually have this hidden file?

2- That there may have been something weird going on with the "SkyDrive" folder that threw OneDrive for a loop and thus the continuous sync.

3- There may have been a troubled file else where that was causing sync issues, and thus deleting the folder (SkyDrive) and its contents solved the issue.
All I know is that the continuous sync issue is gone. YES!!!

Thanks to everyone for their help, especially Kari – very much appreciated *Smile

Peace *Cool

 

Thanks sygnus21 I think I figured it out.

 

What did you do to figure it out?

 

You know I'm not really sure, I tried so many things. Basically I figured it must be a corrupt or stuck download so I deleted the folder in Onedrive on my PC. I then freaked out because the data on Onedrive web was gone. Fortunately it was in the recycle bin online and I also had a Carbonite backup of the files. The most annoying problem was the stuck download but that is somehow resolved along the way. Thanks for your help and interest.
John