What steps are needed to delete OneDrive?
What steps are needed to delete OneDrive?
I opened OneDrive, disabled its startup option, then from startup,
Right click taskbar>Task manager>Startup Apps,
removed the app there. Next, I uninstalled it via Control Panel>Uninstall a program.
I wouldn't modify registry entries since it's often how the OS crashes.
My 2 cents.
Thanks for your reply. I think I'll have to reinstall so I can remove it again. It's uninstalled but there are still traces left in the documents and pictures folder. Also, it causes issues with trading software. I can't have that. Windows really pushes you to use it. Plus, I've tried a rev installer—I trust them, they never had problems before.
I don't think I can manage to mess with the registers.
Right now I'm setting up the hard drive for my new PC so I can experiment with it. Everything is working just fine except this one drive which is really annoying.
Thanks again for your advice.
I also encountered OneDrive as my adversary! 😡
The problem lies in how you handle its removal—be careful, or you risk losing files managed by OneDrive. It involves several steps, usually taking around an hour to fully eliminate it and confirm no data is lost. OneDrive stores your files on its own system, blending into your folder structure, but unless you want local backups, it only retains links to your files on the computer, not the actual files themselves. That’s where the risk comes in. Act decisively against OneDrive before trying to recover your data, or you’ll lose everything.
You must tell OneDrive you want copies in your own folders, not just within the OneDrive folder on your PC. After confirming local copies exist in both your folders and OneDrive, disable syncing. Only then can you safely remove OneDrive.
I got help from another forum member, but the rules here don’t allow sharing direct links. You’d need me to message you privately, sending the detailed instructions I used to recover my files and permanently remove OneDrive from both of our systems several months ago. I’m not copying those steps now, as I’m nearly 73 years old!
Best regards,
Phil
Not sure about handling the pm. I already have a lot of confusion about reinstalling this time, trying to avoid using another drive if it's still an option. They say we need to close the choice during the next upgrade and use one drive with our Microsoft account. It's getting harder as I get older.
I managed to uninstall a drive after experiencing strange behavior from programs.
Just a couple things to consider.
You don't have to use One Drive. Nothing forces its use. Just ignore it.
You don't have to log in to Windows via a Microsoft account. Use a local account for your day to day use instead.
There really is no compelling need to muck around with registry hacks and tweaks.
I'm just setting up a new PC with Windows 11. The old one still works but isn't compatible with Windows 11. I might reinstall eleven and skip Microsoft and one drive, assuming they'll allow it. Some apps don't work well on the One drive.
These could be used in various contexts, but I haven't encountered any examples.
I noticed that turning off one drive halted saving work to the desktop, leaving you with an icon to switch to the desktop instead. The app is running using only the desktop slider on that single drive. Nothing else is being saved, and MS seems to be giving up on cloud storage. I don't need it. Local storage is sufficient for me.