Using OneDrive App With Cloud-Based Files Only

[Nuspieds]

I just started to use OneDrive to store some files that I only want available to me online via the internet. I do not want to store them locally or even in a local backup; I only want to store them in and access them from the cloud, period.

I uploaded a couple hundred megs of these files last week and just noticed the other day that they were also saved locally in the C:\Users\...\OneDrive folder. Definitely not what I wanted to happen. I deleted them and then noticed that they also disappeared from OneDrive. Again, definitely not what I wanted to happen.

I can't remember now what options I changed in the OneDrive app, but my current settings are:

• Access all my OneDrive files Offline - off
• Sync files - off
• I'm pretty sure I also clicked the button Make all files online-only

I had used the website to re-upload my files and copies were no longer appearing in the C:\Users directory. Perfect. I can access them via the web no problem, but when I just tried via the OneDrive app, it didn't see the files and it displayed a message at the top that File Syncing has been paused.

So does the OneDrive app only work with local/synced files? The only way to access my files exclusively via the cloud (no local copies) is via the OneDrive website? Or have I incorrectly configured the app options?

Thanks!

 

[zhenya]

Are you sure the files were there or were they just the placeholders that OneDrive uses to allow you to see all your files and folders through Windows Explorer whether they are actually stored locally or not? (This feature is, regrettably, IMO, being removed from Windows 10).

 

[Nuspieds]

Are you sure the files were there or were they just the placeholders that OneDrive uses to allow you to see all your files and folders through Windows Explorer whether they are actually stored locally or not? (This feature is, regrettably, IMO, being removed from Windows 10).

If you mean "there" on my C: drive, yes, they were there taking up that space.

If you mean "there" on OneDrive, yes, they are there and I an access them no problem.

 

[zhenya]

What I'm saying is that the way that OneDrive works on Windows 8.1 is that even if the files are marked as 'online only' they still appear in Windows Explorer and still occupy space on your drive - sometimes significant space as they still need to keep the thumbnails and the file metadata (this is one reason Microsoft states they are removing this feature in Win 10). For all intents and purposes the files appear as though they are on your local computer, and if you delete the 'placeholders' that you see, they will delete the files from OneDrive.

One of the other reasons MS cites is the confusion this can cause.

 

[Nuspieds]

I solved the issue with files appearing and occupying space locally; now they are online in OneDrive only and I can successfully access those files via the web interface.

However, not so via the OneDrive app. So my question is if that is by design or do I have misconfigured options in the app?

 

[Telstar1948]

Frankly, my experience with OneDrive has been confusing at times. I have mine set to keep the files on my SSD and in the cloud. It does this seemingly OK. Sometimes, though, I'll have a backup file on OneDrive, and most times my program will backup just fine. Other times it won't. I've moved some of those to Google Drive with no problems (of course I don't have a copy of that backup on my SSD like I prefer. Anyway, not really on point with what you're asking, but more of a general comment. Maybe these "strange" things that occur with OneDrive from time-to-time is why MS is changing OneDrive to be cloud only. Nevertheless, I've just had some buggy things happen using OneDrive, at times, and at many other times it's performed as expected.

 

[Nuspieds]

Well, I haven't heard otherwise, so I presume that the app does, indeed, only work with local files. As such, I haven't been using it; instead, I use the web-based interface.

I also installed the iPhone app, so that I can have access to my files via my phone, so that has worked out great.