After upgrading to Monterey MS Onedrive folder got inside iCloud

"It's a feature not a bug"

After updating Monterey 12.1, I experienced the same "issues" because of confusion for the change of location of the OneDrive folder. The Apple update followed by a OneDrive update, created the same situation for me.

Applause, to Roger1970 who posted (Nov15,2021) with earlier links...

Here is a January 12, 2022 post on the MSOneDrive Blog:

.... Ankiti Kirti - Inside the new Files On-Demand Experience on macOS:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-onedrive-blog/inside-the-new-files-on-demand-experience-on-macos/bc-p/3106689

Highlights:

• • The technology stack (based on Apple’s File Provider platform) is much better integrated with the operating system
  • The first version of Files On-Demand is built on several pieces of technology that are now deprecated.
  • The new Files On-Demand experience requires macOS 12.1 or later and a volume that is formatted with APFS.
  • With the new Files On-Demand experience, the sync root is always : ~/Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive-Personal.
  • As part of the upgrade, the sync root will be moved to this location. This location cannot be moved or changed and is controlled by macOS.

It is informative if you want details, and explains what MS meant by "Deeper Integration" :) The changes are for features, not an error...

Here is what I found after reading the advice from the posts and playing around after I upgraded to Monterey:

1. I have onedrive in the Library/CloudStorage folder but it doesn't have any data in it.
2. I have all of the files from OneDrive now in the library. Look in your group container folder for a file like this: /Users/xxxxxxxxx/Library/Group Containers/xxxxxxxx.OneDriveStandaloneSuite/OneDrive.noindex
3. I have a OneDrive icon in my finder side bar that is an alias that points to the Group Container folder.
4. After I upgraded, OneDrive began storing files in the cloud not on the hard drive. I selected the whole one drive folder and selected always keep on this device when I right clicked the folder.
5. I also found a write up from Microsoft that said they are "fixing" this problem in early 2022. If you are signed up for preview/insider ring releases, you can get that fix in December. I signed up for insider releases but not sure if that made a difference.
6. Most of my files have re-sync'd with OneDrive but it has been slow. There don't appear to be duplicated files and the only actual data is in the GroupContainer folder.
7. The folders that open from the OneDrive alias in finder on the sidebar open the folders in GroupContainers.

It appears OneDrive is trying to control all file access separately from MacOS. If I delete a file, it doesn't go to trash. Some files will reappear and then have to be deleted again. The deleted files go into the OneDrive trash in the cloud and you have 30 days to recover them before they are totally deleted.

This is a very big change from the way I used OneDrive in the past and how Microsoft is handling the files. The files are syncing from the mac to onedrive in the cloud and back as well as across to my other devices.

My MacBook pro 16 2019 intel laptop hasn't seen any of these changes when it was upgraded to Monterey so this must be an Apple silicon specific issue.

Microsoft is claiming to be fixing this but not sure what that will be. Functionally, I can use the onedrive folders in finder on my M1 mac the same as before but the actual data is stored in a different location. Not a trust/security building feature for Microsoft but so far not catastrophic.

Hope this may help...

Thanks to Rodger. His solution works for me.

My steps are 1) I unticked the box for System Preferences-Apple ID-iCloud-iCloud Drive-Options-the desktop and documents folder (not the whole iCloud Drive) 2) quit Onedrive 3) reset the onedrive using the Terminal command file under ‘Resources’ folder. 4) Delete all onedrive folder and files under cache, library, and user/library. 5) empty the trash 6) restart the Mac 7) install onedrive standalone version (not the insider one). 8)re-login. Everything seems to be alright after that.

It looks to me that the issue seems to be caused by a crash of between the Onedrive App and iCloud Drive (and/or Apple’s file system). I don’t know how it crashed but after deleting and restalling the app so many times I notice Onedrive did crash. For example, there was once I downloaded a file from Onedrive (an on-demand file) and as soon as the download began, the Onedrive icon on the top right disappeared and then re-appeared after 3 seconds. I guess the app restarted itself. When this happened, the icons and links all became messy and all files became offline/downloading. (I was able to open them or download them even if the status icons were messy). There was another case that I downloaded a small file and somehow Onedrive restarted itself again but everything turned out alright. However after that I tried downloading more files, the same errors and mess came back. So, as you can see, it is possible that the app may turn normal itself, dependent on how it crashed. I even tried waiting for a whole night to see if these files will actually be downloaded and the 'downloading' icon will change. Unfortunately nothing changed.

I also tried installing the app from the App Store. However, the one installed from the App Store directly simply doesn’t come with the Files On-Demand option and everything appears disconnected from the first second.

I was able to get my problem fixed--Here is what happened

I talked to a Microsoft specialist and he had not seen this problem before, he suggested reinstalling OneDrive as a solution.

Here is what I did:

1.made a copy of the files in the various OneDrive locations to an external hard drive so I have them safe.

2. Signed out of OneDrive, removed the app and Deleted ALL the OneDrive files in the many Library folder. This was a bit tedious looking for onedrive or microsoft.onedrive files. Not sure if I needed to do but did it anyway. There were lots squirreled away. Then finally took a breath and deleted the actual document files in the CloudStorage folder and the Group Container folder. There were two virtually identical sets of data. 2X the 202.3 GB of data files.

3. Installed a fresh copy of MacOS 12.1

4. Downloaded a new copy of OneDrive and set up a new OneDrive folder to sync.

4.5 Turned off Files on Demand in preferences

5. Let it download files from the OneDrive cloud and sync. I have a fast internet so it "only" took about 3.5 hours to down load 202 GB.

This process actually took less time than digging through the internet to find suggestions.

The clue was a brand new MacBook Air M1 running Monterey out of the box that sync'd with OneDrive flawlessly and didn't create the goofy files in the Library folder.

Must be a problem with the Monterey Upgrade from Big Sur and OneDrive integration…

Hope it stays fixed...and hope this may help.

Stay well

One further update:

The original local OneDrive folder, which is now located in:

Macintosh HD>users>[user name]>Library>Group Containers>XXXXXXXXXX.OneDriveStandaloneSuite>OneDrive - [account name].noindex>OneDrive - [account name]

continues to function as an active OneDrive folder, and contains all of my original data stored locally.

I added a test folder to this folder and it immediately synched to my online OneDrive folder. Files also synched in the reverse direction. Interestingly, this new test folder also showed up in the 'new' (post-Monterey) OneDrive folder listed in the Finder sidebar under 'Locations'. In this folder however the test folder appears as an online folder rather than as a locally stored file.

So it appears that the new (post-Monterey) OneDrive folder listed in the Finder sidebar under 'Locations' provides a synched connection to the files stored in the cloud, but ignores all of the OneDrive files that I previously stored/generated locally, whereas the local OneDrive folder located within >Library>Group Containers contains the full files that I previously stored/generated locally. Both folders now work as OneDrive folders, but if I download files from the cloud into the new (post-Monterey) OneDrive folder, I'm guessing that I would probably end up storing 2 copies of the same file on my local HDD.

The bottom line: The Monterey upgrade seems to have buried my original local OneDrive folder, containing locally-stored data (in my case >400Gb data), 5 layers down in a dark corner of the user folder tree, and instead provided a sidebar OneDrive folder under "Locations" with a different functionality - a folder that looks only to the data stored on the OneDrive cloud, significantly reducing oneDrive performance. Making OneDrive access large amounts of data from the cloud when it is stored locally is bizarre.

For now, as the old local OneDrive folder within >Library>Group Containers seems to be functioning, I have re-added a shortcut to it to my sidebar and will use it as my local OneDrive folder.

Sorry for the long story. Hope it helps someone.

Found on the following on various websites:

https://mspoweruser.com/microsoft-onedrive-arm-based-windows-apple-m1/

(scroll down to Files on Demand on MacOS)

"Files On-Demand on macOS

This year we revamped the OneDrive sync experience in macOS Monterey and for macOS 12 based on Apple’s new File Provider platform to enhance user experience and familiarity. Now, the OneDrive folder will be visible under Locations in the Finder sidebar, providing easy and quick access to all your OneDrive files.

We also worked with Apple to refresh the status icons in OneDrive running on macOS:

• Online only files that don’t take up space on your device are represented by a cloud icon
•  When you open an online-only file, it downloads to your device and displays the icon for a locally available file
• Locally downloaded files that require device space display the always available file icon

This updated experience is currently enabled in the Insiders Ring and would be generally available early next year."

Also, see these websites re Enabling Files on Demand by default, and re the new icons:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-onedrive-blog/microsoft-works-to-ensure-a-great-onedrive-experience-on-apple/ba-p/2400803

"We will also be updating the Files On-Demand experience. OneDrive Files On-Demand, which is enabled by default, helps you view and access all your files, individual or shared, without having to download them and use device storage."

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/save-disk-space-with-onedrive-files-on-demand-for-mac-529f6d53-e572-4922-a585-e7a318c135f0#Category=For_Insiders

So, the relocation of the OneDrive to "Locations" in the sidebar is planned behaviour, as are the new icons and enabling Files On-Demand by default.

I just wish they had implemented the Files-on-Demand switch much more carefully and given users the option of carrying over locally stored OneDrive files into the new OneDrive (or at least some forewarning at installation), rather than abandoning all of this data in systems data. We probably got hammered first as OneDrive "Insiders". I personally have now disabled insider Preview Updates.

Am not surprised in the end that MS are the culprits. It seems that Monterey is not to blame, merely the OneDrive update that is intended to go along with it.. hopefully this gets fixed before too many other users get burned.

This is what I found at Microsoft:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/save-disk-space-with-onedrive-files-on-demand-for-mac-529f6d53-e572-4922-a585-e7a318c135f0#Category=For_Insiders

You can right-click on any folder and select "Always keep on this device". Works fine except for some large keynote-files for which permission-errors are reported. Most annoying.

HI Leonardo

Thanks for posting the updates. The thread on Reddit is a good find and comes as no surprise - we few are not the only ones suffering this problem.

The number of threads on this topic does seem limited though, though so perhaps only some set-ups/ accounts are being affected by this bug? I'm on an Intel processor so I don't think its an M1 silicon issue. However, I was previously allowing "OneDrive Insider Preview updates" - perhaps this was our common issue?

If you can manage it, it would be good to continue to escalate the issue with MS Support. There is clearly a problem for some OneDrive users upgrading to Monterey. When OneDrive simply looses access/fails to register huge amounts of locally stored data its just not good enough. The fact that this data became "System Data" rather than documents per the MacOS was also not good. On the Apple side, I went through at least 3 apple support techs, including senior advisers. The Apple folk were all helpful, and took the time to 1-on-1 screenshare and go through my situation etc. They did at least help find my data and I therefore was lucky enough to make an external back-up of this, before it was summarily deleted by the OneDrive restore, though ultimately the problem created with OneDrive & the Monterey update was never fixed by Apple Support.

After "restoring OneDrive" (per the MS OneDrive support recommendation that you received) and loosing my local data, I'm now 60 hours into trying to restoring my local data. As with the original OneDrive, you have to right click and re-enable "always keep on this device" for every folder you want stored locally. Unfortunately, in the past 60 hours my iMac has only downloaded 44.7Gb - so only a little more than 10% of my previously stored data. To ensure that the OneDrive synching continued without pause during this time, at the outset I temporarily disabled energy saver options, other than "wake for network access". But when I checked my OneDrive this morning it was inactive and had somehow still decided on its own to stop synching! It's hard to fathom why. I had to go into OneDrive preferences >account to start it synching again.

The good news is that, for the folders/files so far downloaded, the functionality of the OneDrive folder located in the sidebar under Locations is fairly similar to the my old OneDrive folder (previously located in the User folder). The cloud/local storage and sharing icons are a bit different, in line with the OS upgrade. But it seems this post Monterey post restore OneDrive folder is once again able to launch locally stored data, without having to download it.

Interestingly the folder in Macintosh HD>users>[user name]>Library>GroupContainers>XXXXXXXXXX.OneDriveStandaloneSuite

>OneDrive - [account name].noindex>OneDrive - [account name], is also repopulating with the data as it gets downloaded. Presumably this is where it is actually stored locally. Under "About This Mac>Storage" this data now shows up as "Documents" rather than as "System Data" as it did after the Monterey update, and the individual files are now visible in the "Manage" storage app, rather than being inaccessible. So this also seems to be working properly.

I just really wish that the OneDrive fix hadn't had to wipe all of the previously stored local data into the bargain. Am guessing that this was bad advice from MS support. There must have been a better solution to get the post Monterey OneDrive to recognize the previously stored OneDrive local data which was, after all, still present. Unfortunately the fix will come too late for me. Damage already done.

Good luck to you and any others have similar issues!

Hi Diasleo,

yes, I agree, the Apple support suggestion of disabling iCloudDrive does not appear to fix the OneDrive issue. And the OneDrive folder at:

Macintosh HD>users>[user name]>Library>Group Containers>XXXXXXXXXX.OneDriveStandaloneSuite>OneDrive - [account name].noindex>OneDrive - [account name]

does lack the function of identifying whether or not the file is stored locally or only in the cloud - though, in my case, most of the files are local. I guess thats the "noindex" part of the file name?

Hopefully MS support can help, but if not an alternative may be to try: turning off OneDrive synching, copy the original local folders/files (stored locally in the folder above) into the new (post Monterey) OneDrive folder to replace the shadow/cloud-based files/folders currently there (without deleting any files/folders that aren't replaced), ensure the OneDrive preference for storing the files locally is enabled for the root folder, and then re-enable OneDrive synching. Also make sure that the OneDrive preference "open at login" is on. In theory, this should ensure that you have a local copy of your OneDrive files, and that the files previously stored locally dont need to be downloaded again. The files should be in a folder with location indexing (local vs cloud). However I haven't tried this yet, and would probably back up my important files before trying..

Would be good to hear what MS support has to say.

Rodger

Here is the good news.

It is possible to reinstall ONLY the MacOS and keep all the files, setting etc intact without requiring the Time Machine back up. Try just reinstalling the MacOS from the recovery screen. There are two options. reinstall the MacOS and erase and reinstall. I did the the reinstall only. To get to the recovery screen, you shut down the mac and restart it plus continue to hold down the power button until the recovery screen appears. I found lots of instructions on how to do this that are better than mine if you search for "reinstalling MacOS on Apple M1 computer."

My back up was corrupted these problems so I couldn't use it. Fortunately, I have another almost identical mac and time machine backup that was good so I had insurance.

The Monterey reinstall was easy and didn't take that long (under an hour and half) and I could see that everything was working.

One thing I forgot to mention, I signed out of Microsoft on one of my Office programs to make sure everything was off before I started this adventure. Just needed to sign in again after it was done.

Everything else was persevered nicely. I have Parallels 16 running with virtual machines too and they had zero problems restarting.

I am still a little amazed it worked as smoothly as it did.

Good luck!!

We’re you able to make the changes to reinstall OneDrive that I outlined below? I found it very tedious to go through every folder in the Library folder and delete all the OneDrive files of any kind to get it clean. May have been overkill but since I did it and checked the option to keep local copies of files, everything is syncing properly.