OneDrive data storage on external SSD

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OneDrive data storage on external SSD

Hello everyone,

My mac mini (245Gb) is too small to hold all of my OneDrive data locally.

So my idea was to have the OneDrive (data) folder kept on a SSD permanently connected to the Mac.

And then to include the external SSD in my time machine backup so that the contents were 1. always available, and 2. backed up to a non cloud device. Seemed logical enough, but doesn't work :(

When I choose the location of my OneDrive folder on set up as being the SSD, all it does is create an alias there and the actual data is stored in Library/CloudStorage/OneDrive on the internal drive of the Mac mini. So the data doesn't get backed up by time machine and isn't stored where I intended.

Have tried suggestions like unlinking the Mac, relinking and changing the location - doesn't work. Have also tried to move the cloud storage folder manually to the external SSD, which also doesn't work.

Would appreciate your help in finding a solution - am stuck with OneDrive because of the size of the data and the fact I have already paid for it.

It might be that the problem needs to be split into two - the storage and then the backup? Any input would be great.

Best idea I can think of is to have OneDrive running on the old 21.5" iMac (that I'm currently re-using as a second monitor, but does have the HD space). Then share the OneDrive folder with the mini and use another external drive to back up the data using time machine, but surely there's a more elegant solution?

Thanks, Bill

Mac mini

Posted on Apr 5, 2024 5:19 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 13, 2024 7:25 PM in response to Billin_G

It can be done but it can only be done the first time OneDrive is installed. Then it will symlink to the external drive, so it will have to be always available.

There are details here: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-onedrive-blog/inside-the-new-files-on-demand-experience-on-macos/ba-p/3058922

To do this, you would need to uninstall OneDrive and every reference to it. There is a MS tool that will eliminate all Office data, so you would need to use that first. Look for Microsoft_Office_Reset_2.0.0 (or whatever is the latest version). You would have to reinstall all Office apps as well.

I have not done it with OneDrive but I have used the tool a few times when MSOffice has screwed itself up (particularly Teams, etc), so YMMV.

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Answer 2

Billin_G Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 11, 2024 5:36 AM in response to Billin_G

My conclusion is that you can't choose where the OneDrive folder is stored. That's just the way Microsoft designed it. I've solved my problem by running OneDrive on another mac and sharing the folder locally. Backing up the second Mac to TimeMachine.

Saw some other messages on the community suggesting a bootable external - guess that's kind of what I did.

IMO, we all rely too much on cloud servers (I'm guilty also). We have no control whatsover or anything. Which us fine, until that day we need access and it isn't there. My old friend Gary - an IT wiz, used to say that you can never have too much redundancy. For our business all critical files were backed up daily both locally and remotely with drives rotated through the week. He also said a back up is useless unless you randomly check that it actually works. Thanks everyone - posting this in case it helps anyone else...

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Answer 3

Apr 5, 2024 5:58 AM in response to Billin_G

FWIW, Time Machine does backup ~/Library and /Library.

This doesn't solve your space dilemma, you should try checking on the Microsoft forums for a solution to the relocation issue of One Drive. Perhaps it is a bug or perhaps that is just the way One Drive is.

If no solution is found to what you want to do, the only alternative is to not keep all files local. One Drive like iCloud are designed more for sharing data between devices and as "virtual storage" to reduce local disk use.

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