iCloud Drive has deleted all my Documents and Desktop folders

I completely agree with you.

This just happened to me. Lost about 2.4 gigs of data. I was experimenting with iCloud drive and didn't want to actually wait for it to upload 2.4 gigs. I cancelled it, and then all my files were deleted. Just horrible design on Apple's part.

I was experimenting with iCloud drive and didn't want to actually wait for it to upload 2.4 gigs. I cancelled it, and then all my files were deleted. Just horrible design on Apple's part.

And this is a design flaw by Apple because ... ?

If you had waited, or if you did wait, your files will be put back. Impatience is not a virtue.

Good design prevents people from making mistakes. In the case that humans make mistakes (which is inevitable), good design prevents catastrophic results. This is a case of bad design.

Though the modal that appeared did warn that files in iCloud would remain and local files would be deleted, my files were not completely uploaded to iCloud yet -- less than a megabyte had been uploaded. I assumed they couldn't possibly get deleted, since I technically had nothing "on the cloud" and in iCloud drive yet. If somehow they were magically uploaded in that short period of time, then in worse case, I could download them. Instead, all the files disappeared.

Since you mention virtue, I hope you'll take this to heart: being kind and compassionate are also virtues worth practicing.

chrislzm wrote:

Solution: I found the files in my home directory in a directory named iCloud Drive (Archive).

(As I mentioned above in a previous post this exact same thing happened to me. Hope this helps others!)

That is a good point to remember. Any time you turn off iCloud Drive (I do it on a somewhat random basis depending on what I'm testing for this site), it creates an Archive. I had found that those Archives will actually create duplicate Contact entries (at least on my Mac - I don't remember if they were duplicated anywhere else). I had 3 or 4 Archives out there. Once I deleted them, the duplicates went away. But I hadn't thought about the fact that those Archives are a backup as well. Good thinking!

Cheers,

GB

Hi LAC,

Signing out of iCloud will cause an Archive folder to be generated. I have never used the Desktop & Documents option, but any time you sign out of iCloud, you have the option to save the contents of iCloud Drive, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders. It then states that you will find the saved data in file called "iCloud Drive (Archive) in your Home folder". 🙂

It really doesn't give you the option to not do the save. You can un-check the options, but there is no obvious way to not actually proceed with that step. The only buttons on the dialogue box are "Cancel" or "Continue".

Anyway, I just signed out and checked the Archive Folder, and even though I had all of the boxes checked, the only thing that you can see in the folder is the contents of iCloud Drive. But, it is all there.

GB

Why in the world would anyone want their files to be deleted before they were uploaded to another location? That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. I can see asking, once there have been uploaded if you’d like them removed… But to just take them away without even mentioning it is idiotic and I really hope that that’s not the only answer to this guys question .

Completely agree with you.

And if at the least they displayed a warning message that says “Warning: any files in the process of uploading will be deleted”, that would be a 100% improvement over what’s happening right now.

Thanks for joining in on the conversation and being totally insulting. Do you have anything to contribute, or do you just troll forums to see who you can disparage?

Had you continued to read the ongoing conversation, you would realize that a poster brought up the Archive file. And sorry if you don't like it, but if you interrupt any process mid-stream, you are taking a risk that things will be bungled up.

And, as one of the other posts stated, there was a warning indicating that the files would be deleted from the local drive.

A Time Machine backup is all that is needed to restore the information to your local drive. I didn't design the way iCloud Drive works, I didn't design the way that the Sierra set-up works. And, again, they are not "taken away". They are put into an Archive Folder. Probably before the upload is started. I don't know since I didn't turn on Desktop & Documents.

If you want to join in then have some respect for your fellow users. I did not insult anyone. I stated the facts in response to an inflammatory statement made by the original OP. Flaming is prohibited on this forum, so I would suggest that you might want to read the TOU before you post again.

GB

Unless you are the individual that single-handedly invented iDrive and take all criticisms of it personally, I don’t know why you’re even bothering to respond, much less be offended by what I just said.

Apparently you are one of these folks that is it takes offense almost like it’s a sport.

The truth of the matter is, I found a workaround and rescued myself from all my files being completely deleted. It was a horrible situation and would’ve cost me (and two dozen clients) months of work. If you somehow think that’s a great idea, I don’t know what to tell you.

Furthermore, if you are the only person in the world that never clicked on something without first reading the manual, congratulations… but you’re the only one.

Anything else?

Why in the world do you think WE would know? That is how it works. That's how Apple designed it. I have no idea why. And it is against the TOU of this forum to speculate on why Apple does what it does. So please find someone else to take your vexation out on.

GB

We have not at any point discussed Apple's reasoning as to how iCloud Drive works. As I said in the previous post, speculating on why Apple does what it does is against the TOU of this forum. So, there has been no discussion about why.

I responded because your post was directed at me. My name is at the top of your post. It says "In response to gail from maine".

Apparently your one of those folks who think it's OK to be rude, ungracious, and uncivil to anyone you wish on an online forum because you are protected by anonymity. And if you found a workaround, why haven't you been spending your time posting it as a recommendation to the other people on this thread who are having this issue instead of attacking people for no reason?

Have you contributed anything except criticism here? If so, then I apologize, but I'm not seeing it.

GB

Recognizing your mistake, I want to offer condolences.

In my view it is beyond stupid and unconscionable for Apple to EVER remove files from a person's local drive unless explicitly requested to do so. The instructions for iCloud are so poorly written and confusing, and the operation of its removal of files from local drives so vaguely delineated, that the only sensible course of action with regard iCloud is to AVOID IT ALTOGETHER.

Really, get Dropbox plus some other online backup.

JMHO.

Apple should keep copies of all files it chooses to move until it is certain that the users files are correctly returned to the user. The idea calling a "mistake" something user might routinely do (like trying to stop something mistakenly started) as an excuse for badly behaving software is sophistry of the highest order.

Simple, fail safe design. It's what users expect from Apple. And in the case of iCloud, do not get.

In my view it is beyond stupid and unconscionable for Apple to EVER remove files from a person's local drive unless explicitly requested to do so.

Since iCloud is specifically NOT a backup up but is designed and advertised as a syncing service one certainly expects it to do what it is designed to do and that is to reflect every change (addition, deletion or edit) made to one connected device on all connected devices - so by definition deleting form any system is explicity requesting a deletion form every system

It pays to learn how things work rather than assume they work the way you thinking they should - making unwarranted assumptions is always going to leave you frustrated and confused

LN

Sir: I said "unless explicitly requested to do so." This means, since you seem to miss the point, that if I delete it, Apple can/should delete it. If I do NOT delete it, Apple should keep its cotton-picking hands to itself.

I agree it pays to learn and I wonder why Apple doesn't.

Do you ever take off your Apple Hat and think about how thing might be rather than how Apple cobbles them together?

Thanks for your attention.