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How Microsoft Extortion Can Lead to Data Loss

Ask Leo!

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⚠️ OneDrive’s “backup” can quietly move your Desktop and Documents into the cloud, fill your free 5GB of storage, and start pushing you to “free up space.” Here’s the scary part: the wrong click can delete files everywhere.

⚠️ OneDrive and data loss
Once OneDrive’s backup “feature” is enabled, you can run out of storage space fast. Deleting files to make more space can lose your data permanently. Options include paying for more space, abandoning OneDrive, avoiding the backup “feature”, and becoming more OneDrive-literate so you can use it safely.

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✅ Watch next ▶ How Do I Recover From Turning the OneDrive Backup “Feature” Off? ▶ How Do I Recover From Turning the OneDrive...

Chapters
0:00 Microsoft Extortion Can Lead to Data Loss
1:00 The conditions required for data loss
2:22 The trigger for data loss
13:00 Understand how OneDrive works
15:51 Solution #1 Pay the ransom
17:10 Solution #2 Stop. Using. OneDrive
16:18 Solution #3 Keep the backup “feature” off
20:00 Solution #4 Learn how to use OneDrive safely
22:02 A word about backing up (of course)

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20 Comments

@askleonotenboom Creator 7 months ago Pinned

✅ Watch next ▶ How Do I Recover From Turning the OneDrive Backup “Feature” Off? ▶ https://youtu.be/xy_8LxY40Eo

@robertanderson6929 7 months ago

According to industry observers, Cloud Storage services represent between 38% to 55% of Microsoft's total revenue. Windows 11 sales accounts for only 11-12% of MS revenue. What they are doing with OneDrive is not an accident.

@AndyM... 7 months ago

Extortion is the keyword here Leo...thanks mate, great video !!!

@StaticJolts 7 months ago

I have lost so much with one drive...it is the 1st program I delete when I buy a new computer

@JasonSteelman-id3bu 7 months ago

Extortion is exactly the correct word. It’s criminal.

@macnottsuk 7 months ago

I left Microsoft and windows over 12 months ago and I never look back I'm a proud Linux users now. It was a bit of a learning curve to start with. But with perseverance, within a month or two you'l be a Linux Desktop master. And have peace of mind when it comes to your data and personal information.

@bufordghoons9981 7 months ago (edited)

The more I watch these videos on Windows, the more I am glad I switched as my primary OS to OpenBSD and Linux circa 2006. I am not forced to do anything with OpenBSD or Linux.

You don't own me
I'm not just one of your many toys
I'm free And I love to be free
(Klaus Nomi, 'You Don't Own Me')

@wulfzige9355 7 months ago

What I see with clients on a very regular basis is they purchase Office 365 Home since it shows up to 6 people can use it, they then sign everyone into the same account and don't actually share it to different microsoft accounts, then the backup "feature" enables itself, then all the computers end up with all the same stuff on their desktops, pictures and documents folder, everyone's data is all mixed up and people start deleting stuff since they don't recognize it. Then we get calls of data randomly disappearing. When you turn the backup off, everyone is left with cleans library folders with a shortcut stating where your data is. Absolute nightmare. Clients think we can one click and restore the right data to the right computers.

@slomotrainwreck 7 months ago

Yep, I went through that whole thing a couple of years ago, I had to go online to restore from their online trash bin to get it back onto my laptop proper. Pretty scary stuff if those files were critical work-related ones. 😬

@StevenGreenGuz 7 months ago

This happened to me when I retired and migrated from a work computer. My solution was to stop using Windows. I’m now a very contented Linux Mint user.

@BernhardErnst 7 months ago

I had to dual boot because of some software development project. That is when I discovered that a document in the documents folder is not actually on the PC. This was more than six years ago. Ever since then, I specifically stored my documents in a different folder outside the users folder and ideally on another drive.

@BubbleGendut 7 months ago

It’s not a backup service it’s a Sync service. MS are falsely claiming it as a backup service, which, if it was, should include options for incremental as well as file versioning.
Constant nags in windows & Ms 365 to backup is soo annoying as well with no option to disable

@mk-sk3do 7 months ago

The fact that they call it a backup feature in the first place is so devious

@HeinrichChristiansen 7 months ago

For anything you really want to keep safe: Copy it to 2-3 external local storage devices like USB Drives.
2-3 for redundancy = Truly safe.
If you have a bankvault / Fireoproof Secure box,put one in there, if you even nave both, put one in each and keep the third at home. The only truly safe backup.

@jamessimmons8352 7 months ago

When I show friends who accidentally fell for Microsoft’s nag to turn on backup what’s really going on on under the hood, they are truly flabbergasted.

@baritonfelix 7 months ago

A very good explanation. In my workplace, we do use the "backup" feature along with copious storage allocation. This makes it possible to switch to a new or clean installed computer quickly in case the old one fails. I'd never use this for my private files.

@bobbrough1669 7 months ago

Thanks Leo, I fell down the OneDrive hole a couple of years ago and thought it was my mess up. Ever since then I keep extra copies on SSDs for safety. I thought it was just me but now I realise I need to put more effort into understanding OneDrive.

@stratfanstl 7 months ago

Even if for a moment one discounts nefarious intent, this is a perfect example of how those in control of user interface designs are FAILING utterly. Those designing these "solutions" not only suck at creating the visual user interface, they suck at defining the language and metaphor used to EXPLAIN to the user how the "solution" works. And if the user doesn't grasp how the solution PHYSICALLY works (and WHERE their data exists) and the metaphor used to describe that solution doesn't make any sense either, the user interface will NEVER convey the risk being taken by using the tool.