Linda S.

Hello all,

Most of my photos are backed up. However, last night I uploaded photos from my recent trip to La Veta, CO. I don't like using OneDrive. I like saving my photos to the hard drive so when the network goes down, I can still access them. Last, I have a Masters in IT and a software patent. I write this not to brag (though it could sound like that) but to share just how confused I am right now because I feel that I should know this. Here's what happened.

We all know that the hard drive has directories and folders. On my computer, there is a OneDrive directory and then a separate This Computer hard drive directory. I received a notice that OneDrive was becoming overly full and would I like to purchase some additional space. No, I wouldn't. So, I deleted the files from OneDrive and thought I would keep the photos in my This Computer Pictures sub-directory. So I deleted the OneDrive photos.

Well, you guessed it. Somehow all the photos located in the This Computer Pictures subdirectory were also deleted. And no, the This Computer/Pictures sub-directory was not also highlighted.

I could have restored them from the Recycle Bin BUT my personality is such that I immediately delete files from the Recycle Bin to have as much as disk space as possible and to not let it become "cluttered" with files that I don't want. 0:(

The good news is that this is a new computer so the files from my previous trips are on on my old computer and also backed up. I am hoping (and will check after I send this ?) that I also didn't have Olympus Workspace set up to delete the files after they are uploaded. Typically, I don't...

So, moving forward, would someone please explain how deleting files in OneDrive also causes the same files to be deleted in This Computer Pictures sub-directory?

I appreciate reading your comments. Thank you in advance. Linda

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

If you don't like one-drive, disable the service and stop placing any relevant files into that folder structure. You seem to have recognized too that emptying your recycle bin should be done only periodically, and well after any problems have been recovered. Both one-drive and the recycle bin are things you completely control. How and why Microsoft software behaves is best addressed to Microsoft technical support.

Quixdraw Loc: x

I am far from expert, managed to do something similar. My Wife who is a Computer person, managed to get all my photos back using a product called Wondershare Photo Recovery. Apparently it is still out there and offers a free trial. Can't shed any light on your situation, never figured out how I created mine!

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

As far as I know I never configured onedrive and so there should be nothing in it but a link to the app. Your files may have been synched somehow. Sucks.

ejones0310 Loc: Tulsa, OK

When I installed Microsoft Office, it also installed OneDrive. Part of OneDrive is a folder on your computer that is also called OneDrive. They are linked to each other so that what you save, rename or delete on one also happens on the other. Since the photos you lost were in the My Pictures folder, I can only think that you must have moved the OneDrive folder into My Pictures, or directed the installer to put it there and then renamed the folder to something else. Later on you forgot that you had done that, but the software still keeps them linked regardless of what you name the folder on your local hard drive.

jdtonkinson Loc: Red Wing, MN

Sorry to hear that you lost photos. O don't use one-drive. I do not like the way its tied into the file structure.

I am an Amazon prime, which gives me unlimited photo storage. So I make a habit of backing up my photos to Amazon early in the process to have acrecovery point

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Isn't "OneDrive" directory separate from the directory where you store your images on your hard drive?
I've no idea why deleting files in the OneDrive directory on your computer would also delete the files that reside in another place. I don't use the OneDrive directory on my system, I simply log in online to transfer/manage files.

I never empty the trashcan until I'm done and satisfied with the process I was doing. Plenty of space on my hard drive.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

WOW.
SO, so glad I don't use the local (to my computer) OneDrive directory!

Understanding how stuff works is half the battle.
Knowing when to use what is the other half.

Linda S.

Thank you CHG_CANON. It appears that the latest version of Photoshop Elements has OneDrive as the default and there is no drop-down system to select something else.

You said exactly what my husband said about having MS address it . . . I thought that given so many here use photo editing software, they might have run into this issue.

I just clicked the option to **not** having One Drive start-up when I start Windows. I didn't think that it would be an option - just something else MS added. Thank you very much for the suggestion. All the best, Linda

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I'm just encouraging you to not be the mouse, be the hammer!

There's a lot of material in the responses to google: one drive step up , maybe you'll find something faster than an MS chat.

Linda S.

Thank you so much quixdraw! It is running now. I appreciate your finding this out for me! I had forgotten that files are not truly "lost" until they are overwritten with new data or if the drive is defragged. All the best, Linda

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Linda S.

Linda S.

Thank you lamiaceae for your comments. There is a drop-down box for OneDrive by right-clicking and then selecting settings. Once there, you can deselect having OneDrive start up when Windows is started.

I didn't think of that but because of all you wonderful people, I have a solution!! All the best, Linda

Linda S.

Thank you ejones0310 for your comments. They were separate directories and to the best of my knowledge, I did not link them. Perhaps Windows did when I uploaded Windows 10. Software, in general, is just getting too bloated!

Wondershare, recommended by quixdraw, is running now. Fingers crossed! All the best, Linda