OneDrive backup whole hard disk (root)

Jarrastafari · 3 Nov 2014 at 17:27

Hi guys, I am reorganising my computer after rebuilding it and have decided to make use of Microsoft's generous OneDrive storage to backup my files to the cloud.

The problem I have is that OneDrive will not allow the root of my hard drive (F:\) - where all the folders are organised - to be assigned as the sync location, if that makes sense. It tells me I must make a folder (e.g. F:\OneDrive\) and set that as the sync location.

I was previously using Google Drive, which had the same restriction I have described. Is there any way around the hard coded restriction (such as folder redirection) or not?

KIA · 3 Nov 2014 at 18:18

http://superuser.com/questions/7249...lder-location-in-win7-to-point-to-mydocuments

Jarrastafari · 3 Nov 2014 at 19:11

No, sorry. I'm trying to get the OneDrive software to accept F:\ as the default OneDrive path. I cannot copy or redirect the folders under F:\ because they contain all the media and documents I own; F:\ drive > C:\ drive.

I did read up on redirecting using the mklink console command as I had for other programs but since OneDrive has been copded into Windows 8.1 this will not work.

Any more suggestions please guys?

Grrrrr · 4 Nov 2014 at 13:56

Not exactly what you're looking for but a couple of work arounds could be:

- set the onedrive folder anywhere you like
- set it to online only
- create a batch file to ropycopy your F:\ drive to the onedrive folder
- set a schedule task to run batch file every x minutes

Or

- reallocate your F drive to another letter, say X
- Set your onedrive folder to: X:\Onedrive
- Share that folder
- Map a network drive to that shared folder and choose letter F

That should mean any links to your original F drive should remain intact.

Disclaimer - I've not tried either of these before!

xbenjiiman · 4 Nov 2014 at 14:53

AFAIK OneDrive runs as a user, meaning it won't have write/modify permissions on the root of the drive.

You could give full control permissions to your user on the drive.

Edit: probably won't work.

Jarrastafari · 4 Nov 2014 at 19:46

Thanks for the suggestions guys, think I'll try this when I get some time.

- reallocate your F drive to another letter, say X
- Set your onedrive folder to: X:\Onedrive
- Share that folder
- Map a network drive to that shared folder and choose letter F