First applicable release: 9.0.4761.1
Applies to: OneDrive (personal and work/school) with Files On-Demand, and other Windows Cloud Files providers (for example Dropbox, Box, Google Drive for desktop).
Overview
OneDrive Files On-Demand keeps some files only in the cloud. They appear in File Explorer with a cloud icon ("Available when online") but their data is not on the local disk. DATASTOR protects the data that is on the local disk; it cannot download cloud-only files during a backup.
Starting with version 9.0.4761.1:
- Cloud-only files are skipped automatically. They are not read or downloaded, and they no longer cause "access denied" errors (such as error 395) in the task log.
- One summary warning lists the folders that contain cloud-only files (up to 25) and how to include them.
- The task summary shows the number and size of cloud-only files skipped.
- Files that are on this device are protected normally, including files OneDrive has downloaded and files marked "Always keep on this device".
- Files stay protected after OneDrive frees them. When a file that has already been backed up is changed to cloud-only ("Free up space"), it is recorded as unchanged and stays in every new recovery point. This applies to Custom plans and to Everything plans.
- No unnecessary re-reads. OneDrive changes internal file information each time it frees or downloads a file. DATASTOR uses the file's modification time to detect changes in the OneDrive folder and ignores these provider changes. The task log shows a note for each OneDrive folder it finds:
Files under cloud sync root "<folder>" use the modification time for change detection ...
Note: With OneDrive for work or school, a file that OneDrive downloads again may be reported as Changed in the next backup. DATASTOR re-checks the downloaded copy against the backup; no additional storage is used.
What cannot be backed up
A file whose data has never been on this device since it was last changed (for example, a file edited in the browser or on another computer and not downloaded here) cannot be backed up until it is downloaded. Older recovery points keep the versions that were backed up earlier. Running the backup as an administrator or as the user does not change this: the backup does not download files from the cloud.
What the OneDrive icons mean for your backup
The cloud, green check, and solid green circle icons tell you where a file lives (cloud or this device); the sync arrows, red X, and other icons tell you what is happening right now. For Microsoft's full list of icons, see What do the OneDrive icons mean?.
| File Explorer icon | Meaning | Backup behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Blue cloud | Online-only: stored only in the cloud | Skipped (not downloaded). If it was backed up earlier, it stays protected in new backups. |
| Green check in a white circle | Available on this device (may be freed later) | Backed up. Stays protected after OneDrive frees it. |
| Solid green circle with white check | Always keep on this device | Always backed up (recommended). |
| Red circle with white X | Sync error: OneDrive cannot sync it | Backed up if it is on this device. The backup may be the only copy of changes OneDrive could not upload. |
| Padlock, or gray circle with a bar | Blocked from syncing (for example, .pst files blocked by your IT policy) | Backed up (it is on this device). The backup may be its only copy. |
If OneDrive is paused or you are signed out, files on this device are still backed up and online-only files are skipped.
Option 1 — Keep OneDrive files on this device (recommended)
To make sure every OneDrive file is protected, keep a local copy:
- In File Explorer, right-click the OneDrive folder (or a subfolder).
- Select Always keep on this device.
This requires enough free disk space for the folder. To apply it to all users, an administrator can turn off Files On-Demand with the OneDrive Group Policy setting Use OneDrive Files On-Demand (Disabled).
Option 2 — Exclude OneDrive from backups
You can still exclude the OneDrive folder, for example when its files are protected in the cloud by another product, or disk space is limited.
For Custom Plans
Access Plan Settings and navigate to the Selections tab. Browse to the OneDrive folder path at C:\Users\[username]\[OneDrive folder] and uncheck the selection.
For Everything Plans
Edit the SystemExcludes.xml file located in C:\Program Files\DATASTOR\DATASTOR Shield Enterprise Protection Server\Server\Configurations and insert the following lines after the <root> line (the last two lines in the sample below). A complete sample SystemExcludes.xml with the OneDrive exclusion already added is attached to this article.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<root>
<!-- Custom Exclusion of all OneDrive user folders -->
<exclude name="OneDrive" path="C:\Users\*\OneDrive\" subfolders="true"/>Modify the path entry to match your OneDrive folder name, using wildcards for multiple users if desired. Save the edited file to:
C:\Program Files\DATASTOR\DATASTOR Shield Enterprise Protection Server\Server\Configurations