Issue with adding a folder on external drive as onedrive

Ashish527 

Microsoft OneDrive has had some restrictions on using external drives for OneDrive folders, primarily to ensure data integrity and performance. However, there are some workarounds you can try to set up OneDrive on an external drive. Here are the steps to achieve this:

Method 1: Reassign the OneDrive Folder

1. Stop OneDrive Sync:
• Click on the OneDrive icon in the system tray.
• Go to Settings (click on the gear icon) > Account > Unlink this PC.
2. Move OneDrive Folder:
• After unlinking, close OneDrive.
• Move your existing OneDrive folder to the external SSD manually if it's not already there.
3. Set Up OneDrive Again:
• Open OneDrive and sign in.
• During the setup, you’ll be asked to select the location for your OneDrive folder.
• Choose your external SSD as the location for the OneDrive folder.

Method 2: Create a Symbolic Link

If OneDrive does not allow you to directly select the external drive, you can use a symbolic link to redirect OneDrive to a folder on your external SSD.

1. Stop OneDrive Sync:
• Click on the OneDrive icon in the system tray.
• Go to Settings (click on the gear icon) > Account > Unlink this PC.
2. Move OneDrive Folder:
• Close OneDrive.
• Move your existing OneDrive folder to the external SSD.
3. Create a Symbolic Link:

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
• Use the following command to create a symbolic link (assuming the default OneDrive folder is C:\Users\YourUserName\OneDrive and you want to move it to D:\OneDrive): mklink /d "C:\Users\YourUserName\OneDrive" "D:\OneDrive"

    4. Restart OneDrive:

• Open OneDrive and sign in.
• It should now follow the symbolic link to the external SSD.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Ensure the Drive is Always Connected: OneDrive may encounter issues if the external drive is not always connected. Ensure the drive is always connected when your system starts.
• Drive Letter Consistency: Make sure the drive letter of the external SSD does not change. Assign a permanent drive letter to your external SSD via Disk Management.
• External Drive Performance: Ensure your external SSD has good read/write speeds to avoid performance issues with OneDrive sync.

Verifying OneDrive Restrictions

If the above methods do not work due to policy changes by Microsoft, you might need to:

• Check for Updates: Ensure that you have the latest version of OneDrive. Microsoft may have released updates that address this issue.
• Review OneDrive Documentation: Visit the OneDrive support site to check for any changes in policies or restrictions regarding external drives.

These methods should help you set up OneDrive to use a folder on your external SSD. The text and steps were edited with the help of AI.

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Hope this will help you.

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