Forum Discussion
Symlink Directory Perpetually Shows “Sync Pending” Status
Client uses NAS drive for shared documents in a small office. He asked to be able to access these documents while traveling, so I created a Symbolic Link directory in his OneDrive folder (“%UserProfile%\OneDrive\NAS Files”) pointing to the mapped network drive (S:\). This worked for quite a while, i.e. several years, until recently when the OneDrive status for that directory only is stuck on “Sync Pending” even though the overall OneDrive status says files are synced.
To date, I have tried the following:
- Quit and restart OneDrive app
- Unlink and relink workstation to OneDrive account
- Rename SymLink directory to “NAS Files New”
- Add test documents to directory on both workstation and in web-based OneDrive interface
- Deleted entire SymLink directory from both workstation and web-based OneDrive interface, waited for changes to process, and readded SymLink directory
After the last attempt listed above, the directory partially synced again but did not complete and still shows pending status. Client can access some, but not all, of the needed files in the directory.
Any suggestions for further troubleshooting steps?
Many thanks in advance!
This is a classic OneDrive vs. network drives/symlinks conflict. OneDrive wasn’t really designed to sync symbolic links pointing to network drives, and even if it worked in the past, updates to OneDrive, Windows, or network paths can break the behavior.
OneDrive primarily syncs local files and folders within its designated folder structure, and it isn't fully optimized to handle symbolic links, especially those referencing network locations.
What you can do:
- Stop using shortcuts or links to your network drive (like symlinks).
- Move your important files to your computer’s local storage (like your Desktop or Documents folder).
- Set up OneDrive to sync that local folder.
- Avoid syncing network drives or shortcuts to network storage.
Simple Tipps:
- Use only folders that are stored directly on your computer for OneDrive to sync reliably.
- If you need access to files on your NAS, copy them to your PC first, then sync with OneDrive.
- If you want your files to be available on all devices, keep a copy in your local OneDrive folder, not on network drives or shortcuts.
Additional:
Check for Problematic Files
- Look for files that might cause sync issues:
- Paths exceeding 400 characters
- Files with invalid characters (<>:"/\|?*)
- Very large files (OneDrive has a 250 GB limit per file)
- Temporarily move these files out of the NAS folder and test if sync completes successfully.
Best Practice Recommendation:
For reliable syncing with OneDrive, it's generally best to keep all synchronized data within the local OneDrive folder and avoid symlinks to network drives. This approach minimizes issues related to updates or path changes and ensures consistent sync behavior.Formularende
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
Hope this will help you.
2 Replies
This is a classic OneDrive vs. network drives/symlinks conflict. OneDrive wasn’t really designed to sync symbolic links pointing to network drives, and even if it worked in the past, updates to OneDrive, Windows, or network paths can break the behavior.
OneDrive primarily syncs local files and folders within its designated folder structure, and it isn't fully optimized to handle symbolic links, especially those referencing network locations.
What you can do:
- Stop using shortcuts or links to your network drive (like symlinks).
- Move your important files to your computer’s local storage (like your Desktop or Documents folder).
- Set up OneDrive to sync that local folder.
- Avoid syncing network drives or shortcuts to network storage.
Simple Tipps:
- Use only folders that are stored directly on your computer for OneDrive to sync reliably.
- If you need access to files on your NAS, copy them to your PC first, then sync with OneDrive.
- If you want your files to be available on all devices, keep a copy in your local OneDrive folder, not on network drives or shortcuts.
Additional:
Check for Problematic Files
- Look for files that might cause sync issues:
- Paths exceeding 400 characters
- Files with invalid characters (<>:"/\|?*)
- Very large files (OneDrive has a 250 GB limit per file)
- Temporarily move these files out of the NAS folder and test if sync completes successfully.
Best Practice Recommendation:
For reliable syncing with OneDrive, it's generally best to keep all synchronized data within the local OneDrive folder and avoid symlinks to network drives. This approach minimizes issues related to updates or path changes and ensures consistent sync behavior.Formularende
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
Hope this will help you.
Thanks for the reply, NikolinoDE. I ended up migrating the data in question off of the NAS drive and am now using only the client's OneDrive account.
