Forum Discussion
SharePoint files deleted and unrecoverable
I would like to know, if anyone else in Microsoft world had ever made the same experience like I have just made lately Microsoft OneDrive for Business and SharePoint.
In June I realized, I could no longer access my files on OneDrive for business and SharePoint site. All my files somehow disappeared from one day to another. after a kind of update.
When I discovered and opened support ticket, I got no solution for my data until now. The support team keep repeating, they can not help, data are deleted and tenant reinstalled. But I don't remember having reinstalled the tenant myself.
The files and folder on my local drive are there but not accessible.
They are shown with size 0 and grayed out.
Has anyone faced the same issue lately?
i would really appreciate if someone has a solution and could share it.
Thank you in anticipation
Because it's almost impossible to delete a file in SharePoint.
So to delete a file you need to do a hard delete using powershell. If you delete files regularly you can always restore them from the recycle bin and then first and second stage bin.
So your data is saved for atleast 93 days after deletetion.
Another option is to make the support restore your tenant to a previous point but then your data that you've created after that point will be deleted. Imaging restore from a on a laptopFor example for data that needs to be saved 10 years, there is retention labels that makes it not possible to delete data, so if you tag it with that label, the settings for that label will apply for the item
4 Replies
AFigah While there's no absolute assurance that Microsoft can recover the lost data, there are some avenues you can explore in an attempt to retrieve your files.
As a starting point, it's advisable to check the recycle bin in both SharePoint and OneDrive for Business, as deleted items are retained there for 30 days before permanent deletion. Additionally, it's worth investigating the version history of your files, especially if any modifications were made. You may find a previous version that can be restored.
I recommend reaching out to Microsoft support to inquire if they can assist you in recovering your data. Their expertise may provide insights or solutions that could potentially resolve the issue. In the unfortunate event that data recovery remains elusive through Microsoft's support channels, you might consider employing a third-party data recovery service.
However, it's essential to keep in mind that there's no guarantee of success in this endeavor. For future data loss prevention, it's prudent to implement regular data backups (I use Nakivo) and enhance security practices, such as using a password manager, exercising caution with emails and links to mitigate the risk of phishing attacks, and enabling two-factor authentication on your accounts. These measures can help safeguard your data and minimize the impact of unforeseen incidents.
Hi AFigah,
I am afraid nobody will be able to help you. I would also like do add:
1. OneDrive Sync app
I advise my customers against using Microsoft 365 Desktop apps and the OneDrive Sync app because
- End-users will not always remediate local sync-issues immediately which will eventually turn out into a versioning- and backuphell. I know Microsoft provides the "OneDrive sync health dashboard" but not all customers will deploy this feature or keep track of the overal OneDrive health.
- Accidental (mass) deletion can't be prevented
Please always use the online apps (portal.office.com) or MS Teams.
2. Backup
SharePoint is a sync- and not a backup solution. SharePoint has a soft-delete feature (recycle bin), but backups have to be executed by third-party products such as Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365. Always check that the product can backup all components such as SharePoint list.- Hi Mathieu,
Thank you for the feedback.
Nevertheless, how come Microsoft Developers did not foresee such cases or solution for "disaster recovery"?
So it is a real "disaster" when document libraries are vanished and can not be recovered...
For example in Germany Tax related documents must be kept for 10 years...Because it's almost impossible to delete a file in SharePoint.
So to delete a file you need to do a hard delete using powershell. If you delete files regularly you can always restore them from the recycle bin and then first and second stage bin.
So your data is saved for atleast 93 days after deletetion.
Another option is to make the support restore your tenant to a previous point but then your data that you've created after that point will be deleted. Imaging restore from a on a laptopFor example for data that needs to be saved 10 years, there is retention labels that makes it not possible to delete data, so if you tag it with that label, the settings for that label will apply for the item
