I'm trying to set up a One Drive backup. The online instructions say to launch the app and click the 'OneDrive Help and Settings' icon (gear wheel). I launch One Drive and I get a File Explorer screen, which has no 'One Drive Help and Settings' icon.I have paid for extra storage space, but I can't seem to access it. I MUST back up my hard drives while they are still healthy. Last time my hard drives failed (both primary and backup were corrupted at the same time!) it cost me almost $2000 to recover my data. Please helpThanks. Neptune48

Neptune48 Hello Neptune! Thanks for sharing your problem, it would be my pleasure to help you! NoteIf you are using Windows 10 or 11, The same method works, But just in case you are using older version... let me know and i do my best. SolutionWhen you click OneDrive It thinks you want to see your already synced files, But its not what you want. So To fix this, click the action icon under in your taskbar and find the OneDrive icon ( In case it was not there, In search box of your Windows... Search for OneDrive and make sure its running ) Once you clicked it , a small white ( or dark depending on your current theme ) screen must appear, Once the screen loaded follow the instructions for backup. ( OneDrive Might ask you for a password to re-login ) TipIf the OneDrive screen didn't appear and the same File Explorer opened after clicking, try right clicking on the icon, And finding the Settings or Open button ( Most likely the settings one is what you need ) If there's anything else, feel free to reply. Thanks Ehsan G.

Ehsan_G Ehsan,Thank you very much for taking the time to answer me. I apologize for the delay in responding to you. I think I have it working—sort of. But the only thing I can sync up to the cloud is the OneDrive folder in my personal Users section. It is much too small to load the entire 128 GB in my external drive, which is what I want to back up to the cloud. I even installed CBackup, but it is the same. It won't allow me to access the external drive to create an automatic backup. I'm really getting frustrated at this point. I've worked with computers since 1969, and I can't understand why these people insist on making a simple task so convoluted and difficult.Regards,Bruce

Neptune48 To amply a but further, and to express my total confusion, the beast is offering to back up my documents, pictures and screen shots. NOWHERE can I find a way to sync an external drive.

Hello again Neptune.No worries , i will wait for response. I don't fully undrestand but if you are trying to sync an external drive to the cloud and its big... just in the settings of your OneDrive. Link the external drive to be synced.here's the steps:Go to the OneDrive sign-in webpage from any browser and log in to your account.Step 2. Click the Upload option on the main page of OneDrive and navigate to the external hard drive folder. You can select the entire file or the files in it, and click Open to confirm the sync files from the external drive to OneDriveThats it, you can backup all of it, or part of it.If there's anything else or somethnig i missed, let me know.ThanksEhsan G.

Ehsan_G Thanks for the quick answer. I went to OneDrive online using MS Edge, logged on and selected upload. I selected the J:\ Drive and got a bad argument type error. The only way I can upload is to select each of the 150 folders one at a time and upload it. Is that how it has to be done? And once done, how do I set up to backup automatically any files that have been changed or added? Thanks again,Bruce

Can't set up One Drive | Microsoft Community Hub

Ehsan_G
Copper Contributor
Jul 13, 2023
Neptune48
Hello Neptune!

Thanks for sharing your problem, it would be my pleasure to help you!

Note
If you are using Windows 10 or 11, The same method works, But just in case you are using older version... let me know and i do my best.

Solution
When you click OneDrive It thinks you want to see your already synced files, But its not what you want. So To fix this, click the action icon under in your taskbar and find the OneDrive icon ( In case it was not there, In search box of your Windows... Search for OneDrive and make sure its running ) Once you clicked it , a small white ( or dark depending on your current theme ) screen must appear, Once the screen loaded follow the instructions for backup. ( OneDrive Might ask you for a password to re-login )

Tip
If the OneDrive screen didn't appear and the same File Explorer opened after clicking, try right clicking on the icon, And finding the Settings or Open button ( Most likely the settings one is what you need )

If there's anything else, feel free to reply.
Thanks

Ehsan G.
- Neptune48
  Copper Contributor
  Jul 19, 2023
  Ehsan_G
  Ehsan,
  Thank you very much for taking the time to answer me. I apologize for the delay in responding to you.
  
  I think I have it working—sort of. But the only thing I can sync up to the cloud is the OneDrive folder in my personal Users section. It is much too small to load the entire 128 GB in my external drive, which is what I want to back up to the cloud. I even installed CBackup, but it is the same. It won't allow me to access the external drive to create an automatic backup. I'm really getting frustrated at this point. I've worked with computers since 1969, and I can't understand why these people insist on making a simple task so convoluted and difficult.
  Regards,
  Bruce
  - Neptune48
    Copper Contributor
    Jul 19, 2023
    Neptune48
    To amply a but further, and to express my total confusion, the beast is offering to back up my documents, pictures and screen shots. NOWHERE can I find a way to sync an external drive.

Forum Discussion

Can't set up One Drive

Share

Resources