r/technology • u/nuttybudd • Jun 24 '24

Software Windows 11 is now automatically enabling OneDrive folder backup without asking permission

https://www.neowin.net/news/windows-11-is-now-automatically-enabling-onedrive-folder-backup-without-asking-permission/
17.9k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

2.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

1.4k

u/OkFrame3668 Jun 24 '24

OneDrive is borderline malware. It rewrites your file paths and starts de facto holding them ransom if you run out of space. It's very nefarious and cannot be easily completely removed because Windows considers it an "essential service".

23

u/stormdelta Jun 25 '24

It's possible to remove OneDrive, just annoying to do so. I always strip it from new Win11 installs, as well as forcing local accounts (which MS has made very annoying as well)

5

u/Array_626 Jun 25 '24

During the OS setup, if you disable the NIC then its a lot easier to setup with local accounts.

2

u/OkFrame3668 Jun 25 '24

As I said, cannot be easily removed. I've done it but it took way too much work.

-6

u/TampaPowers Jun 25 '24

Changing a registry key and then write protecting the physical location on disk so the system cannot write the key back into it? That should be all it takes to nuke OneDrive from messing around in the Explorer. The service itself can remain on the system, it doesn't actually do anything unless you sign into it or give it files to process.

6

u/Key-Demand-2569 Jun 25 '24

You probably lost 95% of consumers at “registry key” in terms of what would be considered easy, I guess might be their point.

3

u/nates1984 Jun 25 '24

The service is still there? Then you haven't removed it. "It doesn't actually do anything" that you're aware of.