Information about how OneDrive works required?

Ive been experimenting with OneDrive for the last couple of days. I only have one device (my laptop) but I was thinking it might be handy to allow it to save my PC settings but mainly my favourites etc when I do a clean install of Windows 10. I enabled sync settings and allowed everything to be synced. Then I went to Onedrive on the web and under Backed Up Device Settings it says you don't have any devices that are backing up settings to OneDrive. Its been two days now and still no back up has appeared. Should it still show there on Windows 10? I know that's the way it used to work on Windows 8.1.
I'm not 100% sure under OneDrive Settings what Let me use OneDrive to fetch any of my files on this PC does but I tried checking that box. Am I correct in thinking that it shouldn't be necessary though if I only want to save my PC settings/favourites to make future clean installations easier? OneDrive on the web then showed my laptop under PC's but still nothing under Backed up Device Settings?

You need to be signed on with a Microsoft account and then just turn on sync settings:
Turn On or Off Sync Settings for Microsoft Account in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

You can't see the backup files directly but you can see linked devices under https://account.microsoft.com/

When you clean install (assuming you are signed on with same Microsoft account) you get back your themes, language settings and whatever else you set up to sync.

sportsfan148 said:

Hi lx07. I only have one PC so I'm not syncing with any other devices. Just for information purposes what would happen if you turned off syncing permanently...would PC settings (Themes/favourites/passwords etc) still be backed up and synced back during a clean installation?

No. Your MS account holds the latest of whatever you sync. This is downloaded unless you specify not to.

sportsfan148 said:

In my case, however, ive had the syncing option enabled for a while on the PC...What would you do if you wanted to clean install using a Microsoft Account and want to start clean with bare bones windows default settings ( i.e without syncing any previously backed up favourites/themes/passwords/languages etc) ?

In my experience you need to change it back. If you sync your theme it will download the last wallpaper etc you synched.

You would have to turn off sync (or set up a local account), make is as you wish and then connect to MS account. If you then turn on sync it would overwrite what was there.

sportsfan148 said:

Under Win 8.1 you just had to go to OneDrive on the web and delete the PC under backed up device settings. But on Windows 10 the Backed Up device list there is always empty.

For me also - I think this is normal - I only see connected phones saving set-up details as a specific OneDrive folder. PCs don't seem to.

sportsfan148 said:

I looked at my Microsoft Account and for the PC I noticed a More Actions dropdown list saying Remove cloud backup of personal settings which talks about turning off syncing first and then clicking on Remove button and then removing the PC from the backed up devices in OneDrive which as Ive already said is never listed in Windows 10. There is also another option in the More Actions dropdown menu for the PC in my Microsoft account saying Remove PC.
For what purpose would you use these two options ? (Remove cloud backup of personal settings and Remove PC)
Are they relevant to what I'm trying to achieve or are they supposed to be used for something completely different?

I'm not sure about that and can't find them on my account - can you post a picture?

I do lots of clean installs and sync settings. I use different keyboards (French and English), different themes (so I can tell which VM is which) and so don't sync them. This setup works well for me.



You'll have to play with it and see what you do and don't want to sync though.

I find it useful for a limited amount of stuff (especially if you use Edge) but you still need to do a fair amount of your own customization after.

Hi Lx07, Thanks again mate. How do you specify that your synced settings aren't downloaded if you are clean installing Windows 10 and signing in with your Microsoft Account during setup? Wont synced settings be downloaded as soon as you get into Windows because if memory serves me right Syncing is enabled by default. That's why I was asking if the Remove Personal Cloud settings cleared all old synced data out. Id like the option to be able to clean install without any synced settings being used. There must be some way of doing it without having to manually change everything back. I'm sure some people must have synced some settings that have been corrupted and synced so they wouldn't want them reinstalling for instance.
Are you saying that if you turn off sync on your PC before you reinstall Windows 10 that during the clean installation that old synced settings wont be used?
Remove cloud backup of personal settings and Remove PC can be found in your MS account when accessing the Devices menu at the top. Then look under your PC and in the menu where you see Find my device you'll see a More Actions dropdown menu...theyre listed there.

Josey Wales said:

I have never synced anything as I have no devices such as a phone, surface to sync to. My MS Account is as it always was.

Turn On or Off Sync Settings for Microsoft Account in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

Hi, I'm the same..I don't have any devices to Sync to. I'm only using my PC with Windows 10. I thought it'd be nice though to be able to have all my Edge and IE favourites setup for me during a clean Windows 10 install and maybe save other parts of settings too without having to do it manually

sportsfan148 said:

How do you specify that your synced settings aren't downloaded if you are clean installing Windows 10 and signing in with your Microsoft Account during setup? Wont synced settings be downloaded as soon as you get into Windows because if memory serves me right Syncing is enabled by default. That's why I was asking if the Remove Personal Cloud settings cleared all old synced data out.

I don't know - I always install with local account and do all my setup before linking to MS account - mainly so I get the name I want in C:\Users. I imagine you are correct if you install using MSA as your initial user.

sportsfan148 said:

Remove cloud backup of personal settings and Remove PC can be found in your MS account when accessing the Devices menu at the top. Then look under your PC and in the menu where you see Find my device you'll see a More Actions dropdown menu...theyre listed there.

Ah thanks - I never noticed that before. I could only guess if it does what it says - one would like to think so...

I turned off sync and cleared ("Remove cloud backup" not "Remove PC") all mine so I'll see what happens next install.

lx07 said:

Ah thanks - I never noticed that before. I could only guess if it does what it says - one would like to think so...

I turned off sync and cleared ("Remove cloud backup" not "Remove PC") all mine so I'll see what happens next install.

Yeah..Ive done exactly the same to see what happens. I'm thinking it should clean out all backups of personal settings so that its empty so there'll be nothing there to sync. I'm assuming then if you enable syncing again it will just start afresh and start saving personal settings backups again as it did before.
For future reference , Am I right in thinking that checking the box for "Let me use OneDrive to fetch any of my files on this PC" in One Drive settings isn't necessary if I only want to backup my PC settings/favourites/themes etc so that during future clean installations those backed up PC settings will sync automatically to the new installation?