does anyone here use onenote
the desktop version, not the microsoft app one
1. are you able to copy files in \AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote\ and save them as backup?
2. where are backups on computer stored?
3. has anyone here done recovery before?
4. would copying files in \AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote\ and putting them back here recover notes?
5. how does onenote backup work on the computer?
I may not be able to help: I don't actively use OneNote, but did mess about with it some years ago, and found its behaviour over file storage and folders a bit mystifying (and not to my liking). But I just ran it (the version that comes with Office 2010), and noticed that there are backups of my few notes, stored in the location you identified. I had to resort to Google to find out how that location is chosen, and the setting is in File>Options>Save&Backup. I took the decision to change the backup location to somewhere that made more sense to me - I don't save my data on my system drive, so regard anything in c:\users\<user>\appdata as volatile - if I were to restore an image, this area would be over-written. So I changed my backup location to my backup drive, ran the backup and the few files appeared in my new location.
The files can be copied, deleted, or moved as I want, AFAICT. So to answer your questions:
1. Yes, but that is not the way you are expected to use the folder.
2. You can define the backup location under options... as above
3. If I open a file from the backup folder (File-tab>Open backups), then the note gets opened read-only (although that's hard to tell), and I guess you are supposed to cut and paste to a non-backup note?
4. It seems that simply copying a .one file from backup folder to normal location won't work, as the backup operation doesn't seem to copy the .one2c2 (table of contents) file. The copied .one file without its TOC is just not seen within onenote.
5. Good question!
I suggest you set the storage location to a folder of your choice, and then backup that folder in the 'normal way' (whatever that may be for you).
I expect there are many 'answers' to your questions on the web, but the tests I did to arrive at the above merely confirm my doubts about the whole thing. However, I probably ought to get to grips with it, as Notes are a clever way of recording stuff 'on the hoof'. I currently use a Word doc to record 'all' my computer activity - I know I looked into onenote a few years back, on this (or Windows Secrets) forum - but apparently made no notes of my activity! C'est la vie!
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