OneDrive goes wild on Comcast data limit

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Comcast in our area made us their crash test dummies for a 300GB data limit. It hasn’t been a problem for me until about a month ago when I started storing “My Documents” to OneDrive. Seemed like a great idea at the time. But now OneDrive cranks a GB or more of data most days…sometimes more. In May I had to pay $40 to Comcast for data overage. This month I am on track to pay $70-$80 for a total of 700GB or more. I only have 28GB on OneDrive, and I don’t spend much time modifying or creating files. OneDrive sent 40 MB to the cloud in the past hour, and I’ve not created or modified any files today. I would just shoot it, but I’d have to download all of my files first…and spend even more money on overage charges.

Does anyone know why OneDrive would act this way? Quick, before I have to do crowdfunding to pay my internet bill.

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Are you sincing with the OneDrive desktop app? If so, you can stop syncing and then turn it on when you know you have changed something in your documents.

You can also check your Documents folder for folders relative to apps that may use them for files that keep changing. There are quite a few apps that use your documents folder, these days, so maybe you have one that keeps creating / changing files in there and maybe that’s the cause for your issues?

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An old saying says “ignorance is bliss” but definitely NOT in this case.

Years ago, before most of you even owned a computer or knew how to spell it,
Microsoft provided us with a great little program that will allow us to back up our data files to a Flash Drive or External hard drive and it doesn’t have to ever leave our house.*

* Once your data leaves your house/office, etc, it’s totally out of your control. Then it’s under the control of possibly a convicted killer or rapist, or professional hacker. You have NO way of knowing for sure. That does not give me the warm fuzzies about sending my personal data to a “Cloud”. I absolutely WILL NOT do it!!!

The answer to the whole problem is “XCOPY” a very powerful little DOS program that’s been around like forever. I use it in a batch file, every day, to back up all my data files to two external USB devices. My data is all backed up and it never leaves my house and my control.

XCOPY is already present on EVERY Windows computer. NO extra programs need be installed.
Check it out!

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Yes, now I am turning sync off when not needed. Hopefully this will reduce the problem until there is a better solution.

As for files that applications change…hmm…the only folder that has files changed in recent days is Outlook. My main Outlook file is over a GB. Perhaps OneDrive keeps syncing the who darn file everytime an email comes in??

BTW, I have searched quite a lot on the web about this issue, and there isn’t much there except people who have “solved the problem” by ending their use of OneDrive.

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Yes, now I am turning sync off when not needed. Hopefully this will reduce the problem until there is a better solution.

As for files that applications change…hmm…the only folder that has files changed in recent days is Outlook. My main Outlook file is over a GB. Perhaps OneDrive keeps syncing the who darn file everytime an email comes in??

BTW, I have searched quite a lot on the web about this issue, and there isn’t much there except people who have “solved the problem” by ending their use of OneDrive.

Yes, Outlook should be removed from the sync, because it is always changing, while you have Outlook open.

To backup my .pst files to OneDrive I did the following:

1. Created an Outlook Backup folder in MyDocuments
2. When the computer reboots, a simple batch file is run, to copy the original .pst file from the working Outlook folder to the Outlook backup folder
3. The folder synchronized with OneDrive is the Outlook Backup folder, not the one where I run the live .pst file.

Of course, this means if something goes wrong, your Outlook backup may be a bit old (one day old?). That’s good enough for me.

HTH

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Yes, now I am turning sync off when not needed. Hopefully this will reduce the problem until there is a better solution.

As for files that applications change…hmm…the only folder that has files changed in recent days is Outlook. My main Outlook file is over a GB. Perhaps OneDrive keeps syncing the who darn file everytime an email comes in??

BTW, I have searched quite a lot on the web about this issue, and there isn’t much there except people who have “solved the problem” by ending their use of OneDrive.

I thought you might like some insight into the inner workings of the OS and Outlook that might explain your problem and why it’s not an easy one to solve.

Pretend you’re writing a program (like OneDrive must use) to scan your PC for files that need backup. Original DOS design was to have an archive bit in the directory entry for every file. The early backup program could reset it, and the kernel would set it again if anything changed. (Or was it vice versa for the bit? No matter.) But this is an old scheme, and didn’t envision systems with background processes or multiple programs running alongside the backup scanning function. Neither did it consider that there might be multiple, conflicting backup schemes, each wanting to control the archive bit setting.

Okay, Plan B, then. You could scan the file directory for files that have a last modified date-time (LMDT) later than the last backup you did. Good scheme, right? WRONG ! Because any modern Windows OS has a feature: if any program has any file open for writing, the LMDT reported to any inquiry about that file is the current date-time. Yup? You don’t know if the file HAS been modified — you just know that it COULD have been modified since the file is open for writing. From the viewpoint of an OS developer designing the API to return the properties of the file, she also has to worry about changes to the disk cache that have already been made at any point in time but not yet flushed to the disk. So, she plays it safe: tell the user the file could have been modified.

Guess who has your Outlook PST open for writing whenever Outlook is running? Yep. You got it right. OUTLOOK. Poof goes your scheme for deciding what to backup. If you stick with it and run the scan while Outlook is running, you’ll select the Outlook PST file every time the scan runs, no matter that you just backed it up after the previous scan and nothing has changed since. If you want to confirm that this is/was the root of your frequent backup problem, look repeatedly at the LMDT in the properties of the Outlook PST file when Outlook is running versus when Outlook is shut down.
[INDENT]An aside, here; in the past, it was not possible to open an Outlook archive (just another .pst kind of file) when it was on a CD or otherwise was read-only. Outlook INSISTED on opening in read/write mode or it wouldn’t open it. Might not still be true. I got off of Outlook when I retired 4 years ago.[/INDENT]

From the rest of the messages in this thread, it looks like you’ve worked around your problem by only enabling backup of the PST when you decide it needs backing up. One thing you might want to consider for that scheme: why are you keeping that huge amount of mail in your active PST file? Think about archiving some of the older stuff that’s beyond a certain age to one or more archive PST files (perhaps one per year). Then compress the main file, backup all of them once, and then from then on just backup the main one that keeps changing. Watch out, though — Just opening one of those archive files in Outlook to look up or read some past piece of mail will cause the LMDT of the archive file to be updated because Outlook insists on opening all PSTs in writeable mode. Then it’s once again a candidate for backup, where or not you changed anything in it.

Good luck.

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Thanks for the NetworkTrafficView tip. I started using the free Networx this week. https://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/
My impression is that these tools are similar.

I think I’ll move Outlook off of OneDrive and just back that up on an external drive…see if that is the cuprit. No matter which application is modifying data, network activity will show up associated with SkyDrive.exe.

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Thanks for the NetworkTrafficView tip. I started using the free Networx this week. https://www.softperfect.com/products/networx/
My impression is that these tools are similar…

FYI, I just downloaded Networx, but Norton AV flagged it as dangerous (virus/adware/misleading_app).

So I’ll try the other suggested app to monitor network traffic.

Cedar

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FYI, I just downloaded Networx, but Norton AV flagged it as dangerous (virus/adware/misleading_app).

So I’ll try the other suggested app to monitor network traffic.

Cedar

don’t worry about that. False positive.

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Comcast stock will probably fall a point or two with this report that my internet data usage is now under control. With Rui’s advice and what I was already beginning to suspect, I removed Outlook from OneDrive backup last night, and the virtual scream of data racing up and down the wires (ah, dialup days when there really was a scream) has slowed to mere chirping.

This episode raises two more issues perhaps best posted elsewhere, but I’ll just mention here:

Perhaps I should divert a small portion of my previous monthly investment in Comcast to instead get an Office365 account where (I assume) I won’t need to backup email.

And a question from a guy who hasn’t run batch files since DOS days…are batch files still “a thing?” Apparently so, taking the advice in Rui’s post. How does one introduce a batch file to the startup process in this brave new world of Windows computing?

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There are good reasons to go with Office 365, but you don’t get hosted email unless you go with the business version. So, going with the Home version won’t help you with your issue.

Truth is, even with a business email account, you may still want to use Outlook for email, unless you want to use a browser…

Yeah, support for batch files is still there and if all you want to do is run a xopy command, the venerable batch file is all you need. I have Task Scheduler run the batch file when I login, so that takes care of it :).

I may provide more detailed instructions if you need to.

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If you simply want off-site backup then have a look at CrashPlan. It has some very intelligent algorithms that lead to a very a reduced traffic to backup changes although the initial backup is rather painful. See41155-2015-06-25_14h08_12
As far as I can understand it, the last line shows that 18 files with a total size of 43 Mb were backed up in less than a minute be transmitting only 1.8 Mb. I am pleased with this because as I am in Africa, I have a very slow Internet access <1 Mbs.

The downside is that this just a backup and restore solution. It does not allow for file sharing.

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Frodough

I would simply recommend buying Goodsync (https://www.goodsync.com/php/pums/rfprepay.php?lic=goodsync&lang=en) and set it up to sync to whatever internal/external device you wish (across a network as well) just set it up to sync (or backup) automatically on file change – you can also configure it to sync a desktop to Notebook(s) or Smartphones – at $29.95 it is not expensive with regard to what it can offer.

I use Goodsync to sync/backup data to my Synology NAS – which I also use for video live surveillance (Video Station) of both my houses wherever I am in the world

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Frodough

I would simply recommend buying Goodsync (https://www.goodsync.com/php/pums/rfprepay.php?lic=goodsync&lang=en) and set it up to sync to whatever internal/external device you wish (across a network as well) just set it up to sync (or backup) automatically on file change – you can also configure it to sync a desktop to Notebook(s) or Smartphones – at $29.95 it is not expensive with regard to what it can offer.

I use Goodsync to sync/backup data to my Synology NAS – which I also use for video live surveillance (Video Station) of both my houses wherever I am in the world

The problem is not the app used. If you get GoodSync to backup the .pst file, it will generate as much traffic as the native OneDrive app.

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Comcast in our area made us their crash test dummies for a 300GB data limit. It hasn’t been a problem for me until about a month ago when I started storing “My Documents” to OneDrive. Seemed like a great idea at the time. But now OneDrive cranks a GB or more of data most days…sometimes more. In May I had to pay $40 to Comcast for data overage. This month I am on track to pay $70-$80 for a total of 700GB or more. I only have 28GB on OneDrive, and I don’t spend much time modifying or creating files. OneDrive sent 40 MB to the cloud in the past hour, and I’ve not created or modified any files today. I would just shoot it, but I’d have to download all of my files first…and spend even more money on overage charges.

Does anyone know why OneDrive would act this way? Quick, before I have to do crowdfunding to pay my internet bill.

I have wound up moving my Onedrive folder to under Users/Public and then dragging the documents/folders I want synced to that location (particularly my gb’s of photos). That way I have direct control of what is synced and don’t worry about files like .pst getting backed up (unless it’s important to me).

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Personally, I have a severe problem with ANYONE having my personal information regardless if it’s encrypted, password protected or otherwise…. I backup and save my own data on my own external disk drive.

And FORGET Google Office your office needs…. now THEY have control over all your data and so does the NSA.

Google and Facebook READILY hand over your data to obama at will… it’s all part of their deal to supply your info to them while the companies operate at NO COST or taxes. They are unlimitly non-policed or accountable for anything.

Easily PROTECT YOURSELVES people and don’t be conveinently lazy… backup your own data !

Best Wishes

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Aside from all your political comments, I agree with your advice.

Forget all the hype about the “cloud”. There is no “cloud”. It’s just somebody else’s computer.

Just get a big external HD. I like the portables because they are plug and play, require no software to be installed, and don’t even need to be plugged in to power (they use USB power). They are also way way cheap.

I use an outstanding, and very simple, very flexible and very inexpensive backup program called “Second Copy”. Support, which you won’t need, is very reponsive. Go to secondcopy.com.

10 minutes to set up using a “wizard”; the first backup is as fast as your PC; after that, backups take only 1 or 2 minutes at most.

You can try it for free but it is only about $29, one time fee.

You’re welcome.

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My grandfather said that if you rely on other people to look out for your interests they will always look out for theirs first. Do not rely on others for your safety or important interests, do it yourself, get your own backup disk and use it.
First they get you hooked, then they raise the price, then they raise the price, then they…repeat.

Every problem you deal with today, is the direct result, of a solution to a previous problem.

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You are a smart man !!! Too many of these posts seem like they’re from the “new” Millennial birthers who really have no concept of how computers and your data really work.

Trust NO ONE with your data. The Internet is bad enough, especially with this BRAND NEW SEVEN FOOTBALL FIELD DATA COMPLEX built in Bluffdale, UT to capture every single piece of data created… just like this post.

So tell me so the poor souls can continue being so much smarter than everyone else… You still want to create and save all your data online when it’s being all of bought, sold and stolen ???? Go for it Kiddos.

My grandfather said that if you rely on other people to look out for your interests they will always look out for theirs first. Do not rely on others for your safety or important interests, do it yourself, get your own backup disk and use it.
First they get you hooked, then they raise the price, then they raise the price, then they…repeat.

Every problem you deal with today, is the direct result, of a solution to a previous problem.

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You are a smart man !!! Too many of these posts seem like they’re from the “new” Millennial birthers who really have no concept of how computers and your data really work.

Trust NO ONE with your data. The Internet is bad enough, especially with this BRAND NEW SEVEN FOOTBALL FIELD DATA COMPLEX built in Bluffdale, UT to capture every single piece of data created… just like this post.

So tell me so the poor souls can continue being so much smarter than everyone else… You still want to create and save all your data online when it’s being all of bought, sold and stolen ???? Go for it Kiddos.

Swuff–
I would love to do off-site storage on my own property. I had a laptop and both external hard drives (plus the usual jewelry, etc.) stolen before I installed security with monitoring. I have a 5-foot tall office safe (bought used and still nearly empty) that’s bolted into the concrete floor of my storage shed. It would make a great place for backups if a) I could guarantee it wouldn’t overheat and b) I could get power and data into and out of it. That would save on offsite backup costs (currently $99/year for unlimited data, by the company that used to do all my computer stuff). And maybe I could find a faster way than my woefully slow DSL service (which the phone company has no plans to upgrade!)–anything that would be faster than the 10+ days, 24 hours a day, it took for the initial backup of about 300G of data. As it is, I use an external hard drive for the laptop and copy the important stuff to the desktop, both an external hard drive and off-site storage for the desktop, nothing for the netbook, and have no idea how to back up my brand new smartphone.

So, where and how do I start?

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Every problem you deal with today, is the direct result, of a solution to a previous problem.

That rang a bell that might interest you: something like 90 percent of all patents granted are improvements on previous designs.

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I create a new partition called Skydrive, and sync it with my data partition. I then sync the Skydrive partition to OneDrive. So the only time OneDrive wants to transfer files to the cloud is when I update my Skydrive partition. I do this (i) when I think it’s time for a backup to the cloud, and (ii) when I have good bandwidth (and no nasty charges). Generally my OneDrive sync needs around 250MB, if I sync twice per week. You can also filter out files not needed to be backed up between your data partition and Skdrive (or whatever you call it) like a lot of the Outlook or Eudora files.

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Good thread here.
A. Thanks to Rui, I was able to solve my problem–the original reason for this topic (Outlook no longer syncs to cloud, aka someone else’s computer)
B. The discussion has confirmed what I’ve felt for awhile–that data in the cloud is like data in a store window waiting to be bought or stolen.
C. Some here reaffirm my old way of doing backups, which as a combination of jonrichco’s sync-on-my-schedule-not theirs-approach (if I keep going to the cloud) and use of a desktop sync tool.
D. Happy to hear from another Goodsync enthusiast. Been using it for years.
E. And yet love DrWho’s reminder from ancient history that when Noah and his family came out of the arc God told them to be fruitful and xcopy.

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To cheer you up, I might remind you that when Windows updates your machine, it looks to see what needs updating, hem hem, and that sort of thing, you know, and with Windows 10 you will have no choice in such matters as long as you are online.

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