Is your Microsoft Office 365 OneDrive for Business folder having problems syncing? Are you getting multiple OneDrive and Microsoft Upload Centre icons in the system tray? This is a problem that I have come across several times when dealing with Microsoft Office 365 OneDrive for Business syncing issues on behalf of our clients. It is very difficult to find a solution to this problem and get your OneDrive syncing properly again.
This week I placed a support call with Microsoft to clarify what the cause of the problem is and the recommended procedure to fix it. Following is the response that I received. Hopefully it will be of use to you.
Symptoms
OneDrive for Business stops syncing, either completely or partially
- Feb 18, 2017 Try this: Find the ICON for OneDrive, right click on the icon, scroll down to MORE, select Pin to taskbar and see if that works. If it does, you can move it around on the Task Bar and place it.
- I keep getting this blank document icon instead of the correct icon in Windows 10 Pro. It does happen with a few different apps but it's almost exclusively Adobe programs. Try right click on the taskbar icon, then right click on the application name in the drop down.
May 09, 2018 Because your using Windows 10. OneDrive is embedded within the operating system and therefor can not be uninstalled. That been said, your able to restart OneDrive, which is what you seem to be doing. But the Icon runs away again (Me and my British sense of humour again).
Multiple Onedrive and Microsoft Upload Centre icons appear in the system tray
Right-clicking a OneDrive icon and selecting repair does not fix the syncing issues.
Cause
Whenever you sync a document library to your computer, then the information gets transmitted in the form of data packets over the network onto your computer. These data packets are stored within the OfficeFileCache location present on C:Users<username>AppDataLocalMicrosoftOffice15.0OfficeFileCache folder. This folder also has a CentralDatabase.accdb which compiles these files into meaningful content like the Word, Excel, PowerPoint documents. Once converted, the Central Database accesses the Spw folder which creates threads to divert all this information to the SharePoint sync location (under Favorites) within your computer. The cache is very dynamic in nature and any kind of interruptions to the normal working of cache (such as antivirus/firewall block, network instability and registry blockage due to group policies) results into sync issues.
Steps to resolve the issue
![Onedrive icon missing windows 10 Onedrive icon missing windows 10](https://www.minitool.com/images/uploads/articles/2019/09/onedrive-icon-missing/onedrive-icon-missing-thumbnail.png)
1) Stop syncing the library and Exit OneDrive for business. However, the application keeps restarting multiple instances of itself.
2) Navigate to C:Program FilesMicrosoft Office 15rootoffice15 and rename the extensions of Groove.exe, MSOSync.exe and MSOUC.exe to exe1
3) Close down Microsoft OneDrive for Business and Microsoft Office Document Cache Handler from the Task Manager.
4) Rename the OneDrive for Business folder to ensure that we have a backup of all the documents.
5) Click on View > Show Hidden files within File Explorer to access a hidden folder called AppData.
6) Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:Users<username>AppDataLocalMicrosoftOffice and delete the Spw folder – (This works as a compiler to convert data packets to valid documents).
7) Then navigate to 15.0 and delete the OfficeFileCache folder which takes some time to delete – ( The Office File Cache contains the data packets that are transmitted over the network when you perform a sync ).
8) Following this, restart the computer and confirm that no libraries are currently in sync.
9) Then open the library within Internet Explorer and clicked on Sync > Sync Now.
Onedrive Icon Keeps Disappearing Computer
10) The sync will start successfully on this computer without giving any sync errors. Mercury thruster outboard repair manual.
11) To prevent these issues from happening again, navigate to the Upload Center and change “Days to keep files in Office File Cache” from 14 days to 2 days.
How to prevent these issues in the future?
Before you disconnect your computer from any internet connection, simply right click on the OneDrive for Business icon on the bottom right corner and click on Pause Syncing. This changes the OneDrive for Business icon to a red color indicating that the synching is paused. Once this happens, you may disconnect your laptop and take it to your destination. Upon reconnecting on a new Wi-Fi connection or a landline internet connection, you may right click on the OneDrive for Business icon again and click on Resume synching. This would ensure that you do not have to worry of sync problems in the future. The OneDrive for business cache is equipped to handle such issues and hence it is not a mandatory requirement but can be used as a best practice to avoid sync issues.
Onedrive Icon Keeps Disappearing Message
Additional Information
Onedrive Icon Keeps Disappearing
In addition to the above mentioned steps, here are some handy articles for your future reference:-
Onedrive Files Disappear
- OneDrive for Business Step by Step Troubleshooter https://support2.microsoft.com/common/survey.aspx?scid=sw;en;3790&showpage=1
- Restrictions and limitations when you sync SharePoint libraries to your computer through OneDrive for Business https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2933738
- How to remove the OneDrive for Business cache by using the “Fix it” tool https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3038627