OneDrive for Business creating new versions

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Systeq
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2020 10:19 am

OneDrive for Business creating new versions

Post by Systeq »

Hi

I've been using Syncovery for some time to back up data to my OneDrive for Business account. I have the setting enabled to cache the destination file list, and re-read the file list every 30 runs (it's a daily backup so roughly once a month).

On investigating why my OneDrive account is full I've discovered that all files, including those that don't ever change, have been creating new versions every 30 days, which ties in with Syncovery re-reading the file system. To be clear this is OneDrive versions, not the version setting in Syncovery which is disabled.

It would appear that re-reading the file system with Syncovery triggers a version change in OneDrive.

Are you aware of this issue, and is there a resolution? Unfortunately with OneDrive for Business versions count towards your quote, so my 1TB backup is now using 5TB of space because of these versions. I've upgrade from v7.99 to v9, but haven't yet had chance to see if this resolves the issue.

tobias
Posts: 1789
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:37 pm

Re: OneDrive for Business creating new versions

Post by tobias »

Hello,
it is impossible that reading the file list creates versions, unless it ultimately causes Syncovery to re-upload files.

A known problem is that a fresh upload of a file creates two versions - one for the upload, and one for setting the "Last Modified" timestamp. This is some funny behavior of Sharepoint, and Syncovery doesn't have any influence on that.

Please do not use "Cache Destination File List" with OneDrive for Business, Sharepoint, Google Drive, DropBox or Box. Syncovery uses a changes-based listing method that automatically uses its own cache database. So usually, the Cache option on the Special tab sheet is simply ignored.

You can enable or disable the changes history-based listing with cloud cache database on the second tab sheet of the Internet Protocol Settings dialog.

If you do see unnecessary re-uploads of files, please send a log file to support@syncovery.com.

Systeq
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2020 10:19 am

Re: OneDrive for Business creating new versions

Post by Systeq »

Thanks Tobias

I agree it sounds impossible, but the versions match exactly with the dates the cache was refreshed so there's no other explanation. I'm fairly confident the files haven't been re-uploaded, it's about 1.5TB of data so it would take days to upload. The job has never run for that long. It's just something in the process triggering OneDrive to see it as a new version. The only thing that changes is the timestamp on the file in OneDrive. The original file keeps the proper timestamp, but the versions have the timestamp of the job that ran and refreshed the cache.

I've now turned off the cache as you've advised, so we'll see what happens.

tobias
Posts: 1789
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:37 pm

Re: OneDrive for Business creating new versions

Post by tobias »

Hello,
it sounds like Syncovery updated the file's timestamps. If this happens again, can you send a log file to support@syncovery.com? There may be some other incorrect settings in the profile, which I can see in the log file.

Systeq
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2020 10:19 am

Re: OneDrive for Business creating new versions

Post by Systeq »

Ok so I tested it without the destination list cache.

The first time I ran it it detected a large number of changes, even though the files haven't changed. I let it upload those files anyway.
I then ran it again, it detected a small number of changes as expected.
I then ran it again directly after and it detected a large number of changes again, but different files to the first run. Nothing has changed between these two runs, so nothing should need uploading.

I suspect this has been the issue all along, Syncovery is detecting changes that don't exist. When using the cache it only detects those on each refresh of the cache, so it masks the issue.

Do you want me to send you the logs? I have had to re-enable the destination cache list as I can't have it uploading files over and over again.

tobias
Posts: 1789
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:37 pm

Re: OneDrive for Business creating new versions

Post by tobias »

Hello,
in this case logs don't help, I would need a screenshot of the actual changes that are shown in the Sync Preview.

Unfortunately OneDrive for Business changes incoming files, especially Office documents. You upload a file, and the file size on OneDrive does not match the original because they add metadata. Maybe this is the issue? In that case you could go to the Comparison tab sheet in Syncovery and choose:

When Size Is Different:
X Ignore

This has been recently added for one-way syncs, so you need a recent Syncovery 9.

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