sync network drive with onedrive

Question

I have been using the HP MediaSmart HomeServer for a few years as my network file server. I have been working with SkyDrive (now OneDrive), and is trying to use OneDrive as my file server. I took on the 200 GB storage from Microsoft for a year and cannot synchronize OneDrive with my network file server.

All I need is daily and not real time synchronization between Onedrive and the network file server. I tried synchronizing the network files to a local desktop using SyncToy, but have to do it manually each time. I have also synchronize the network files from the local desktop to OneDrive. This process is so cumbersome since I have to do it daily or weekly. There must be a simpler way to have the synchronize the OneDrive files with the network file server. There is not a whole lot of help from the Microsoft OneDrive website to do what I want.

I hope that someone within this forum can help me! Thanks in advance! Joe

Answer 1

This is a little late, but may help others search around. OneDrive does not want any part of a network drive, but you can trick it into using a mapped network drive as its primary storage by creating a Symbolic link. Here's the quick and dirty steps:

1. Create folder on the root of your C drive (e.g. C:\Share)
2. Create a folder inside of that called something like OneDrive (e.g. C:\Share\OneDrive)
3. Open up the OneDrive interface, and point it to your newly created folder.
4. Kill OneDrive
5. Delete the Share folder inside of C:\
6. Open an elevated command prompt (go to Start -> Type in CMD -> Right Click and Run as Admin)
7. Now, we'll create a symbolic link by typing in mklink /d c:\Share\ \\path\to\ where \\path\to\ is the folder containing your OneDrive folder.
8. Restart OneDrive application and you're done!

If it doesn't seem like it's doing anything, don't fret, mine took a couple hours before it started uploading at a rather pathetic pace. I'm at two days so far and only 2GB uploaded (my bandwith is capable of uploading ~40GB per day).

Answer 2

I've tried the code above and some worked for me, too, but they look so complicated.
During the "how to" journey I discovered some tricks to make it work quite simple.

1. If you are using a Windows Machine download to install SymLink Creator, it's free.

2. Let's suppose your "Onedrive - Folder" is located at C:\Onedrive - Folder and your network folder is already mapped as Z:\ on your computer.

3. Create a folder inside C:\Onedrive - Folder\ called TEST.

4. Open Symlink Creator and Choose "Directory Symbolic Link". As destination choose C:\Onedrive - Folder\TEST and as Source: Z:\.

5. Click on "Create" and go take a coffee.

Answer 3

Using mklink /d c:\Onedrive folder \\share also works for Linux sharing. As there doesn't appear to be a proper OneDrive Linux client (or wasn't at the time I set things up) and I'm not experienced enough to go through the API setup to edit an existing one or create one from scratch, so used a Windows VM and shared the folders. Then used mklink to create what is effectively a Linux Symlink. I mapped it as a drive (2 shares. X: and Y: drives) It does have its bugs, but despite what some people might say, it does fool OneDrive into thinking it is using a local directory.

Answer 4

Use GoodSync. AutoSync in Background & It'll sync from folder to folder or device to device. Supports major sharing protocols & many cloud services.

https://www.goodsync.com/

Answer 5

The only way I can think of achieving this would be to have a PC dedicated to the syncing process. It's connected to both the internet and the network storage device. Windows 8/8.1 allows you to set the Onedrive sync folder to a custom location by rigidity clicking the skydrive link in Explorer and going into properties. I'm guessing you should be able to set this location to your network storage device. Anything on the network storage device should sync with Onedrive as long as the pc acting as the intermediary is on and connected. You will also probably have to set all files and directories as available off line so Onedrive actually downloads the files to the network storage device .. Not just shows shortcuts to them (this was introduced in windows 8.1 to save local storage space) .

Answer 6

I just figure you can try this if you are using Windows 8 or 10 you can create a VHD drive from:
Disk management -> Action -> Create VHD.
Browse and save your VHD drive in network location. Now Initialize, Format and Mount your VHD drive. Now try to sync OneDrive with this new VHD mounted volume.