From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On Fri, 4/17/2026 3:32 AM, MikeS wrote:

On 16/04/2026 21:48, Lynn McGuire wrote:

Is OneDrive just spyware ?-a I just bought a new Dell PC with Windows 11 Pro for my home.-a Besides the fact that Windows 11 forced me to use my home email address as a login, OneDrive was installed and activated without my explicit permission.

I do not want anything installed in the cloud.-a I have a managed web server and it is being probed and/or attacked just about every minute. There is no way I want my personal information stored on somebody else's computer.

I uninstalled OneDrive and deleted the OneDrive directories.-a I then used regedit to remove OneDrive from many places in the registry.-a I did not get them all yet after several hours of editing the registry.

As far as I am concerned, Mickeysoft has turned into a spyware company. This does not bode well for the future of desktop software.

Thanks,
Lynn

I don't like OneDrive so I don't use it. Simple. Its true that Microsoft tries
to make it a default location but easy to avoid. Can't understand why people spend hours trying to eradicate it.

I don't want it modifying any directory structures.
That's why it had to go.

If OneDrive had been purely passive, like it was Mega
or something, I would follow your lead.

Rather than "spyware", it is in the "nuisance" category.

The same goes with the web version of Office. It stores
documents on OneDrive (similar to how Google Docs would do it),
which is a non-starter. I do not want multiple storage
locations for trivial information. I can find things just fine
here, with a couple copies of Agent Ransack and local drives.

Paul
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> writes:

Is OneDrive just spyware ? I just bought a new Dell PC with Windows
11 Pro for my home. Besides the fact that Windows 11 forced me to use
my home email address as a login, OneDrive was installed and activated without my explicit permission.

I haven't kept up but is a Microsoft account mandatory now in Windows
11? My Windows 11 laptop is from 2022-ish and I just used a local
account back then. While I may still have one ore more Microsoft
accounts, I don't think I've used any of them in years. I'm pretty sure
the laptop did just recently show the ad to backup to Onedrive, although
I specifically turned that off.
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

Anssi Saari wrote:

I haven't kept up but is a Microsoft account mandatory now in Windows
11?

No, but they keep making it harder and more obscure to setup
(particularly a Home Edition) Win11 machine without a MSA; but it's
always possible to create an MSA, use it to sign-in, then create a local
admin account and local non-admin account, and bin-off the MSA.
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On Fri, 4/17/2026 5:54 AM, Anssi Saari wrote:

Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> writes:

Is OneDrive just spyware ? I just bought a new Dell PC with Windows
11 Pro for my home. Besides the fact that Windows 11 forced me to use
my home email address as a login, OneDrive was installed and activated
without my explicit permission.

I haven't kept up but is a Microsoft account mandatory now in Windows
11? My Windows 11 laptop is from 2022-ish and I just used a local
account back then. While I may still have one ore more Microsoft
accounts, I don't think I've used any of them in years. I'm pretty sure
the laptop did just recently show the ad to backup to Onedrive, although
I specifically turned that off.

[Picture] W11-Test-Machine-Local-Acct-25H2.gif

https://postimg.cc/3kXbX62j

https://imgur.com/a/BPaJKf5

And this is the tool that helped do that (second line).

https://rufus.ie/pics/screenshot4_en.png

Paul



--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On 4/17/26 02:10, ...w-i|#-o-#-n|# wrote:

On 4/17/2026 12:51 AM, T wrote:

On 4/17/26 00:32, MikeS wrote:

Can't understand why people spend hours trying to eradicate it.

It use to be annoying to remove until the European courts put
he hammer on M$.-a Now is is a simple Add Remove Programs.

People are just remember the old days.

You're on a roll of falsehoods today.

No EU court decision or ban exists on OneDrive presence or ability to remove.

You might be trying to equate the renaming of SkyDrive(brand name before rename to OneDrive) in compliance with an EU settlement in 2013.
-a- the settlement/agreement did not and never put a 'hammer' on MSFT
for OneDrive install or ability to remove.

FYI - the preferred and cleanest way to remove OneDrive(after disabling
its features and quitting(it) is via:
-aSettings/Apps/Installed Apps

This is the last time I will be reading you. I am
killing filing you are a stalker.


Here is ChatGPT analysis:

what was the European court ruling on removing Microsoft one drive?

There wasnrCOt actually a European court ruling that specifically said rCLMicrosoft OneDrive must be removablerCY or banned it outright. ThatrCOs a common misunderstanding.

What *did* happen in Europe is a set of **data protection and
competition rulings/actions** involving MicrosoftrCOs cloud services (including OneDrive as part of Microsoft 365). HererCOs the accurate picture:

---

## 1) The key 2024 ruling (not about removing OneDrive)

In **March 2024**, the EUrCOs data watchdog rCo the **European Data
Protection Supervisor (EDPS)** rCo ruled that the **European Commission itself** had violated EU data protection law by using Microsoft 365. ([Conventus Law][1])

The issues included:

* Personal data being transferred outside the EU without proper safeguards
* Lack of clarity about what data Microsoft processed and why
* Risk of unauthorized access/disclosure of EU citizensrCO data
([Conventus Law][1])

### What the ruling required

The EDPS did **not** order removal of OneDrive or Microsoft services.
Instead, it required:

* Fixing contracts and technical safeguards
* Limiting or suspending certain data transfers outside the EU
* Ensuring Microsoft only processes data under strict instructions ([PrivacyCraft][2])

---

## 2) Follow-up in 2025

By mid-2025, the EU confirmed the issues were fixed:

* Microsoft and the Commission changed contracts and data handling
* Data transfers and processing were brought into compliance

So the case was **closed after compliance**, not escalated into a ban. ([European Data Protection Supervisor][3])

---

## 3) Where the rCLremovalrCY idea comes from

There are two related things that likely caused confusion:

### A. Orders to *suspend data transfers* (conditional)

The 2024 decision said:

* If compliance couldnrCOt be ensured, **data flows to non-EU countries
had to be suspended** ([PrivacyCraft][2])

Some people interpreted this as rCLyou must remove OneDrive,rCY but thatrCOs not what it said.

---

### B. Broader EU pressure on Microsoft bundling

Separately, the EU has challenged Microsoft for bundling services (like
Teams with Office).
This led Microsoft to **unbundle products**, but againrConot remove
OneDrive. ([SAMexpert][4])

---

## Bottom line

* rYi No EU court ruled that OneDrive must be removed
* rLoN+A A 2024 EU data protection decision found problems with how
Microsoft 365 handled data
* rLoN+A The remedy was **compliance fixes**, not banning or uninstalling OneDrive
* rLoN+A By 2025, the case was resolved after Microsoft and the EU adjusted practices

---

If you want, I can explain whether Windows in Europe might eventually be forced to let users uninstall OneDrive (thatrCOs a *different* regulatory trend involving the Digital Markets Act).

[1]: https://conventuslaw.com/report/eu-cloud-gdpr-risks-highlighted-by-european-commission-ruling-over-microsoft-365-use/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
"EU - Cloud GDPR Risks Highlighted By European ..."
[2]: https://www.privacycraft.pro/post/edps-closes-microsoft-365-investigation-but-legal-and-political-challenges-remain?utm_source=chatgpt.com
"EDPS Closes Microsoft 365 Investigation, But Legal and ..."
[3]: https://www.edps.europa.eu/press-publications/press-news/press-releases/2025/european-commission-brings-use-microsoft-365-compliance-data-protection-rules-eu-institutions-and-bodies?utm_source=chatgpt.com
"European Commission brings use of Microsoft 365 into ..."
[4]: https://samexpert.com/microsoft-regulatory-roundup-2025/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
"Microsoft Regulatory Roundup 2025"

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On Thu, 4/16/2026 8:30 PM, T wrote:

2)-a the communications to and from one drive are encrypted,
but the data storage is not.-a M$ swears they do not data
mine it, but I seriously do not believe them.

If you want a web data service, I would recommend you use
something other than One Drive.-a I personally adore Ice
Drive as it gives me a drive letter and their support is
world class.-a A lot of my customers like Drop Box.

-T

Privacy is not addressed in here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneDrive

"Microsoft has responded by indicating that "strict internal policies
[are] in place to limit access to a user's data", and that advanced mechanisms,
such as Microsoft's automated PhotoDNA scanning tool, are utilized to ensure
users abide with the Code of Conduct "

It would make no particular difference, whether the disk drives were
encrypted at rest or not. Since it can be done for free, via FDE,
there's no reason not to do it. But that only protects the content
if someone walks out of the building with it. If the site is hacked,
they can extricate whatever they want (the assumption in hacking,
is you have acquired all the authentication mechanisms -- only the
air-gapped signing machine is not online).

That means you can safely store your copies of the Holy Bible in there.

This article has some colored blocks for comparison of services.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_file_hosting_services

Proton has the highest (stated) rating, as it says "End-to-end encryption",
but something like that would need to be audited.

The best way to ensure an item is handled adequately, is to encrypt it yourself.
and since Q-day is coming, you want to be ready for the Q environment.
(Things encrypted with inadequate mechanisms, here today, can be cracked
later when Q-day arrives.)

The best thing, is to not store the goods in the cloud at all :-)
It's not a branding issue as such, it's a more serious issue than that.

Paul
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On 4/17/26 05:50, Paul wrote:

The best thing, is to not store the goods in the cloud at all EfOe
It's not a branding issue as such, it's a more serious issue than that.

Well, stated.

Second best would be Ice Drive. There is an encrypted folder
that yo uhave to choose the key. And the key can not be
recovered if you forget it.


I store nothing private on the web, encrypted or not.

Well, I should state that there is one instance that I do,
but it is encrypted with a utility that I wrote. Good
luck trying to break it!

--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On 4/17/2026 5:16 AM, T wrote:

On 4/17/26 02:10, ...w-i|#-o-#-n|# wrote:

On 4/17/2026 12:51 AM, T wrote:

On 4/17/26 00:32, MikeS wrote:

Can't understand why people spend hours trying to eradicate it.

It use to be annoying to remove until the European courts put
he hammer on M$.-a Now is is a simple Add Remove Programs.

People are just remember the old days.

You're on a roll of falsehoods today.

No EU court decision or ban exists on OneDrive presence or ability to
remove.

You might be trying to equate the renaming of SkyDrive(brand name
before rename to OneDrive) in compliance with an EU settlement in 2013.
-a-a- the settlement/agreement did not and never put a 'hammer' on MSFT
for OneDrive install or ability to remove.

FYI - the preferred and cleanest way to remove OneDrive(after
disabling its features and quitting(it) is via:
-a-aSettings/Apps/Installed Apps

This is the last time I will be reading you.-a-a I am
killing filing you are a stalker.

Here is ChatGPT analysis:

what was the European court ruling on removing Microsoft one drive?

There wasnrCOt actually a European court ruling that specifically said rCLMicrosoft OneDrive must be removablerCY or banned it outright. ThatrCOs a common misunderstanding.

What *did* happen in Europe is a set of **data protection and
competition rulings/actions** involving MicrosoftrCOs cloud services (including OneDrive as part of Microsoft 365). HererCOs the accurate picture:

---

## 1) The key 2024 ruling (not about removing OneDrive)

Yes, nothing about removing OneDrive

In **March 2024**, the EUrCOs data watchdog rCo the **European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS)** rCo ruled that the **European Commission itself** had violated EU data protection law by using Microsoft 365. ([Conventus Law][1])

The issues included:

* Personal data being transferred outside the EU without proper safeguards
* Lack of clarity about what data Microsoft processed and why
* Risk of unauthorized access/disclosure of EU citizensrCO data
([Conventus Law][1])

### What the ruling required

The EDPS did **not** order removal of OneDrive or Microsoft services. Instead, it required:

If you want, I can explain whether Windows in Europe might eventually be forced to let users uninstall OneDrive (thatrCOs a *different* regulatory trend involving the Digital Markets Act).

Thanks for confirming my original statement
"No EU court decision or ban exists on OneDrive presence or ability to remove."
--
...w-i|#-o-#-n|#
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On 4/17/2026 3:07 AM, Andy Burns wrote:

Anssi Saari wrote:

I haven't kept up but is a Microsoft account mandatory now in Windows
11?

No, but they keep making it harder and more obscure to setup
(particularly a Home Edition) Win11 machine without a MSA;-a but it's
always possible to create an MSA, use it to sign-in, then create a local admin account and local non-admin account, and bin-off the MSA.

An MSA online profile has the ability/option to close the MSA Account.
- the user option choices are twofold - 30 or 60 days.

The only other route is lack of use.
- after 2 years of inactivity the account is marked for deletion.
The deletion process is not on the first day after 2 years.
-i.e. it can take up to 6 months or longer or via a scheduled purge of inactive accounts during server bay maintenance prior to backing up that
bay to a redundant bay.
--
...w-i|#-o-#-n|#
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:32:48 +0100, MikeS wrote:

I don't like OneDrive so I don't use it. Simple. Its true that Microsoft tries to make it a default location but easy to avoid. Can't understand
why people spend hours trying to eradicate it.

It's still on my drive, but I chose 'Quit', so it doesn't start
automatically with Windows. Sometimes it's handy to share files.
--
s|b
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On 4/17/2026 11:25 AM, s|b wrote:

On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:32:48 +0100, MikeS wrote:

I don't like OneDrive so I don't use it. Simple. Its true that Microsoft
tries to make it a default location but easy to avoid. Can't understand
why people spend hours trying to eradicate it.

It's still on my drive, but I chose 'Quit', so it doesn't start
automatically with Windows. Sometimes it's handy to share files.

Quit closes the OneDrive App.

The option(toggle feature) to not load automatically with Windows 11 can
be configured at:
Settings/Apps/Startup/Microsoft OneDrive
--
...w-i|#-o-#-n|#
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:12:56 -0400, Paul wrote:

When a partition is automatically encrypted, Microsoft can place
the Recovery Key in the MSA account in the cloud. But we also
see reports of encryption, where the MSA is no longer available
to the user, which is the very definition of Not Good.

I don't have a Microsoft account, having got my Windows 11 machine
back when it was easy to bypass that at setup. A few weeks ago, I
spent quite a while googling, without success, for how to find out
your Recovery Key when you have no Microsoft account to sign into.
Luckily none of my partitions have been Bitlockered, as I verified by
typing
manage-bde -status | more
in an admin command prompt.

If you
want to use encryption, then you should store the Recovery
Key where you can find it later.

What do you think of VeraCrypt? That's what I use to encrypt all of
my partitions that have anything I want to keep private.
--
"The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by
those who don't have it." --George Bernard Shaw
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On Sat, 4/18/2026 4:42 AM, Stan Brown wrote:

On Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:12:56 -0400, Paul wrote:

When a partition is automatically encrypted, Microsoft can place
the Recovery Key in the MSA account in the cloud. But we also
see reports of encryption, where the MSA is no longer available
to the user, which is the very definition of Not Good.

I don't have a Microsoft account, having got my Windows 11 machine
back when it was easy to bypass that at setup. A few weeks ago, I
spent quite a while googling, without success, for how to find out
your Recovery Key when you have no Microsoft account to sign into.
Luckily none of my partitions have been Bitlockered, as I verified by
typing
manage-bde -status | more
in an admin command prompt.

If you
want to use encryption, then you should store the Recovery
Key where you can find it later.

What do you think of VeraCrypt? That's what I use to encrypt all of
my partitions that have anything I want to keep private.

My personal concern with encryption in general terms, is "failure modes".
What do you do, when you cannot access a volume.

But as far as the article goes, Veracrypt has been audited a couple
times. I would only trust the opinion of a (relatively independent) cryptographer with no axe to grind.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VeraCrypt

When Q-day arrives, it is hard to say how good the strength of combined algorithms is. I don't expect everything we have to crumble on Q-day,
the dominos will topple one by one as time passes. Quantum works
on side effects, and it takes the practitioner some time, to find
a way to use quantum to crack a code. Initially, nobody had an inkling
at all, as to how you would go about doing this. The quantum at the
time, it was mainly promoted by means of "things it was known to do",
rather than "being good at everything". That's why I expect the
impact to be felt gradually, rather than everything in sight
being cracked on the same day.

One of the funny effects of Q-day, will be when SHA-256 is cracked,
as that instantly makes Bitcoin worthless. Presumably, someone in
the Bitcoin ecosystem, is preparing for Q-day.

Lots of crypto issues are in the middle of preparations for Q-day, so they
know it is coming, but they cannot rush too much as that could open
exploitable holes if they're not careful. If Veracrypt received a new
suite, it would likely need another audit afterwards. The same will be
true of a lot of things being beefed up.

This is why on the occasional web site, instead of a file hash being
SHA-256, it's SHA-512. It's because a few people are now "nervous".

Paul
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On 4/17/2026 4:48 AM, Lynn McGuire wrote:

Is OneDrive just spyware ? I just bought a new Dell PC with Windows 11
Pro for my home. Besides the fact that Windows 11 forced me to use my
home email address as a login, OneDrive was installed and activated
without my explicit permission.

One should never ever allow things to go online automatically!! :)
--

@~@ Simplicity is Beauty! Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch!
/ v \ May the Force and farces be with you! Live long and prosper!!
/( _ )\ https://sites.google.com/site/changmw/
^ ^ https://github.com/changmw/changmw
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:25:41 -0700, ...w-i|#-o-#-n|# wrote:

Quit closes the OneDrive App.

The option(toggle feature) to not load automatically with Windows 11 can
be configured at:
Settings/Apps/Startup/Microsoft OneDrive

It's not even in there on my end. But I can see

OneDrive.Sync.Service.exe

runnning in the background.
--
s|b
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

On 4/18/26 07:25, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:

On 4/17/2026 4:48 AM, Lynn McGuire wrote:

Is OneDrive just spyware ?-a I just bought a new Dell PC with Windows 11
Pro for my home.-a Besides the fact that Windows 11 forced me to use my
home email address as a login, OneDrive was installed and activated
without my explicit permission.

One should never ever allow things to go online automatically!! :)

1+ Hallelujah!
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.os.windows-11

s|b wrote on 4/18/2026 8:03 AM:

On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:25:41 -0700, ...w-i|#-o-#-n|# wrote:

Quit closes the OneDrive App.

The option(toggle feature) to not load automatically with Windows 11 can
be configured at:
Settings/Apps/Startup/Microsoft OneDrive

It's not even in there on my end. But I can see

OneDrive.Sync.Service.exe

runnning in the background.

Should be unless OneDrive's been tweaked contrary to design intent or
registry hacking instead of methodical removal(via the OneDrive app,
Quit, Unlink) then uninstall via Settings/Apps.

OneDrive.Sync.Service.exe for a 'Quit' and 'Not loading at Startup'
OneDrive should be seen in the following version number folder:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft OneDrive\26.055.0323.0004

If you see it in an earlier folder(26.051.0316.0004 or earlier number) or
only see and earlier version folder in C:\Program Files\Microsoft
OneDrive then OneDrive is either corrupt or not removed/uninstalled in
the methodical route.
OneDrive open, Sync folders disabled(toggled off), Quit, restart
OneDrive verify sync disabled, Unlink, then uninstall via Settings/Apps.
--
...w-i|#-o-#-n|#
--- Synchronet 3.21f-Linux NewsLink 1.2