"OneDrive" is incompatible with Windows 8.1, hilarious

[EchoOne30]

I foolishly "upgraded" my desktop to 8.1 when it came out, and I discovered I was no longer able to remote in through skydrive. "not available on windows 8.1 machines" it says.

Then MS changed it to "ONEdrive", and rolled this out. Oh boy, look at all the emails I got promoting how awesome it is. Ok let's see if it actually works.

-desktop client still broken
-cannot remotely grab files
-and now, new feature added, browser edition of onedrive doesn't even show a new file when you upload sometimes

The world mocks Microsoft, and this is why. I use Outlook email, a windows phone, an xbox 360, and a windows 8.1 PC. And not one of these things can talk to each other or communicate natively. I don't get it. Why is onedrive broken with 8.1?? This is arguably one of the fundamental positives of using the ecosystem. I've now gone back to just emailing myself things. After all that's all the cloud is. I've been using "the cloud" since '98.

When I go to the onedrive page, it says "download the onedrive software thing", so I download it. But then I see a message saying "this won't work on 8.1 machines because onedrive is natively supported!".
...except that it's not.

Why even offer these services if none of them ever work?

(to hopefully add some weight to my post, I've been using Hotmail since 1998, windows phone since 2011, windows PC's since ever, and I'm an xbox user. I see the downsides of this ecosystem of theirs to be enough to push me to other services. I will be switching to the iphone next upgrade time, and if I didn't work in media where all my software is locked up in the windows ecosystem, I would be switching to mac)

 

[Darkgift]

Sorry to hear, but I would contact support. Everything works fine for me.

Sent from my HTC 8x using Tapatalk

 

[Jas00555]

How is it not natively supported? Its a tab on my my file explorer. You can't get any more native than that.

 

[mjrtoo]

Wow, you come on here and spout nonsense, maybe the problem is your local machine not Microsoft. Probably get more help on a Microsoft forum if you weren't so aggressive and negative. The world doesn't mock MS, it uses their products nearly exclusively everyday.

 

[HeyCori]

Sorry to hear, but I would contact support. Everything works fine for me.

Sent from my HTC 8x using Tapatalk

Same here. Sky/OneDrive working fine for me. Last used all of two days ago for accessing files on my Surface 2 and Lumia 920. I also got it set up on my Xbox One too but haven't really used it.

 

[palandri]

I have Win8.1 on my laptop and I just checked it and it's working fine. I haven't used it in a while. All my pictures were still there.

 

[Coreldan]

Also using Skydrive/Onedrive daily before and after the change, I wouldn't have probably even noticed the change if it wasn't for WPC and the changed name in some places.

That said, when I go to file explorer, it still says SkyDrive.

 

[Blkacesvf41]

OP needs to chill. OneDrive is baked into the OS and will be there with Upgrade 1 for Windows 8.1. On WP8 it's a stand alone app which is why it has been upgraded already.

 

[tofnow]

EchoOne30, not sure what you are trying to do nor what your desktop configuration is but OneDrive/Skydrive works fine for me in Win 8.1 Pro 64 bit in whatever I've tried to do which is not a lot other than to make most of my files online only to save space. They seem to work when I need them online. I'll try it from a Win 7 Pro laptop and see if things fail and edit this if so.

 

[Aviad Kohn]

Onedrive is working great on 8.1. Try to delete all files from the SkyDrive folder on the PC! Work for me...
BTW I've noticed an improvement after the onedrive update. Now when I delete files on one PC/Phone they appear in the recycle bin on the other PC!

 

[Kevin Rush]

I foolishly "upgraded" my desktop to 8.1 when it came out, and I discovered I was no longer able to remote in through skydrive. "not available on windows 8.1 machines" it says.

Then MS changed it to "ONEdrive", and rolled this out. Oh boy, look at all the emails I got promoting how awesome it is. Ok let's see if it actually works.

-desktop client still broken
-cannot remotely grab files
-and now, new feature added, browser edition of onedrive doesn't even show a new file when you upload sometimes

The world mocks Microsoft, and this is why. I use Outlook email, a windows phone, an xbox 360, and a windows 8.1 PC. And not one of these things can talk to each other or communicate natively. I don't get it. Why is onedrive broken with 8.1?? This is arguably one of the fundamental positives of using the ecosystem. I've now gone back to just emailing myself things. After all that's all the cloud is. I've been using "the cloud" since '98.

When I go to the onedrive page, it says "download the onedrive software thing", so I download it. But then I see a message saying "this won't work on 8.1 machines because onedrive is natively supported!".
...except that it's not.

Why even offer these services if none of them ever work?

Your post shows signs that the problem may be "user error".

It doesn't make sense to remote in to Sky/OneDrive from Windows 8.1, access to your files is on your computer, in the directory.

Sky/OneDrive is built in to Windows 8.1. There is no reason to reinstall the App, it IS installed natively. The software desktop client, that you are trying to down load and install, is intended for computers other than Windows 8.x.

My computer, Surface Pro 2 tablet computer, my Windows Phone, my Xbox 360 all sync with each other and with the web client (at Kinko's) just as advertised. I asked a few people, (some of the + 200 million people using Windows 8) and didn't find anyone that agreed with your comments.

"Just the facts."

 

[EchoOne30]

What I used to be able to do is remote in from my windows 7 laptop through the SkyDrive in browser and grab files from my win8 PC at home. 8.1 broke that, there is a notice saying "not available on 8.1 machines". That is not opinion, that is a fact.

And yes, I also see "SkyDrive" in windows explorer, however it doesn't sync, and is a known issue. A simple google search gave me forum upon forum of people asking if there is a fix.

I'm not making anything up, this system just doesn't work. And is supremely frustrating.

The world has mocked MS for years and years. I say this as a user of almost every one of their services. Even if you're a massive supporter/fan, you have to admit it. Microsoft has been a punch line for over a decade. I just added that to illustrate my frustration, it's another fact of modern culture, and isn't really up for debate.

 

[wapoz]

Op makes a fool of himself, hilarious.

 

[EchoOne30]

Op makes a fool of himself, hilarious.

How so?

Can you remote in to your 8.1 PC from a laptop through SkyDrive? If so please tell me how, because right now Microsoft says its not possible anymore (even tho it used to be with 8)

 

[stephen_az]

What I used to be able to do is remote in from my windows 7 laptop through the SkyDrive in browser and grab files from my win8 PC at home. 8.1 broke that, there is a notice saying "not available on 8.1 machines". That is not opinion, that is a fact.

And yes, I also see "SkyDrive" in windows explorer, however it doesn't sync, and is a known issue. A simple google search gave me forum upon forum of people asking if there is a fix.

I'm not making anything up, this system just doesn't work. And is supremely frustrating.

The world has mocked MS for years and years. I say this as a user of almost every one of their services. Even if you're a massive supporter/fan, you have to admit it. Microsoft has been a punch line for over a decade. I just added that to illustrate my frustration, it's another fact of modern culture, and isn't really up for debate.

I'm sorry but did you not notice that almost every post says it does work? It is not just that people are ridiculing your rather odd contention, they are also pointing out everything that SkyDrive/OneDrive is supposed to do does work. What does not work is something that was intentionally disabled with Windows 8, not 8.1. No you cannot directly connect to the files on a remote machine via Onedrive/Skydrive, just to OneDrive/Skydrive. That function was part of a much earlier iteration of SkyDrive that I believe originated in LiveMesh. It was also a security threat since it meant anyone who had access to your password could access all of our user files remotely. Of course, it also meant that a port was being kept open on your machine to allow the connection, or do you think that access was by magic? As for an internet search proving your point, please check the dates on the posts. Yes, the function does not work anymore and is not coming back, but it is also something that search could have told you before you ever did the upgrade. It was no secret with Windows 8 and certainly has been known for quite some time.

So Windows 8 no longer allows SkyDrive/Onedrive remote access to your computer itself? Since it has evolved into a bona fide cloud computing option that is hardly the intended usage. The intent is to have your files synced to cloud which absolutely does work - I have around 200GB of data synced to the system and it performs flawlessly. If you don't like it then use something that meets your needs. I would, however, appreciate it if you would point one mainstream product that does what you want. You certainly can't log on to your Google account, or drop box, or Amazon's cloud service, etc., etc., and then access your other machines remotely.

Oh wait, there is something you can use to do that. It is called Remote Desktop which happens to be built in to Windows 8/8.1 and is also available as an app in the Windows store. An internet search could have told you that as well but you would have needed to have started from a position other than a self righteous, smug, and close minded temper tantrum....

 

[GrayW0lf]

"Back in the day" Microsoft had a beta product called "Live Mesh" that provided the functionality for Remote Desktop that the OP talks about. That functionality went away when they moved over to just using SkyDrive. I do not recall seeing a Mesh-like function in SkyDrive, though I suppose that it could have been there.

 

[Maaz Mansori]

The OP actually has a point. The desktop client of Skydrive/Onedrive had an option that you could remotely access ALL files on your computer remotely. It wasn't a remote desktop client; it was simply a way of downloading the files remotely from a computer running the client without them having to be in the Skydrive folder and without them having to be uploaded to the cloud.
Windows 8.1 has built in Skydrive/Onedrive but not does not offer that functionality. It only allows you to auto sync the Skydrive folder to the cloud.
I didn't think of it as a big deal though. I have all the important files in the Skydrive folder already and if necessary I can Remote Desktop in and move any files there so the loss of functionality didn't bother me.

 

[xandros9]

The OP actually has a point. The desktop client of Skydrive/Onedrive had an option that you could remotely access ALL files on your computer remotely. It wasn't a remote desktop client; it was simply a way of downloading the files remotely from a computer running the client without them having to be in the Skydrive folder and without them having to be uploaded to the cloud.
Windows 8.1 has built in Skydrive/Onedrive but not does not offer that functionality. It only allows you to auto sync the Skydrive folder to the cloud.
I didn't think of it as a big deal though. I have all the important files in the Skydrive folder already and if necessary I can Remote Desktop in and move any files there so the loss of functionality didn't bother me.

That's true, the remote grab has been removed. Not a problem since I store all my documents in OneDrive. But OP may have a lot more stuff than I do.

You may want to take cover OP, you've managed to make the post that pushes my buttons. (regardless of platform mind you)
Don't make yourself sound so much of a whiner. I understand, a feature is gone, you are miffled. (Same with the removal of easy ad-hoc)
While that may get you brownie points in a Mac or Linux forum it is a negative here.
You sound like you're here to solely rant and spew hate. If you're here for that, OK BYE, take it elsewhere.
But on the contrary, if you want help, be a bit nicer please to be less grating with the population.

Anyways, OneDrive IS SkyDrive. Literally. They added some polish and say its been made better to help cover up the required name change. It should continue to work as well/badly as it did before. It is mostly a cosmetic overhaul.

You do not install Sky/OneDrive. That is for Windows 8 and earlier PCs. It is baked in. Yes. Yes it is. Something is wrong on your end you neutron star!

after than minor rant of my own, the first point of contention is a user error because it works fine for most people. (Protip, dont make blanket statements like that from anecdotal evidence. but then again what do I expect from someone who would probably put up with a defective phone and assume all are defective. <-That's what you sound like, you may not mean it, but its coming across more powerfully than the stench of a high sulfur diesel upwind.)

(The reverse of what you say) I use MS services, and they work flawlessly in my experience, so your problems must not exist! It's perfect, shiny, and they only make products that work perfectly. 8 was successful! Vista is awesome!

I hope you felt better after that post, I sure feel better after mine.

 

[Tepid]

What is being said here is correct.
The functionality of Remoting into another PC through SkyDrive/OneDrive is not a primary function of OneDrive or SkyDrive for that matter.
Now that I think of it, I don't believe it was the ability to remote in, but to add local drives to your SkyDrive account. Still a Security Risk.
If it was left in for people to use, well, great, but it was removed for, most likely several reasons.

1.) Security Reasons
2.) Backend Support Reasons.
3.) I am sure other reasons.

There are many other apps that can be used to remote into a PC, LogMeIn (which is not free) but there is SplashTop which is for Personal Use.

Also, if you are referring to not being able to access OneDrive when logged in with only a Local Account, there is a way around that as well.
Search Map SkyDrive as a network drive, they will tell you how to find the ID and then map as \\d.docs.live.net@SSL\Your_skydrive_ID
You can even map individual folders to letters
\\d.docs.live.net@SSL\Your_skydrive_ID\^2Documents
\\d.docs.live.net@SSL\Your_skydrive_ID\^2Pictures
\\d.docs.live.net@SSL\Your_skydrive_ID\^2Public
etc.

Map as whatever letter you want, Login one time when prompted, and there you go.

But don't go off complaining that a feature was removed and call it incompatible and hilarious, when you don't even understand, nor take the time to understand the reasons.
Makes you look like a fool.

As for Synching,, seems to be working fine for me as well.

 

[EchoOne30]

Some of these posts have helpful information, but parts of them are forgetting:

1) I'm not a technical user, all I know is that something used to work before, and now does not... With no explanation.

2) Microsoft wants to work and play in the "it just works" arena. Well this is what it is. I'm a casual user who is frustrated that a feature that I frequently used has vanished. No explanation given. (for example, I've never heard of live mesh)


I will attempt some of the ideas given here, thank you to those who posted helpful information.

Btw still waiting for the highly intelligent WAPOZ to reply.