This article describes how to setup access to your Mines OneDrive cloud storage location on your local computer and explains how to manage how your cloud files are stored.
Additionally, this document explains how to purge your OneDrive local device cache when you retire a device so that your files are removed.
1. Enter the term OneDrive into the Windows search box located in the lower left-hand corner of the Windows desktop.
Click on the OneDrive App search result. (Ignore the OneDrive for Business link.)
2. Enter your Mines email address into the input field in the Setup OneDrive dialog box.
Click on the Sign In button.
3. You are redirected to CSM's Office365 sign-in page.
Enter your password in the input field and click on the Sign in button.
4. You are prompted to provide your second factor authentication. Select your preferred method.
5. By default, your OneDrive local file cache will be placed inside your user folder. You can change it if you like.
Click on the Next button.
6. OneDrive presents a series of informational dialogs to acquaint your with how it works.
Click the Next button on each page in turn.
Pay particular attention to this page as it explains where your files are stored.
Click the Next button.
7. On the last page you are prompted to install the OneDrive mobile app on your smart phone.
This is outside the scope of this tutorial document.
Click on the Later button.
8. Click on the Open my OneDrive Folder button.
9. The Windows File Explorer utility opens. You now have an entry in the left-hand column of the window titled OneDrive - Colorado School of Mines.
Notice the icons in the Status column.
A Blue Cloud means that the file or folder is stored only in the cloud.
A Green Circle with a check mark in it means that the file is always stored locally (On your hard drive) and synchronized in the cloud when you make changes.
A White circle with a green check mark means that the file has been temporarily synchronized locally while you work on the file, but will eventually revert to cloud storage.
10. You can manually tell the system how you want a particular file or folder stored by right-clicking on it in the Windows File Explorer.
A context menu opens. You can choose to change something stored only in the cloud to keep a local copy by selecting Always keep on this device.
If you want to change something that is stored on your local device to stay in the cloud only (Usually to free up disk space) you can select Free up space.
N O T E : Items stored in the cloud only are not available unless you have an active internet connection.
11. If you would like to share a file with someone, click on the Share selection in the context menu.
12. You can select the level of sharing access to the selected file in the follow-on dialog box by clicking the Anyone with the link can edit box.
When you click Anyone with the link can edit box, the dialog box changes.
There are various levels of access you can choose. You can disable editing of the document,
restrict who can access it, and set an expiration date for the share.
13. At its basic level, simply enter the email address of the person with whom you
want to share and then click on the Send button.
You receive a system notification that the file has been shared.
Your recipient receives an email message containing the file link.
How to remove your locally cached OneDrive files when you decommission or pass-on your device to another user.
1. In the Windows File Explorer window, right-click on the Settings item in the context menu.
2. The OneDrive Settings dialog box opens.
Click on the Unlink this PC link.
3. You are prompted to confirm the unlinking process.
Click on the Unlink account button.
4. Note that locally cached files are not deleted from your device and nothing is removed from your cloud storage location.
To remove the files from your local device, locate the OneDrive - Colorado School of Mines folder located
in your user profile folder under C:\Users\ , hold down the Shift key on your keyboard while you
right-click your mouse on the folder. Select Delete. Using the Shift>right-click>delete method immediately deletes
the files from your hard drive instead of just moving them to Recycle Bin.
The system warns you that you are permanently deleting the files.
Select Yes.
The deletion process is now complete.
2020.10.12 - dkearney
2022.03.22 - Revised - dkearney