Advice Request OneDrive or Google Drive?

Please provide comments and solutions that are helpful to the author of this topic.

L

Local Host

Keeping a local backup is always a good idea. In my work, for instance, I use lots of files with the same name each one inside a folder with a client's name. It takes only a moment of distraction to overwrite the wrong file and neither Google or Onedrive keep file history. A local backup saved me a lot of work more than once.
OneDrive not only keeps file history, but has backups for each and every single file.

You can restore each indivual file whenever you want, be it changes made 5 seconds or even rollback the file years.

All this without using extra storage for all those backups.
 

mlnevese

Level 26
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
May 3, 2015
1,531
OneDrive not only keeps file history, but has backups for each and every single file.

You can restore each indivual file whenever you want, be it changes made 5 seconds or even rollback the file years.

All this without using extra storage for all those backups.
I didn't know that. I'll have to see how to do that later. Thank you for pointing it out :)
 

shmu26

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Jul 3, 2015
8,150
OneDrive not only keeps file history, but has backups for each and every single file.
Yes and no.
OneDrive free version keeps history only for files in Office format, not for other file formats.
If your files get encrypted, and the file extension changes, they are no longer considered to be in Office format, and the history is deleted. You lost your files.

OneDrive paid version keeps history for all file types, and also allows you to restore your whole collection of files to an earlier date and time that you choose.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: mlnevese
L

Local Host

Yes and no.
OneDrive free version keeps history only for files in Office format, not for other file formats.
If your files get encrypted, and the file extension changes, they are no longer considered to be in Office format, and the history is deleted. You lost your files.

OneDrive paid version keeps history for all file types, and also allows you to restore your whole collection of files to an earlier date and time that you choose.
This is false, it keeps history of all files not only Office format files.

5xUCcQd.png

As you can see that is on a Free Account, works exactly the same as my Enterprise Account.
 

shmu26

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Jul 3, 2015
8,150
This is false, it keeps history of all files not only Office format files.

5xUCcQd.png

As you can see that is on a Free Account, works exactly the same as my Enterprise Account.
Thanks. But let me tell you about a little test I did last week, on my OneDrive free account.
I created a Word doc, and then modified the text a few times, to create versions.
Then I changed the file extension from .docx to .docxpwned.
The earlier versions disappeared from OneDrive. If the file had been actually encrypted, its contents would have been lost, because there was no way to restore it to an earlier date.

I then tried the same test on OneDrive paid version, and the versions were retained. Although reverting the file to an earlier version did not change the file extension back to docx, the contents of the file were indeed reverted. After changing the file extension manually, I was able to "retrieve" my file.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that "files restore" is not available on free version, as shown in this chart:
Microsoft OneDrive

As for the past versions you showed for your text file, it seems that the list of supported file types has been expanded, and that's good, but it still does not allow you to recover from a ransomware attack. That's a paid feature.
 
L

Local Host

Thanks. But let me tell you about a little test I did last week, on my OneDrive free account.
I created a Word doc, and then modified the text a few times, to create versions.
Then I changed the file extension from .docx to .docxpwned.
The earlier versions disappeared from OneDrive. If the file had been actually encrypted, its contents would have been lost, because there was no way to restore it to an earlier date.

I then tried the same test on OneDrive paid version, and the versions were retained. Although reverting the file to an earlier version did not change the file extension back to docx, the contents of the file were indeed reverted. After changing the file extension manually, I was able to "retrieve" my file.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that "files restore" is not available on free version, as shown in this chart:
Microsoft OneDrive

As for the past versions you showed for your text file, it seems that the list of supported file types has been expanded, and that's good, but it still does not allow you to recover from a ransomware attack. That's a paid feature.
I been recovering non-office files for years now, is not a recent change nor is restore exclusive to the paid version.

Changing the name and extension of a file, is the same as being another file, reason why you lost the file version, the old file was sent to the recycle bin with all it's versions (easy to recover).

As for randomware, OneDrive keeps track of and flags the files when a large number of files is changed/deleted, and with a click of a button you can recover all your files.

All this keeping in mind OneDrive wasn't built for General Files, it was built for Media files and Documents.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gandalf_The_Grey

shmu26

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Jul 3, 2015
8,150
I am glad to hear you had a better experience with onedrive free than I did.
 

Klappis

Level 1
Verified
Feb 15, 2014
30
Harassing or Defamatory
The seller might be the legal owner of a domain he doesn't really need anymore, and have rights to set up accounts. Why isn't that a possibility?

And how would you know that for certain? People recommending other people buying fake cloud service plans should be banned from this forum.
 

shmu26

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Jul 3, 2015
8,150
And how would you know that for certain? People recommending other people buying fake cloud service plans should be banned from this forum.
I don't know for certain, and I don't need to know for certain. It is not my legal responsibility to be certain. That is the responsibility of the seller and the hosting site, not the responsibility of the buyer. When you buy a used car, are you certain about the legality of the former ownership? No, you just look at the papers, that's all.
 

Thales

Level 15
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Nov 26, 2017
708
OneDrive or Google Drive? ... None of these if you care at all about the security.

Try Mega, Tresorit or SpiderOak.

OneDrive is Secure. Private? maybe not but the security is good. Same goes for Google Drive.
 

Back3

Level 14
Verified
Top Poster
Apr 14, 2019
654
I use OneDrive to make a backup of My Documents and Google Drive for pictures and videos. My very private stuff goes to external drives....
 

About us

  • MalwareTips is a community-driven platform providing the latest information and resources on malware and cyber threats. Our team of experienced professionals and passionate volunteers work to keep the internet safe and secure. We provide accurate, up-to-date information and strive to build a strong and supportive community dedicated to cybersecurity.

User Menu

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know first about the latest cybersecurity incidents and malware threats.

Top