Woes from an Office 365 OneDrive and Sharepoint Sync user...

I have never preached for a technology that's so evidently lacking in stability than what Microsoft is offering with OneDrive for business and their Sharepoint Sites.

Overall, I do think there's great potential in this solution that Microsoft offers for the SMB market. Editing of data on the web, browser, local sync of files with the cloud, large storage capacity.. Having said all of these, there are lots of limitations to the sync of files and folders.

In this post, I will be addressing a few specific issues with the sync from Office 365 cloud to local PC.

The most common problems related to sync are:

1. Sync error with regards to permissions to access some files/folders.
2. Sync error with regards to inability repair any 'un-sync-able' files.
3. In-ability to sync files from Sharepoint or OneDrive For business
4. Repeated error even when repair of sync is initiated
5. Repeated error with Microsoft Office Document Uploader tool\
6. Problem with system slow-down after OneDrive for Business is set-up
7. Having multiple version of Ms Office (older Ms Office, and New OneDrive for business via Office 2013)

I will continually add more guides and information as I encounter more error messages in time to come.



1) Sync error with regards to permissions to access some files/folders.

The issue with permissions is generally users given access to a particular document storage location in sharepoint sites but not sufficient for users to download.
things to take note:

• check and ensure that files and folders to the user is given a read permission instead of just view. 
• View allows only viewing on the cloud web-based ms office, but read on the other hand provides access for the sync tool to download and synchronize the files/folders.

2) Sync error with regards to inability repair any 'un-sync-able' files.

This issue is related to the corruption of the sync-ed data. For this to be repaired, always try the repair tool by right-clicking the Cloud-Icon (OneDrive) for business.

The repair tool will back-up the data before it performs a re-sync. However, if there are consistently errors with the repair, say, you did it the 2nd-time and error re-occurred, you can try going this route:

Right click the OneDrive App, and stop syncing the folder that is having problem.

Then proceed to the C:\Users\(the user account)\Sharepoint and identify the folder of previously sync-ed data. Then rename the folder with an additional "_2015feb09" for ease of future identification.


Stop the OneDrive for business application > go to the taskmgr, look for:
1) groove (if this is not stopped, cannot rename the SPW folder)
2) msosync (if this is not stopped, cannot clear the OfficeFileCache Folder)
Stop these 2 tasks and services (if-any)

Then, Go to this location: C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\Spw

SPW = SharePoint Workspace

You may proceed with renaming the folder from Spw to Spw.2014-09-01, this way the Spw folder database will be refreshed when the application is re-run.

Then proceed with deleting everything from this folder:
"C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\15.0\OfficeFileCache


Note that a restart of system is recommended to make the OneDrive Start from scratch.



(I just verified that I don't need to restart to get all to work. Just need to click the OneDrive App on the PC, and then login to my Office365 to SYNC the folder I'd like the app to synchronize.)
3) In-ability to sync files from Sharepoint or OneDrive For business

The only way we can use Sharepoint Sites sync or OneDrive for business sync to the local desktop is to ensure you have done the following:

1) You've run the Office 365 verification tool
2) You've installed the OneDrive for Business app

Both 2 options are available at the

a) login to Office 365
b) go top-right corner, click your photo or profile icon
c) Office 365 Settings > Software and,
d) perform the necessary work

When all of these have been set-up and some-how the sync button isn't available or is unable to be clicked (no effect when clicked), the issue could be related to the Groove Browser Helper Object (Grooveex.dll) BHO in the Internet Explorer Settings.

Note that the initiation of sync is made available only through internet explorer first. And you will definitely need to ensure that OneDrive for business is already installed and is able to run.

To fix the sync, go to add-ins for Internet Explorer (IE-10 or IE-11) Only.
- click the Gear at the top right corner
- click on manage add-ons
- scroll and look for Microsoft Corporation and search for Groove BHO, it should be disabled at the moment, and no matter how you click enable, it'll not work.
- if you look at the details, you'd see that it points to this location irregardless of which version of Ms Office 2010 or 2013 that you install (be it 32-bit or 64-bit).
Location: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15 
- locate grooveex.dll, rename it to grooveex.old. IF you encountered error, that's because processes are running, so ensure that all Groove tasks are stopped in Task Manager, all Ms Office Sync MSOSYNC tasks are closed, and close any opened programs as well, especially Outlook.
- once grooveex.dll file has been renamed to grooveex.old, you may proceed with restart of system.
- when all is boot-up, open up Internet Explorer, go to Manage Add Ons again, and you should now be able to 'enable' Groove BHO and any other Microsoft Related Add-ons in the category. 

That's it! After the enabling, proceed to go to Sharepoint and OneDrive and do the sync. This issue seems to affect only users who utilizes both Microsoft Office 2010 and OneDrive for Business 2013 edition (download from the Software in the Office 365 Settings).

More to come in near future for problem 4, 5 and 6.

Configuring Itunes to sync with the right Outlook PST file after Office 365 Set-up

A client called me to alert me of the issue he had ever since Office 365 was set-up. The Outlook PST file that was synced to the Iphone is now wrong, with 0 calendar and some weird contacts. As such, I have re-configured the default PST file to sync for Itunes with the steps outlined below:


(taken from my post i submitted here)
Background Info:

• I am using the latest version of Itunes, 11.0.3, and Outlook 2010.
• Iphone 4s using iOS 6.1.3
• I have been using 2 POP accounts and 1 IMAP Account.
• Recently, I have migrated my IMAP account to Office 365.
• To avoid having to re-do all the customization, I decided to simply 'add' an exchange-office 365 profile into my current DEFAULT OUTLOOK PROFILE where all my POP and IMAP accounts are found.

Situation:
 
All is well, until I realized, my default Outlook data file is now switched to the Exchange 2013/2010 OST file side where Office 365 account resides. Now I don't have any calendar or Contacts in that OST file. Therefore when Itunes launched and perform a sync, all my contacts and calendar items were..zapped.


Solution:

1. Untick the sync in Itunes for Outlook. All my contacts and calendar on the phones will be deleted. Better that way since i don't want to end up with duplicates.Just proceed to REMOVE.
2. Note that you need to manually record any new items you've just created on the phone ever since you realized that your contacts and calendars were missing on the phone.
3. Do a sync and check the phone to see that all info are 'GONE'.
4. Closed both outlook 2010 and itunes.
5. Go to Control Panel > Mailbox (32-bit) > Click Show Profile
6. I only had 1 profile, so choose the default profile (usually named OUTLOOK)
7. Click Properties
8. Click Data Files
9. Make sure that the old PST file is ticked. Note that it should currently be the Exchange Office 365 OST file. When I choose my old PST file, it gave me a warning which i noted, and proceed.
10. Note that emails for office 365 will still be delivered to the Office 365 OST file because in Accounts List, the default mail delivery folder (Properties > Accounts > Email Accounts > select the Office 365 acc > you'll see that the New messages will be delivered to the OST file.
11. Proceed to apply, then close everything.
12. IMPT: OPEN OUTLOOK FIRST, this will set the Outlook Data File configuration right with the PST file being the default instead of the Office 365 OST.
13. After Outlook is opened, verify that Calendar and Contacts are there and well.
14. Proceed to open Itunes right after that. It doesn't matter whether Outlook is opened or closed.
15. Go to the Iphone - Info tab, then tick the sync with Outlook for both Calendar and Contacts...

Now you can breathe and relax.