Onedrive keeps freezing my explorer when setting up on new device

Nghiep Vuong 0 Reputation points
2026-07-04T10:54:09.0366667+00:00

Hello all. Recently, I have changed to a new PC and setting up my onedrive on it. My new PC operates Windows 11 Pro has around 200gb storage and cable plugged-in with strong internet connection. However my onedrive has over 600gb data. So, when I installed onedrive, it automatically start downloading all data and soon takes up all my storage. In addition, while it is downloading, onedrive folder (in my C drive) is not responding and it does not respond as well when I try to open onedrive from the icon on my taskbar. I have tried many ways I found on the internet as below, but it does not help the situation:

  • I used a command C:\Program Files\Microsoft OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset to reset onedrive and when it opens, I quickly open the onedrive setting before it start downloading anything and hence freeze. In onedrive setting, I choose Free up disk space under the Files on-demand. But then nothing really happens. My storage still occupied and soon Onedrive start downloading again and freeze.
  • I reset onedrive as above, then pause sync and restart the computer. Did not help.
  • I go to task manager, end onedrive. Then I go to C/Users and right click on onedrive folder (directory of onedrive when I install) and choose free up space. After it done, I open onedrive app again and it start processing change. At this point, it actually free up a lot of storage but soon after, onedrive start downloading data again. But the thing is, it downloads the data that I just have free-up, not the new files that it has not downloaded before. This is really like a loop for me, as onedrive will just download the same file I free-up.
  • I try free-up space at the same time onedrive is downloading. And this is really really slow, I tried to leave my computer on for almost 24 hours, and I am not sure if anything happens since the explorer window is freeze and not responding while my storage still occupies. So I really dont know if the free-up or download really do their jobs.

Right now I can't really do much as all the storage is occupied. Please anyone has experience with this can help me? Thank you.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows

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