Backup "SharePoint location"-link in Windows explorer

K VHoof 41 Reputation points
2020-08-07T11:49:04.287+00:00

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In my company we use a selfmade tool which makes a backup of network mappings, installed network printers, specific user settings, custom files/folders, ... We are now in a transition to Office 365 and SharePoint.

If you go via a web browser to a SharePoint Document Folder you have a button Sync. This button adds a link to the SharePoint Document Folder in your Windows Explorer.

My goal is to make a backup of these SharePoint links so that I easily can add these links back in Windows Explorer if a user gets a new computer (or in case computer must be reinstalled).

  • I found out that these "SharePoint links" are stored in the registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\OneDrive\Accounts
  • I exported that branch out of the registry.
  • Then I stopped the sync of the SharePoint Document Folders in my Windows Explorer so the links are gone.
  • I than imported the registry keys but this does not show the SharePoint Document Folders in my Windows Explorer (even not after a restart)

Does someone know how to solve this?

Microsoft 365 and Office SharePoint For business Windows
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2 answers

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  1. Echo Du_MSFT 17,316 Reputation points
    2020-08-11T02:24:26.937+00:00

    By design, once you stop the SharePoint Online sync , even if you re-import the registry keys, the original SharePoint Folders will not be restored.

    When viewing the registry keys that you re-imported, the system would pop up an Error Box.

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  2. Anupam Shrivastava 176 Reputation points
    2020-08-12T08:28:20.857+00:00

    I have not tried it myself, but you should also explore the registry keys entries inside "Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SyncEngines\Providers\OneDrive". I see all my synced locations are listed there.

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