What does safeBackup do - or what triggers it?

[gunner007cd]

Pretty much the title. I have OneDrive personal running in a docker and it's been running fine through the years before updates. However, recently, there's one file that its been creating FileName-safeBackup-001.dat and has been creating them every time the file has changed. Now there's about 100 safeBackup files in there. Even if I delete them all and delete the original file and upload the new one, the docker will synchronize and then about 5 minutes later, will create another safeBackup.dat file.

Is there something wrong with the configuration or a way to suppress the creation of files?

[abraunegg]

@gunner007cd

What does safeBackup do

It backs up your file as it has changed outside the recorded online|local changes, outside of the normal sync process, normal use of the client.

or what triggers it?

Firstly, ask yourself how are you using the client:

1. Are you always using --resync which is the main contributor here to performing a safe backup of your data. If this is the case - stop using --resync unless the client actually tells you to use it.
2. Enable verbose logging with --verbose to gain insight as to when these files are being created

Using the verbose logs, please read the documentation: https://github.com/abraunegg/onedrive/blob/master/docs/client-architecture.md to help you understand why they are being created.

Look at all the sequence diagrams where data loss prevention is being flagged.

Is there something wrong with the configuration or a way to suppress the creation of files?

Look at your usage first, it is odd that the client is constantly doing this for one particular file.

If you want to bypass data preservation, this is possible, but this should be a last resort item:

https://github.com/abraunegg/onedrive/blob/master/docs/application-config-options.md#bypass_data_preservation

Please read all the documentation.

[abraunegg]

Enabling verbose logging and/or sending the logging to a separate file for post analysis is the best advice I can give you. You can then corelate the file name with the relevant path and or your activity at that point identified by the timestamp.

[gunner007cd]

Yup have it enabled now - will follow up if I see it crop up again - thank you for your assistance!

[gunner007cd]

It was what I expected, it's happening if that specific program just happens to be open at the time they monitor interval goes off. I think I understand it now. Thank you.

[mireianievas]

I also got a directory completely messed up with these safeBackup files. Can it be disabled somehow? or how can I remove them? beause the owner of the repo cannot, and I can just one-by-one remove them (they are hundreds of files ... ) . I have not used resync lately. But I was getting sync errors before (error code 141) and I just updated curl to try to solve those.

[abraunegg]

@mireianievas

Can it be disabled somehow?

Please read this discussion and/or read the documentation and understand the consequence of disabling this capability

or how can I remove them?

You can manually search for files that contain safeBackup and delete them - but remember, these are files that has changed content - if you simply delete them without review - you may experience data loss .. and this is why they exist.

But I was getting sync errors before (error code 141) and I just updated curl to try to solve those.

If you are exit code 141 - you are most likely hitting this: https://github.com/abraunegg/onedrive/blob/master/docs/known-issues.md#application-stops-running-without-any-visible-reason

This is due to you using a distribution with a broken 'curl' version - please read:

• https://github.com/abraunegg/onedrive/blob/master/docs/usage.md#compatibility-with-curl
• How to upgrade of 'curl' package on Debian and Ubuntu systems to fix HTTP/2 bugs #2997

If you are using Ubuntu .. your choice, but there are better distributions out there.

Please also ensure you install the client the correct way - especially on Ubuntu (do not use the Universe package as it is broken)

[peterborto]

Hi @abraunegg i've too the problem with safe backup folders, every 2/3 days it create a new backup.

In my config i do not have resync enabled.

...
Config option 'resync' = false
Config option 'resync_auth' = false
...

May i have to look in another location ?

[abraunegg]

@peterborto
My suggestion is for you to run the client in verbose mode so you can then understand why the files are being created.

Please also ensure:

• you have a current version of curl / libcurl installed
• you have v2.5.5 or greater as your application version

[peterborto]

Here info:

i suspect problem is with one drive gui (https://github.com/bpozdena/OneDriveGUI this project)

Application version = onedrive v2.5.5
Compiled with = LDC 2110
Curl version = libcurl/8.11.1 OpenSSL/3.2.4 zlib/1.3.1.zlib-ng brotli/1.1.0 libidn2/2.3.8 libpsl/0.21.5 libssh/0.11.1/openssl/zlib nghttp2/1.64.0 OpenLDAP/2.6.9

I have enabled debug log, i hope i will find something more info to put there.

[peterborto]

found issue:

2025-05-12 08:58:02,616 [OneDriveGUI.py:2022][fn=read_stdout][INFO] - [my user] _**This local file has a different modified time 2025-May-09 09:28:13Z (UTC) when compared to remote modified time 2025-May-09 14:15:15Z (UTC)**_

2025-05-12 08:58:02,616 [OneDriveGUI.py:2022][fn=read_stdout][INFO] - [my user] The local file has a different hash when compared to remote file hash
2025-05-12 08:58:02,616 [OneDriveGUI.py:2022][fn=read_stdout][INFO] - [my user] Remote item modified time is newer based on UTC time conversion
2025-05-12 08:58:02,616 [OneDriveGUI.py:2022][fn=read_stdout][INFO] - [my user] The local item is out-of-sync with OneDrive, renaming to preserve existing file and prevent local data loss: file_name
2025-05-12 08:58:03,070 [OneDriveGUI.py:2022][fn=read_stdout][INFO] - [my user] Processing OneDrive JSON item batch [2/4] to ensure consistent local state

maybe some one have different time zone ?

[abraunegg]

No matter timezone, all timestamps are compared as UTC - so timezone is irrelevant.

Your logs illustrate a different hash .. meaning the files are different based on content - thus - this is why the safe backup is being created.

To ensure you are not being hit by any other issue, please build your client manually from 'master' and read the following:

• https://github.com/abraunegg/onedrive/blob/master/docs/usage.md#compatibility-with-editors-and-applications-using-atomic-save-operations

• https://github.com/abraunegg/onedrive/blob/master/docs/usage.md#compatibility-with-obsidian

[peterborto]

Hi @abraunegg i've set in config :

force_session_upload = "true"
delay_inotify_processing = "true"
inotify_delay = "15"

but it tell me config is not valid.

[abraunegg]

@peterborto
You will need to build your client from 'master' to use those options as they were introduced post v2.5.5 release.

v2.5.6 release will land shortly, however there are a number of important items to complete before I will commit to doing a new release.