To help improve your IT experience and ensure you are benefitting from the latest Microsoft 365 digital tools, your personal files currently stored in your personal U or F drive, such as Documents and Pictures, will be moved to Microsoft OneDrive. OneDrive is an online storage space that will enable you to access your files from any device and collaborate with others.
A personal U or F drive is a dedicated storage space assigned to you on the organisation's network. Traditionally referred to as your personal folder, this is where you typically save your work-related documents and files. It is accessible only to you and securely stored on our servers.
Moving forward, files from your personal U or F drive will be moved to OneDrive, enabling easier access, collaboration, and secure online storage.
OneDrive is Microsoft’s online storage service. It enables you to store your files securely and share them with others.
- Syncing Windows Known Folders: Before the move to OneDrive, we will sync your Windows Known Folders (Desktop, Documents, and Pictures) with OneDrive to ensure your files are backed up and accessible on every other work device that you use.
- Migration to OneDrive: Following the sync, your personal drives will be migrated to OneDrive. Further guidance and a specific date for this move will be communicated closer to the time.
- Move any important files: Check your C: Drive and Downloads folders and move any important files to a secure location, such as your personal U or F drive.
- IMPORTANT: Avoid storing files in your C: Drive or Downloads folder. Files stored in these locations will not be moved to OneDrive. Please make sure you move these files to your personal U or F drive before the move.
- Familiarise yourself with navigating OneDrive before the transition by visiting the NHS Informatics Merseyside Learning Management System (LMS). Instructions on how to access the OneDrive guidance on the LMS can be found in the “Find out more” section below.
- Clean up your old files: If you are able to, please conduct ‘housekeeping’ by deleting any old files you no longer require on your personal U or F drive. This will avoid these being transferred to OneDrive.
- Delete your shortcuts: If you have created shortcuts to your personal U or F Drive (e.g. from your Desktop), these will no longer be accessible following the move to OneDrive and you will receive an error if you try to access these following the move. To avoid this from happening, please delete any shortcuts to your personal U or F Drive. You may recreate your shortcuts following the move to OneDrive.
Following the move to OneDrive: Your personal files from your U or F Drive will be moved to OneDrive. This means your folders and files will now be accessible through a new OneDrive folder on your computer (pictured below). Your personal U or F Drive will no longer be available to avoid any duplicate data.
Important note about the Downloads folder
- Prepare for the sync: The sync exercise is a background process meaning you don’t have to do anything.
- Move any important files: Check your Downloads folder and move any important files to a secure location, such as your home folder/drive.
- Clean up your old files: If you are able, please conduct ‘housekeeping’ by deleting any old files you no longer require on your personal drive. This will avoid any of these being transferred to OneDrive.
During the move to OneDrive
To ensure the move to OneDrive runs as smoothly as possible, we strongly recommend that you have your computer is turned off when the move takes place.
If it is not possible to have your computer turned off, please do not open any files from your personal Drive (including files stored on your Desktop, My Documents and Pictures folders).
For guidance on using OneDrive, please visit the NHS Informatics Merseyside Learning Management System (LMS). Once you are logged in, select Guides in the top navigation, or select the Quick access to Guides and Resources icon from the homepage.
From here, follow the steps below to access the OneDrive guide:
- Select System: Microsoft 365
- Under module, select OneDrive
- Double click to open the OneDrive File Management Guide.pdf
If you have any problems accessing the LMS, please contact onlinelearning