Sharepoint Sync Issues

[Dan2025]

Hi,

 

Started rolling out Sharepoint more and utilising the OneDrive sync client for certain admin users.

 

We have office2016 on the machines.

 

I've noticed lots of issues recently with error messages like 'we're having trouble connecting to the server, if this keeps happening contact your help desk'

 

It seems to only occur with spreadsheets and hasn't been an issue until recently as I've been syncing our IT area for a year as a trial.

 

The spreadsheets are only open on a single machine and some haven't been open for some time.

 

Doesn't seem to matter if it's stored on the PC/Only in cloud.

Sync is working fine, just tested a new doc via 365 and via local sync both appear instantly.

 

This is a relatively new sharepoint with little content & little activity but is causing issues on multiple machines.

 

Any ideas?

[DrCheese]

All I can really recommend is switching away from using Office 2016 if you're using any of the Office 365 services.

You want to be using the Office 365 desktop suite or (At a push) the LTSC builds of 2019/2022.

 

They had planned to drop support for 2016 this year & although it's been pushed back it wouldn't surprise me if your issues went away after upgrading.

[Dan2025]

Thanks for this, I was testing 365 as I posted this. It certainly could/should be the way to go. My test spreadsheet seems to be working so thankyou!

 

 

What would be the best way to roll this out, i.e pupil devices/shared staff devices?

[psydii]

SCCM / Intune.

 

Also old msi versions can be uninstalled by the latest 365 version: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/upgrade-from-msi-version.

 

Strange behaviour accessing document has always been traced back to someone on office 2016 (whose machine didn't upgrade), so there is benefit to wipe and reloading machines, but don't make a fat image - go thin (vanilla WIM) and the have intune/sccm deploy the apps as needed. OneDrive is built into Windows and shouldn't need to be separately managed.

 

We have a few machines knocking around that started life as Windows 7 SP1 with Office 2010 that via 2013 and 2016 have in-place upgraded all the way to 21h1 / 365, and a great many that haven't been reimaged since they first were installed with Windows 10 and Office 365 in late 2017.

[robyholmes]

Just to add, the issue is OneDrive thinks it should be syncing the files and Office 2016 thinks it should be. So you end up with sync issues and conflicts. What can help as a stop gap while you deploy Office 365 is unticking 'Use Office applications to sync Office files that I open' in OneDrive>Settings>Office

[psydii]

Just to add, the issue is OneDrive thinks it should be syncing the files and Office 2016 thinks it should be. So you end up with sync issues and conflicts. What can help as a stop gap while you deploy Office 365 is unticking 'Use Office applications to sync Office files that I open' in OneDrive>Settings>Office

 

If you have up to date 365 apps and OneDrive and Windows you absolutely should not do this. So if you use this is a solution to a 2016 issue, as soon as you get Microsoft Apps for 365 and Windows 10 21h1 (or anything on the CB that is currently supported) you should roll this change back.

[robyholmes]

If you have up to date 365 apps and OneDrive and Windows you absolutely should not do this. So if you use this is a solution to a 2016 issue, as soon as you get Microsoft Apps for 365 and Windows 10 21h1 (or anything on the CB that is currently supported) you should roll this change back.

 

Yes, I maybe should have added you want to turn it back on once you have Office 365 rolled out.

[Dan2025]

Had an issue with auto save turning off on a synced spreadsheet. The resolution was to download and resave the document. Only this one document so far though..Would get an error message ' this document cannot be opened' if it was opened anywhere else, even via browser on my own PC. If I then closed it the issue persists until I relog.

I tried quitting OneDrive and moving the document back to cloud only.

 

Autosave worked on a second machine locally that had been configured prior to this issue occurring.

 

My long term aim is for staff to utilise the OneDrive sync with Sharepoint, at my old place it worked well. With all new things, it needs to work from the off and be an improvement for staff or the uptake will plummet!

 

Thank you for all your help though!

Edited September 16, 2022 by Danwinchelsea