Why did Creative Cloud delete all my files and re-upload them when it auto updated?

[James_RWG]

I lost files from the last 3 days because Creative Cloud was not responding and I didn't realize it right away. When I finally saw it wasn't syncing I restarted CC, it then auto updated and the Creative Cloud Files folder was deleted and the 11GB of files had to be re-uploaded from CC. Everything I had worked on since the Creative Cloud had become unresponsive was lost immediately and not retrievable. CC is now useless to me if I can't rely on it to at least not delete my files. I may have to go back to Dropbox for syncing, at least when it goes down it doesn't delete my local files. 3 days of work gone in a flash. I turned off the auto-update feature and will be sure to back up my hard drive before manually updating CC. This is stupid. I had been very happy with CC up until this point, but this is kind of a big deal, now that I have to wait a few hours for my files to re-upload.

[derekajack · Accepted solution]

James,

With the recent update of the Creative Cloud Desktop app (1.9.1.474) we unfortunately introduced a bug which causes the creation of a new Creative Cloud Files folder, and re-sync of all content. This will only occur the first time the sync application runs after the update. This has caused understandable pain and confusion, for which we truly apologise.

The Creative Cloud Files app contains logic that supports the use of multiple Adobe IDs. This allows you to sign out of one ID and in to another, but keeps your Creative Cloud content separate. When you sign out and change IDs, the app moves the previous Creative Cloud Files folder and it's contents and appends it with the previously signed in ID (User@AdobeID). It then creates a new main folder and starts to sync content of the new ID.

The bug which I mentioned previously occurs, as the app believes an ID switch has taken place and as such, moves the current Creative Cloud Files folder and tries to append the previously signed in ID. As no switch has actually taken place it manifests as (Unknown).  The app then creates a new main folder at syncs down the data.

Essentially what you end up with is a Creative Cloud Files folder with your newly sync'd data and a Creative Cloud Files (Unknown) folder that contains duplicate data.

This occurs once, after the last update completes.

The fix is to simply delete the Creative Cloud Files (Unknown) folder.

I would advise that you ensure you have no pending edits that you may have made offline and that you check the contents of the new, main Creative Cloud Files folder contains everything you expect it to.  If not, check the contents of the Creative Cloud Files (Unknown) folder as your files should be there.

If there is still a discrepancy with your data, you can check on creative.adobe.com to confirm your data is there.

If you have any further problems or questions about this particular issue please email syncforum-communication@adobe.com

[bookoflife_org]

Like I have witnessed, if  the  new sync file folder moves b/c an access point to a new ID ( multiple IDs for a single account) then those files must by moved and resynced, which is OK for land lines but impossible for wifi ( most , nation wide). We need mega bandwidth to have multiple connections and  running multiple platforms, until then it is 'frustration city!'

[James_RWG]

OK, good, I didn't see the Creative Cloud Files (Unknown) folder in my User folder. I can retrieve my lost files from there. Thanks for the quick and concise response on this. I will keep the auto-update off for now though.

[megatalented69]

Whatever you do - DO NOT delete your (unknown) folder. Like I did. Not at least until you're 100% sure that the work you have done since is on the new cloud folder.
I hadn't realised that since the ridiculous 2-day ordeal of re-downloading my entire creative cloud folder on my computers, that this ancient folder had been created and that ALL the work I had done since then had been saving to the (unknown) folder - which hadn't been synching. Everything looked right, all green ticked etc, so I took Adobe's advice and deleted the unknown folder. Deleted my trash (who wants 300gb of duplicate files in their trash can?), and now discovered that files are missing. Gone forever. That's 15 proofs I sent to clients, feedback coming in and now I'm apologising as I have to redesign them ALL again. Probably cost me about £1500 in design time.

[James_RWG]

Yes, it means I am going to have 11GB of duplicate files on my computer for a while until I am TOTALLY sure I have it all. Thankfully I didn't delete anything, but had I seen the (unknown) folder right away, without knowing the files hadn't been backed up, I easily could have.

[bookoflife_org]

Yeah, I use wifi so I  do not sync, because connections are always unreliable and low bandwidth. But I get publishing problems, where it said all my files changed, when I uploaded like 10 minuets prior, and  DW wants me to reload ( files  already on my yahoo server) them again, some of them 50 mb, and on a wifi that is intolerable. I have no need to reload them, they are already loaded on my server, some years ago. This stupid thing causes me headaches every day. It sux paying for something with so many bugs. You cannot mess around with sync until a wider bandwidth can be tolerated as a platform across the Internet channels for 'all devises' not just LAND LINES. How can one access from the field  with no land line, they need wifi and sync is waaay to dangerous to use on wifi. At least that has been my experience.

[ADesigner]

So I’m in the middle of finalizing a project today, Feb 11, 2016, in inDesign CC 2015, MAC OS 10.10.5, and out of the blue Creative Cloud starts updating, I get some ridiculous error message, then another one, and it shuts down inDesign. It all happened in about 10 seconds, and I didn't even have a chance to see what the error code was, something about working offline I think. Then literally half my work file folders are gone from my hard drive, GONE! Not just the inDesign files, but all the fonts, images, text files.  I don’t use or sync my files to Creative Cloud, they only reside on my hard drive so what the hell just happened! How do half my files just disappear, I wasn’t doing anything except working on a project using inDesign like I have a million times with no issues.

Can someone please explain to me what just happened. Literally lost folders of previous work projects and many major current projects that were practically finalized and now will have to try to recreate for my clients. I don’t use the cloud because of the issues and all the files were on my computer only — HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN!

I’ve read about this being an issue about a year ago, so why is it still happening now and not been fixed! I doubt I will get any kind of response, but if someone could possibly explain this to me I would really appreciate it, because this is crap especially when people are forced to use the apps this way and no longer actually purchase the software.

Thanks in advance for any response or insight into this issue at all, and if there is any chance of getting my Project Folders back, lost just a ridiculous amount of work. And yes I know about backing up files, that isn't the issue here, it's a serious issue with CC if my files can just disappear for no apparent reason. I back up files a couple times a month, but completely lost all current job folders.