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OneDrive/Google Drive “Known Folders” in Stellenbosch: set-and-forget backups

Students & SMEs in Stellenbosch can auto-backup Desktop, Documents, and Pictures with OneDrive or Google Drive. Safe, POPIA-aware workflows explained.

· Digissential Team · 2 min read

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TL;DR: Use OneDrive/Google Drive Known Folders in Stellenbosch to auto-backup Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. It’s exam-safe for students and POPIA-smart for SMEs.

Why auto-backups matter

  • Students: losing a thesis draft the night before submission = disaster.
  • SMEs: invoices, quotes, and tax records must be safe for compliance.
  • Everyone: accidental deletes or ransomware can be rolled back with versioning.

Manual backups are unreliable. Known Folders make backups automatic.

How Known Folders work

  • OneDrive: “Known Folder Move” backs up Desktop, Documents, and Pictures to the cloud.
  • Google Drive: “My Computer folders” lets you sync chosen folders to Drive.

Both ensure every saved file is automatically protected — no drag-and-drop required.

Best practices for Stellenbosch setups

  1. Enable Desktop/Documents/Pictures sync during setup.
  2. Set upload bandwidth caps (e.g., 2–5 Mbps) so fibre/Wi-Fi remains usable in student digs and SME offices.
  3. Test restore: pick an old file, restore a previous version, confirm it works.
  4. Use MFA (multi-factor authentication) on cloud accounts for POPIA compliance.
  5. Verify cross-device sync before exams or client deadlines.

Price bands (ZAR)

  • OneDrive: included in Microsoft 365 (from R90/month student plans).
  • Google Drive: 100GB from R30/month, larger plans scale for SMEs.
  • Setup service (Digissential): from R250 per device.

When to call Digissential

  • Sync conflicts between multiple devices.
  • Overwritten/deleted files that need recovery.
  • SME users needing POPIA-compliant workflows.
  • Bandwidth-heavy offices needing tuned sync limits.

We offer:

FAQs

Q: What are Known Folders in OneDrive?
A: They map Desktop, Documents, and Pictures to the cloud automatically. No need to drag-and-drop files into OneDrive.

Q: Does Google Drive offer the same?
A: Yes. Google Drive for Desktop lets you pick folders (Documents, Desktop, etc.) to auto-backup.

Q: Why limit bandwidth?
A: Uncapped uploads can choke your fibre line, especially in shared student digs. Bandwidth caps keep Zoom and Netflix stable.

Q: Can I restore old versions of files?
A: Yes. Both OneDrive and Google Drive support file versioning — perfect if you overwrite an essay or invoice.

Q: Is this POPIA compliant?
A: Yes, provided access is secured with MFA and sensitive SME data is only shared with authorised accounts. Digissential configures cloud backups with POPIA in mind.

Compliance & trust:

External references:

Updated on 2025-09-05.