On Tuesday, October 1, 2024 (yesterday), I took my next step with MEGAsync. I installed the desktop app to Windows on my primary laptop PC, and unlinked OneDrive from it. I am now using MEGAsync as my primary cloud storage system, exclusively on that computer. After I unlinked my computer from OneDrive, I selected the Full Sync option in MEGAsync. That means that any changes I make on my Windows drive will get synced to the cloud (I think).
If all goes well, in a week or two, I’ll do the same with my older laptop, and my desktop PCs, and I don’t anticipate any unresolvable issues, so by the time the Windows 11 24H2 update arrives, I’ll at least have everything I need in place if I decide to drop M$ all together. I intend to make my desktop PC the last computer that I unlink from OneDrive because it’s the computer that keeps all my files, both locally, and on OneDrive, and I plan to delete everything in my OneDrive folder (so it all gets deleted in the cloud too) before I unlink the desktop. This way, there should be nothing remaining on OneDrive when I cut the final link to it.
Then, if I decide to drop Windows, I’ll have to complete the following steps, probably not in the order listed here:
Move everything I use my Outlook email account for, to my Gmail account.
Close/Delete my Outlook email account.
Cancel/Delete my Microsoft account.
Remove Windows from all three of my computers.
Uninstall all three instances of the OneDrive client for Linux, that I have installed on my three computers.
With all these steps completed, I’ll no longer have any interaction with Microsoft, or any of its products, leaving as few traces of myself behind, as possible. Of course, the steps listed here won’t be completed if I decide to keep Windows after installing the 2024H2 update. I’m still trying to keep an open mind, as foolish as I know that sounds, and I’m still waiting until I see for myself how much more irritating Microsoft has made Windows 11 with the new update.
If I’ve missed anything I should consider, please post a comment.
I don’t use any of those, although Windows did report that Skype has been enabled after I last reinstalled the OS on one of my computers, but I suspect that when/if I cancel/delete my Microsoft account, any product that uses it will have my account information deleted/removed too.
I just have one hotmail account which is on redirect to my main account, shame to kill it as started before the year 2000, rare i get anything through it but…
Same with my gmail account all mail on redirect so i only need to open one mail box which i access through an app on my tablet or through my web browser when at my desk.
I do things a bit differently. I use Thunderbird as my desktop/laptop email client, and I set up both email accounts in it, with the result that I have two inboxes, one for each account. Thunderbird has a feature that allows me to combine all my email into one inbox, but I prefer to keep them separate, mostly because it’s what I’m accustomed to.
Reminds me of my process. I maintain a Gmail address only because Escape from Tarkov requires it. I have an address with my ISP that is purely for junk mail.
All my data is synced with MEGA, like yours, and duplicated on my NAS in the other room. Actual email is managed through Proton, as is my password manager, a cloud drive, my calendar, and a VPN. Windows lives on a separate computer with the GMail account and games. No apps other than CClear.