All my file lost - please help

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The Basics

  • Nextcloud Server version (e.g., 29.x.x):
    • Nextcloud Desktop Client Version 4.0.8 (macOS)
  • Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04):
    • macos 13.7.8
  • Web server and version (e.g, Apache 2.4.25):
  • Reverse proxy and version _(e.g. nginx 1.27.2)
    • replace me
  • PHP version (e.g, 8.3):
    • replace me
  • Is this the first time you’ve seen this error? (Yes / No):
    • YES
  • When did this problem seem to first start?
    • wed april 8, 2026
  • Installation method (e.g. AlO, NCP, Bare Metal/Archive, etc.)
    • nextcloud client on my imac
  • Are you using CloudfIare, mod_security, or similar? (Yes / No)
    • no

Summary of the issue you are facing:

I lost all my files when trying to synchronise the same nextcloud account from two imac session. It’s dramatic. it’s all my life and all my photos. plesae help.

Steps to replicate it (hint: details matter!):

  1. nextcloud was sync on one mac session. i opened a new session, nextcloud did not want to sync on the same local directory on the second session.

  2. so i switched off nextcloud. rename the directory, and re opened nextcloud

  3. the nextcloud client said there was a conflic and started to suppress all my files

Log entries

Nextcloud

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PASTE HERE

Web Browser

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Web server / Reverse Proxy

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Configuration

Nextcloud

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PASTE HERE

Apps

The output of occ app:list (if possible).

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2

first and foremost: what about restoring your backup?

2 Likes
3

Second: Please check the folder Trashbin via browser on the server, whether the lost files and folders can be found there.

4

@MichelGerard Did I understand correctly that you have set up two different Nextcloud server accounts on the same Mac in the same Nextcloud desktop client client with both the same sync folder (classic sync, not file provider extension a.k.a. “VFS”)?

And as @JimmyKater already brought it up: Always have a backup! Nextcloud, like all other cloud synchronization services, is a synchronization service, not a backup service (at this point I would like to point out the integrated Borg backup solution of Nextcloud All-in-One deployments :heart: ).

1 Like
5

hello

Yes if I had a back up I would restore it

but I don’t have a back up

i dont know how to access it if i have one

i dont know how to create one

and I dlnt see any Trashbin in my folders

i just lost everything, 50 years of datas and my kids photos. i am devastated

and to explain exactly what happened: i have one netxcloud serveur. i synchronize it on one account on my mac. but on my mac i have another account that needed to share the file on nextcloud. so either with the second account i create a second sync directory on my computer , which would mean storing twice the same data on my computer, either I tried to have both accounts sync to the same local folder. i did the latter. and Nextcloud erased all my files locally and remotely. it’s terrible.

6

Syncing the same folder with two sync processes (if they are both Nextcloud or Nextloud and another service) is a bad idea.

If you have a second computer where you have synced this data, the data should be there. But pay attention that it is not connected to the internet (disconnect cables, wifi hotspot) or even boot in a secured mode (or with Linux boot stick) that the Nextcloud client cannot get the deletion command and you can copy all the files onto an external drive.

Normally you have a trashbin on your local computer, and you have a trash bin on your Nextcloud server (in the web-interface on the bottom left part, there is a symbol with deleted files). With some luck, you can find it there.

If that does not work, perhaps ionos keeps backups, check it with them.
If you cannot find something on your local computer, files are somtimes not really deleted, they are just marked as deleted on your disk. I don’t know how well this works with MacOs, there are perhaps tools/experts that can help you. If you consider this, I’d do very little on this computer.

1 Like
7

thank you for your help

  • i have found a back up for the files in another computer indeed. so this part is ok
  • now my photos are not backed up outside nextcloud ( 300gb of photos) cause it’s too heavy
  • on the webinterface I see indeed some deleted files, but to trace of the photo ( and the nextcloud capacity usage shows that there is no usage of 300 gb, )
  • because photos are not backed up outisde nextcloud, i wont recover them from my local computer
  • i called Nextcloud, they dont offer any support. I will try Ionos with little hope.
  • thank you all for your precious advice
  • if any anyone knows how to set up a back up please let me know.
8

usually, and as far as I know Ionos, they should have backups. maybe they’ll charge you playing it back but asking them is always a good idea.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Did you buy a managed cloud at Ionos?