OneDrive Error Codes

How to Fix OneDrive Unable to Determine Initial Item Error

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

A user is unable to access a shared folder in OneDrive for Business and encounters the 'Unable to Determine Initial Item' error.

Product: OneDrive for Business
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to access a shared folder in OneDrive for Business.
Observed behavior: The system prevents access to the shared folder and displays an 'Unable to Determine Initial Item' error message.

Before you start

Ensure your network connection is stable and verify that you have been granted the correct permissions to access the shared folder before proceeding.

Solution 1Recommended

Open a Microsoft 365 Support Ticket (For Administrators)

Since this error often stems from backend issues or credential conflicts, administrators must contact Microsoft support for log collection and resolution.

This error is typically not resolvable from the client side. Microsoft engineers will need to investigate backend server logs to identify and resolve the credential conflict causing the shared folder access issue.

Access the Admin Center

Navigate to Support

Look at the left-hand navigation menu and click on 'Support', then select 'Help & support'.

Submit the Ticket

Describe the 'Unable to Determine Initial Item' error, mention the specific user and shared folder affected, and submit the ticket for engineers to investigate.

Log Collection: Be prepared to provide Microsoft engineers with network logs or specific error correlation IDs if requested during the support process.

Solution 2

Contact Your IT Administrator (For Standard Users)

Standard users do not have the required access to resolve backend credential conflicts directly and must escalate the issue.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What causes the 'Unable to Determine Initial Item' error in OneDrive?

This error is typically caused by a backend synchronization issue or a credential conflict on Microsoft's servers, which prevents the system from identifying the starting point of a shared folder.

Can standard users fix this OneDrive error on their own?

No, standard users generally cannot fix this error directly. Because it involves backend credentials and server logs, it requires an IT administrator to submit a support ticket to Microsoft.

Does clearing the browser cache fix this OneDrive shared folder error?

While clearing your browser cache is a good general troubleshooting step for many web issues, the 'Unable to Determine Initial Item' error is a backend problem that usually requires investigation by Microsoft engineers.

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