Tag Archives: Drive for Mac/PC

Important additional information about the legacy Google Drive desktop sync client shutdown on May 12

As previously announced, the old Drive desktop sync client for Mac and PC—a feature officially known as “Google Drive for Mac/PC”—will start to shut down on May 12th, 2018. After May 12th, the sync client may not work for your organization.

Here are some important things to know: 

1. If you haven’t already, upgrade to a newer sync solution. 

This shutdown is happening because we have better sync solutions available for Drive users. G Suite organizations still using Drive for Mac/PC should transition to Drive File Stream. For non-G Suite users, we recommend Backup and Sync. For more information on choosing the right sync solution for your users, check out this Help Center guide.

2. The turn-down will be gradual. 

We will start the shutdown process on May 12th, but it will be gradual and may take several weeks to impact all organizations. After May 12th, however, updates to files may stop syncing between your users’ computers and Drive, so we recommend upgrading by that date.

3. Once the client shuts down for you, the Google Drive folder will stop syncing. 

When the legacy Google Drive desktop sync client shuts down, it will stop syncing the Google Drive folder to Google Drive. The local Drive folder (containing users’ files) will not be deleted from the machine, but changes made inside this folder will no longer sync to Drive. We don’t recommend editing files inside of this folder after May 12th, as it could lead to users misplacing their edited files (not realizing that this folder isn’t syncing to Drive). To avoid confusion, you may want to delete the legacy Google Drive folder. By default, this folder is located at:

  • Windows: “C:\Users\%USER%\Google Drive” 
  • macOS: “/Users/$USER/Google Drive” 


Use caution when deleting this folder, as it may contain content that has not yet been saved or synced.
In addition, after the legacy desktop client shuts down for you, the app will display this dialog when it starts up:
This message will be shown to end users still using the legacy sync client after it is shut down. 

4. After May 12th, Drive File Stream will display a dialog and rename the old Google Drive folder to clarify that the old folder is not syncing. 

If a user signs in to Drive File Stream and it detects that the old Google Drive folder (from the same account) is still present on the machine, it will append “(Not Syncing)” to the old Google Drive folder, and display the following dialog:


After renaming the old Google Drive folder, Drive File Stream will display this dialog. 
If you don’t want your users to see this dialog, you may remove the old Google Drive folder before May 12th.

After May 12th, if you choose to automate the removal of “~/Google Drive/”, you should remove “~/Google Drive (Not Syncing)/” as well. Note that for users who use Drive File Stream in another language, this folder name will be localized.

It’s important to note that while this folder name change is intended to discourage users from editing files inside the old Google Drive folder, it does not prevent users from making changes in it. We strongly encourage administrators to educate their end users to use Drive File Stream, and not the old Google Drive folder.

More Information 
Blog post (Sept 2017): Drive File Stream launching to all G Suite customers 
Blog post (Jan 2018): Legacy Google Drive desktop sync client now shutting down on May 12th, 2018
Help Center: Deploy Drive File Stream
Help Center: Choose a sync solution


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Legacy Google Drive desktop sync client now shutting down on May 12th, 2018

When we launched Drive File Stream last year, we announced that the Drive desktop sync client for Mac and PC—a feature officially known as “Google Drive for Mac/PC”—would shut down completely on March 12th, 2018. In response to your feedback, we’re delaying that shutdown date to May 12th, 2018.

We encourage enterprise organizations still using Drive for Mac/PC to transition to Drive File Stream. For non-G Suite users, we recommend Backup and Sync. For more information on choosing the right sync solution for your users, check out this Help Center guide.

To help with the transition, on January 30th we’ll start showing pop-up notifications to G Suite accounts still using Drive for Mac/PC. These notifications will include instructions on how to install Drive File Stream. They’ll only be shown if your domain both allows Drive File Stream and shows Drive File Stream download links in the Drive interface.

IMPORTANT: This shutdown has no impact on other Google Drive services.

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Drive File Stream launching to all G Suite customers

Launched to early adopters in March, Drive File Stream is a new desktop application that allows you to quickly access all of your Google Drive files on demand, directly from your computer, meaning you use almost none of your hard drive space and spend less time waiting for files to sync.

Starting today, you’ll see settings in the Admin console for Drive File Stream (located at Apps > G Suite > Drive and Docs > Data Access). Note—these settings won’t go into effect for your users until Tuesday, September 26th, when Drive File Stream becomes generally available.


As of today, Drive File Stream will be turned ON for all customers, but we’ll only show download links in the Drive interface if you currently show them for Backup and Sync / Google Drive for Mac/PC. For more information on how to turn Drive File Stream on or off in your domain, check out the Help Center.

With this launch, Google Drive for Mac/PC is officially deprecated. It will no longer be supported starting on December 11th, 2017, and it will shut down completely on March 12th, 2018. We encourage you to use Drive File Stream. As an alternative to or in addition to installing Drive File Stream, you can upgrade to the new version of Drive for Mac/PC, called Backup and Sync.

A few important things to note:

  • In October, Drive for Mac/PC users may start seeing messages in the product notifying them that Drive for Mac/PC is going away.
  • If a user is running both Drive File Stream and Backup and Sync on the same machine, they’ll be prompted to stop syncing My Drive with Backup and Sync in order to save disk space.
  • Team Drive editors won’t be able to edit their Team Drive files when they’re opened in Drive File Stream; they’ll only be able to view them. To edit these files, they’ll need to open them in Drive on the web. 

Check out the Help Center for more information on Drive File Stream, including:

  • A side-by-side feature comparison with Backup and Sync.
  • Instructions for turning on Drive File Stream and deploying it to your organization.
  • Sample emails you can send to your users with more information.
  • FAQs.

Say goodbye to time-consuming file syncing and any concerns about disk space. With Drive File Stream, all your files are always ready for you and your colleagues.

Launch Details
Release track:

  • Drive File Stream Admin console settings launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release on September 6th, 2017; Drive File Stream launching to end users on both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release on September 26th, 2017
  • Support for Google Drive for Mac/PC ending on December 11th, 2017; Google Drive for Mac/PC to stop working on March 12, 2018

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:

  • Admin console settings
    • Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)
  • Availability for end users
    • Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) 

Impact: 
Admins and end users

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Deploy Drive File Stream


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Backup and Sync from Google available soon

On June 28th, 2017, we will launch Backup and Sync from Google, a tool intended to help everyday users back up files and photos from their computers, so they’re safe and accessible from anywhere. Backup and Sync is the latest version of Google Drive for Mac/PC, which is now integrated with the Google Photos desktop uploader. As such, it will respect any current Drive for Mac/PC settings in the Admin console.


Backup and Sync is primarily intended for consumer users. We recommend that our G Suite customers continue to use Drive for Mac/PC until our new enterprise-focused solution, Drive File Stream (currently in EAP), is made generally available to all G Suite Basic, Business, Enterprise, Education, and Nonprofit domains later this year. Drive File Stream will allow users to access huge corporate data sets without taking up the equivalent space on their hard drives.

With that in mind, we will not automatically upgrade G Suite users from Drive for Mac/PC to Backup and Sync at this time. If you currently allow your users to install Drive for Mac/PC on their own computers, they will be able to download and upgrade to Backup and Sync starting on Wednesday, June 28th. If you don’t currently allow Google Drive for Mac/PC in your organization, your users won’t be able to use Backup and Sync with their G Suite accounts.

For more details, check out the resources below starting on June 28th. If you’re interested in trying Drive File Stream, sign up for the Early Adopter Program (EAP) today.

Launch Details
Release track:
Available for download starting on June 28th, 2017

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
(Note that these articles will not go live or be updated until Backup and Sync launches on June 28th. Please check back on June 28th for more information.)
Help Center: Install Google Drive for Mac/PC
Help Center: Back up and sync files with Google Drive
Help Center: Delete and restore files in Google Drive
Help Center: Fix problems syncing to your computer
Help Center: Stop syncing Google Drive files with Backup and Sync 



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A new log analyzer for Google Drive for Mac/PC

Google Drive for Mac/PC — the app that syncs your computer with Google Drive — is an easy way to make sure your files are safe and accessible from anywhere. Today, we are releasing a new feature in the Google Apps Toolbox that makes troubleshooting Google Drive for Mac/PC easier and faster for Google Apps admins.

Today, if you are investigating even common problems with Google Drive, it can be a challenge, because even though Google Drive for Mac/PC generates a very rich log file that contains the error message, it’s also nested in the middle of many other log messages.

That's why we created Loganalyzer for Google Drive, a tool to help you diagnose common problems with Google Drive.

Benefits:

  • No need to upload large files, the file is analyzed in the browser
  • Instant scrolling, even with large log files
  • Instant and powerful log filtering
  • It detects Known issues and common configuration pitfalls automatically.
  • It provides suggestions and workarounds.

Loganalyzer for Google Drive is based on the same knowledge and technology our Technical Support team uses, and we thought sharing this tool would be useful for Google Apps admins and power Google Drive users to be able to diagnose their issues more easily.

To get started, visit the Google Apps toolbox, a collection of tools that every Google Apps admin should bookmark.


Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More information
Help Center


Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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Google Drive for Mac/PC just got better! Now sync only the subfolders you need.

Google Drive for Mac/PC — the app that syncs your computer with Google Drive — is an easy way to make sure your files are safe and accessible from anywhere. Today, we are releasing new features that make your syncing and sharing experience better (and faster, too).

  • Select which subfolders sync to your computer

    While syncing top-level folders is already possible, you can now choose which subfolders from My Drive to sync to your desktop.

    To do this, click  Preferences > Sync Options > Only these folders… Here, you’ll be presented with a list of subfolders from Google Drive that you can check or uncheck to enable or disable syncing.
  • Manage your local storage transparently

    While you get tons of storage with Google Drive, your local desktop may not have the same amount of free disk space. Now, Drive’s interface will show the size of your individual subfolders as well as the space remaining on your computer. It will also warn you if there is not enough space to sync.

    On top of that, during setup, if the default folders don't fit, Drive will guide you to use selective sync to help you better manage your storage space from the start.
  • See warnings before deleting or moving shared files
    When you’re working with folders on your computer, moving and deleting things is simple. But, doing that with shared files or folders can cause others to lose access. Now, Drive warns you so you’ll know if someone might lose access.
Please note that Google Apps administrators must first choose whether their users are allowed to use the Google Drive sync client from the Admin console, before it can be used.

The improved Google Drive sync client is available now on both Windows and Mac here.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid release and Scheduled release

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (potentially longer than 3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center

Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted

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