CODEWITHSUNDEEP
macosgoogle-drive-apibackup
Kirk Walla
Kirk Walla

Reputation: 381

How to configure new google drive to resemble the old google backup and sync?

I'm on OSX Big Sur, previously using Google Backup and Sync to sync files between my computer and google drive.

I have setup Backup and Sync to sync any files in the folder /Users/doe/ODrive which contains 16GB file size.

After migrating to the new google drive since backup and sync got deprecated, I see a different behaviour.

The new google drive by default works like rclone. It creates a virtual drive under /Volumes/GoogleDrive and at the same time makes a symbolic link to /Users/doe/Google Drive for quick access.

Here's my problem:

  1. If I choose to access any files offline it starts downloading them on disk taking unnecessary disk space since I already have all files downloaded on disk but on a different location /Users/doe/ODrive. How do I tell google drive to use those files and not download anything?

  2. Theres a preference settings in the new google drive allowing to choose your desired directory location for google drive. If I set up that preference from the current setting /Volumes/GoogleDrive ---> /Users/doe/ODrive will that mess my ODrive folder and its content? I'd rather die than loose its content. enter image description here

  3. What's the difference between Folders from my computer and Folders from Drive. Isn't this two way communication like backup and sync was? enter image description here

Upvotes: 0

Views: 768

Answers (1)

SputnikDrunk2
SputnikDrunk2

Reputation: 4048

I did a bit of research & testing on my end and here's what I have found:

  1. If I choose to access any files offline it starts downloading them on disk taking unnecessary disk space since I already have all files downloaded on disk but on a different location /Users/doe/ODrive. How do I tell google drive to use those files and not download anything?

Findings:

It seems like this is not possible. If you want to tell Google Drive to use those files and not download anything, the only option that you can do is to select the Stream Files option & then add the folder /Users/doe/ODrive on the My MacBook Pro preferences. This way, the files from your ODrive will be uploaded back to your drive instead. But, there's a catch as the uploaded files will be now be a duplicate because the Google Drive app will treat this as a new upload. And also, if you have Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Forms on your ODrive, the app seems to not upload these files back & it will show you an error on the app's activity screen.

Once the folder /Users/doe/ODrive on the My MacBook Pro preferences has been successfully added & synced, you will then see the ODrive folder on your drive.google.com > Computers (left side) > My MacBook Pro > ODrive. At the same time, the ODrive files are backed up and synced from your Drive to your computer and will also be available for offline use

  1. There's a preference settings in the new google drive allowing to choose your desired directory location for google drive. If I set up that preference from the current setting /Volumes/GoogleDrive ---> /Users/doe/ODrive will that mess my ODrive folder and its content? I'd rather die than loose its content. enter image description here

Findings:

No. The Google Drive app will show you a message to reset the folder back to default because it has to be an empty folder before you attempt to change & save the default directory folder

See this result on my end:

enter image description here

  1. What's the difference between Folders from my computer and Folders from Drive. Isn't this two way communication like backup and sync was? enter image description here

Findings:

On my observation, Folders from my computer is the section where you can see/access all of the synced folders that you've added from the Google Drive app, on the My Macbook Pro preferences. You can then view these folders and their synced files at drive.google.com > Computers (left side option) > My MacBook Pro

Upvotes: 1

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