PSA: Despite the comfort and rising ubiquity of cloud storage companies, customers should not assume that recordsdata saved on the cloud are secure. Many Google Drive customers are actually discovering {that a} glitch within the service can put months of information in danger. Google is investigating the issue, and one consumer has discovered a doable answer.
Google is investigating quite a few circumstances the place months’ value of consumer recordsdata have disappeared from Google Drive. Until it resolves the problem, the corporate warns customers to not take away recordsdata from crucial folders, however it will be secure to create new backups.
Multiple account holders have lately complained that their Google Drive recordsdata from the previous few months have vanished. One reported dropping three months of labor. A consumer described the drive rolling again to May 2023 in an much more excessive instance.
Unfortunately, Google Drive’s built-in file restoration system would not assist as a result of it solely restores recordsdata that customers deleted. Some discussion board commenters obtained messages from Google assist saying they could not assist, however different indicators point out the information may be recoverable.
At least one consumer found {that a} cache throughout the Google Drive part of the AppData folder comprises the most recent recordsdata however warns others towards manipulating it. An official message from Google additionally says customers should not delete or transfer the AppData folder (the Mac equal is Application Support) or disconnect the service from their accounts. The most secure measure is to make an area backup of your complete Google Drive folder till the corporate solves the issue.
One individual keen to take the chance claims to have recovered the misplaced recordsdata from the cache by manipulating an older model of the Drive desktop app. Anyone attempting this answer needs to be extraordinarily cautious, because it goes towards Google’s official instructions and will completely harm the file system. Disclaimer out of the best way, this is the answer described:
First, uninstall the desktop app, then set up an older version (model 82 or 83 may be obtainable, however guarantee it is from a trusted supply). Next, deactivate the 2 Google Update companies and the 2 scheduled duties. While Google Drive isn’t operating, navigate to a folder with an extended quantity underneath User Data (they may be referring to AppData) > Google > DriveFS. Find a folder referred to as “backups,” transfer its contents into the first folder, and restart Google Drive. Finally, again up the primary drive folder, re-enable the replace companies, look ahead to the app to auto-update, and use the backup to overwrite the drive folder.
No one else has verified the unofficial answer, so it ought to most likely be taken solely as a final resort, if in any respect. It may be finest to attend till Google has official directions for recovering information.
