Google has finally found a solution to the terrible bug in its online storage service that was deleting files for no apparent reason. The editor even offers two methods to recover lost data. Phew!
This is the end of the massacre. For around ten days, some users have been complaining about a spectacular and catastrophic error in Google Drive, Google’s online storage service (see our article). In fact, without any special manipulation, they observed how data for several months or even years disappeared overnight. Enough to panic, rightly so. According to the Mountain View company, the problem was at the desktop application (i.e. for computers) level of the service, more precisely in versions 84.0.0.0 and 84.0.4.0. To work around the issue, users were advised to perform regular backups. A temporary manipulation that made it possible to avoid losing files and folders saved in recent months. But after several days of work, Google has finally found a permanent solution to recover lost data. In the Google Drive online help, the editor even provides two methods.
Google Drive Errors: Google Solutions to Recover Files
The first method given by Google is relative. And you have to try it out first. If it doesn’t work, you need to try the second solution, which involves manipulating the Windows and macOS Terminal windows to enter text commands. There is nothing complicated if you follow the instructions. In both cases, you should first get the very latest versions of Google Drive for computers (here for Windows, there for macOS). .
Solution 1
- Open Google Drive and click the drive icon Located in the macOS menu bar or in the hidden icon menu in the Windows notification area on the taskbar.
- In the window that opens, hold down the Shift key on the keyboard and click the “Settings” button. (the gear).
- In the next menu that appears, click Restore from backups.
- When the module detects a backup, a restore process should automatically start and a notification about the start of data recovery should appear on your screen.
- After waiting a few minutes, a new notification will inform you that the restore is complete. If no backups were found by the module, Google Drive will also inform you about this.
Solution 2
If Google Drive hasn’t found a backup of your data, another, more complex solution is available. This time, don’t open the app and make sure it is closed.
- In Windows, open the Command Prompt, enter the following command and then confirm with the key Entrance the keyboard:
“C:\Program Files\Google\Drive File Stream\launch.bat” –recover_from_account_backups.
- On macOS, open Terminal, enter the following command and then confirm with the key Entrance the keyboard:
“/Applications/Google Drive.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Drive” –recover_from_account_backups.
At this point, the Google Drive app recovery utility should be running in the background. On Windows, the manipulation ends when the GoogleDriveFS.exe process completes. A Google Drive recovery folder should then automatically appear on your desktop with your recovered files. On macOS, the recovery progress can be monitored in the terminal window. Again, a Google Drive recovery folder with your recovered files should appear on your desktop.
Originally posted 2023-12-07 12:24:16.