Google Drive has highjacked Time Machine. Is Apple working on a workaround?

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Google Drive has highjacked Time Machine. Is Apple working on a workaround?

Google Drive has highjacked Time Machine. TIME MACHINE doesn't backup the streaming files on the Google Drive folder. Is Apple working on a workaround?

Posted on Nov 19, 2021 4:18 PM

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Answer 1

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Art50n Author

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Nov 20, 2021 12:39 PM in response to muguy

Thanks for reaching out. I didn't find anything in the library. I did discover a workaround. I created an alias for the Google Drive folder in my parenting Users folder. If I first go back to the time I wish to recover in the parenting folder and then hit the alias it gives me access. It's a permissions issue. If you go to the info for the Google Drive folder it does not let you change permissions. I think it's treating TimeMachine as another user.

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Answer 2

muguy

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Nov 19, 2021 5:00 PM in response to Art50n

If your files have a cloud next to then in Google drive they are stored in the cloud only. A green checkmark indicates that the file is resident on your computer. Those should be backed up (the checked items, not the clouds) and I believe those are stored in your ~/library/ folder, probably under Google. I wouldn't rely on that for backing up of virtual drives. Time Machine isn't going to download all of your Google Drive files to make a backup, just like it wouldn't for dropbox, oneDrive, or even iCloud offline files.

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Answer 3

muguy

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Nov 19, 2021 4:25 PM in response to Art50n

Time Machine only backs up the files resident on your computer. The same would be true of files offloaded into iCloud; they would only back up if the file is resident on the computer.

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Answer 4

Art50n Author

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Nov 19, 2021 4:40 PM in response to muguy

Google Drive streaming offline files do reside on one's computer, but they are integrated into the app in what they refer to as a virtual drive, making them inaccessible to the Time Machine.

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Answer 5

Art50n Author

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Nov 19, 2021 4:42 PM in response to Art50n

Google Drive has its own history function, but it is not nearly robust as Time Machine.

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Google Drive has highjacked Time Machine. Is Apple working on a workaround?

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