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Is this possible?

We are using Google Drive File Stream (Version: 29.1.81.1927) to sync all of our working files from our Macs with our Google Drive account. So this contains a mixture of Google Docs/Sheets/Slides files and other types (eg Indesign files, etc).

We want an extra level of security by backing-up these files via Time Machine (to an external drive). In case Google Drive goes down or we need to retrieve an older version.

But in Time Machine, when we go to select it, the Google Drive icon is greyed out.

I can see people backing up their desktop files TO Google drive via Time Machine but this is not what we are doing.

If it is not possible, does anybody have any suggestions on how to back-up Google Drive to an external drive?

Gavin
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2 Answers2

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I am facing the same issue and have found a clean (recommended) and a messy solution.

Clean Solution

When you make your files available for offline access, Drive File Stream (DFS) stores a cached version of this data in the following locations:

  • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\DriveFS

  • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/DriveFS

Unfortunately, this cache is not human readable but it can be mounted by Drive File Stream into the human readable offline file structure that you are familiar with seeing (in fact this is exactly what DFS does once you log in). However, please note that Time Machine also excludes this cache by default.

The only way to force Time Machine to include this cache in the backup is by moving the cache to another location. You can do this inside the DFS "preferences" menu. Note: I have only tested that this works in the ~/CustomFolderName/ folder but I assume it works for any other folder than the default.

Messy Solution

I have noticed that if you use Google Backup & Sync instead of Drive File Stream you can back this folder up using Time Machine (no compulsory greyed out option). But then the issue is that you cannot access Shared Drives using Backup & Sync (only using Drive File Stream). As such, it seems like one solution would be to use both in parallel but this not particularly appealing.

Psi
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I had the same question after migrating from Google Backup & Sync to Google Drive for Desktop due to the upcoming deprecation.

I found another solution that works if you only care about having Time Machine backup certain files. You can set up Drive for Desktop to backup a particular folder on your computer. Such a folder will be visible to Time Machine. If you already have a file, X, in Google Drive that you want to be backed up by Time Machine, use the following steps.

  1. In the Finder, create a new folder, e.g. synced.
  2. Open Google Drive for Desktop preferences.
  3. In the "My Mac Folders from you computer" tab click "Add folder"
  4. Select the newly created folder, synced.
  5. Open the Drive web UI: https://drive.google.com
  6. Locate the file X, right click, and choose "Move to"
  7. Select the newly created folder as the destination. It will be in Computers > My Mac > synced (or something similar to that)

The moved file will be synced to your local computer. When Time Machine next runs, it will see it any back it up.

There may be another option. I think if you change the Google Drive setting from "Stream files" to "Mirror files" then all files are copied to the local computer like they are with Backup & Sync so they will be visible to Time Machine. I haven't actually tested this since I don't want to mirror all files, just a few specific files.

avintenus
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