Google has confirmed the deployment of corrective measures aimed at resolving a synchronization flaw that impacted a section of Google Drive for desktop users. The anomaly, present in version 84 of the desktop application, led to the non-synchronization of certain file changes, resulting in loss of data local to users' computers. These actions follow the recent discovery of this issue which did not impact any data previously synced and visible on other platforms.
Recovery Process for Affected Files
The company advises users to acquire and install the most up-to-date version of the Google Drive desktop application, specifically version 85.0.13.0 or newer. Users should then access the app from the taskbar and navigate to the settings via a shift-click combination to initiate the “Recover from backups” feature. Google assures this will trigger a background operation to restore missing files and will notify upon the task's completion. Additionally, a new folder titled “Google Drive Recovery” will be generated on the user's desktop, containing the previously unsynced files.
Assistance for Users with Unlinked Accounts
For users who have either uninstalled the app or disconnected their account, Google has provided specific instructions. The company had earlier cautioned such users against altering their Google Drive accounts. Those in this predicament are asked to use system restoration tools like Windows Backup or macOS Time Machine, to revert to a state when the Drive cache was intact. Following this restoration, the command line method should allow for recovery of the displaced data.
Google ensures continuous support for users facing difficulties throughout this process and encourages the use of the “#DFD84” hashtag to report issues through the Drive desktop app's feedback function. For those preferring to restore files to a specific directory or possessing a backup in an alternate location, Google has also delineated a command line procedure accessible for both Windows and Mac users. With these methodologies in place, Google endeavors to mitigate the inconvenience of those affected by the synchronization mishap.
