Troubleshooting Google Drive Desktop Application

| 5 minutes

This SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) has been designed with one goal in mind: to empower our dedicated employees in Advacare to independently resolve any hiccups they encounter while accessing files on Google Drive. Say goodbye to access roadblocks and hello to seamless file management. Let's dive in and pave the way for smoother workflows!

Basic Troubleshooting

The employee might encounter these general problems with Drive for desktop:

  • Files not syncing between the computer and My Drive.
  • Drive for desktop stops or quits suddenly.

  • Try to fix the issues with these basic steps:

  • Checking the computer's internet connection.
  • Restarting Drive for desktop.
  • Restarting the computer.
  • Disconnecting and reconnecting the account.
  • Ask the IT Department to reinstall Google Drive for you.
  • Check the Internet connection

    Ensure the internet connection is stable. At times, this issue may arise due to a temporary pause in the operation of the chosen server within AstrillVPN. In such cases, the remedy lies in opting for a server switch and attempting the connection anew. The servers that have exhibited superior performance are as follows:

  • USA for China Servers 1, 2, and 3.
  • [China] Supercharged Servers 4, 5, and 6.
  • Restart Drive for desktop

    1. On the computer, open Drive for the desktop.
      1. Mac: In the top menu bar, click Settings and then Quit.
      2. Windows: In the bottom right taskbar, click Settings and then Quit.
    2. Reopen Drive for desktop

    Restarting the computer

    Restarting the computer can resolve desktop Google Drive file access issues by refreshing the system state, closing problematic background processes, resetting cached data, reconnecting to the network, releasing memory, applying software updates, re authenticating the user, releasing file locks, and addressing configuration problems. It helps clear temporary glitches, conflicts, and cached data that might be causing the access problem. However, if the issue persists, further troubleshooting may be necessary.

    Disconnect & reconnect the account

    Note: Any files that failed to sync previously may have been moved to the Lost & Found folder, which will be deleted when the account is disconnected. Before the employee disconnects the account, copy those files to a safe location.

    1. On the computer, open Drive for the desktop.
    2. Click Settings, Preferences and then Advanced Settings Settings.
    3. Click Disconnect account.
    4. Find the account the employee wants to disconnect.

      If file sync is unsuccessful, Drive for desktop offers to move unsynced files to Desktop to avoid data loss.

    5. Sign in again (Ask for assistance from the IT Department).
    6. Choose a new location for the Google Drive folder.

    Ask the IT Department to reinstall Google Drive for you

    One of the last alternatives to provide a solution to a situation is to ask the IT team to reinstall the Google Drive application for you.

    Fix error messages

    The employee don't have permissions to sync files.

    The employee doesn't have sufficient Google Drive permission to sync changes you’ve made.


    To sync changes to these files, contact the owner of the file or folder the employee wants to modify and request edit access. If the file or folder is in a shared drive, contact the manager or the IT Department for access.

    The computer won't allow the employee to sync files

    Drive for desktop needs permission from the computer to sync files. To sync these files, be sure the employee has permission to read and write in the file or folder.

    On Windows:

    1. Right-click on the file or folder.
    2. Click Properties.
    3. Check the “Security” tab.

    On macOS:

    1. Right-click on the file or folder.
    2. Select Get Info.
    3. Check the “Sharing and Permissions” section.

    On macOS, the employee may have to grant access to specific Folders or to the Apple Photos collection by changing the “Security & Privacy” settings in System Preferences.Learn more about macOS requirements.

    Can’t locate files in the shared drive

    Changes can’t be synced because the file has been deleted or unshared with the employee in Drive.


    To sync changes, ask the owner to reshare the item with you. If the item has been deleted, remove it from the syncing folder and add it back. If the employee doesn't want to sync changes and wants to resolve the error, delete the file from the computer.

    Can’t locate files on the computer

    Changes can’t be synced because the file may have been deleted or moved to trash on the computer.


    To sync changes, restore the item from the computer’s trash.

    Can't upload Google files

    The Google file the employee is trying to sync has been corrupted. Since Google Docs (.gdocs) and other Google files' content aren't stored on the computer, using a third-party editor to make changes to these files can corrupt them. To resolve the issue, make a copy of the original Google file in Drive Web and delete the invalid Google file on the computer. The employee may need to reshare the file with collaborators.

    Can't load account

    Some reasons the account won't load include:

  • The employee isn’t connected to the internet.
  • The employee doesn't have any available drive letters (Windows only).
  • The current configuration of AstrillVPN is not allowing Drive for desktop to run.
  • The admin doesn’t allow Drive for desktop for the organization or on the device.

  • To load the account:

  • Make sure you’re connected to the internet.
  • Free up a drive letter and restart the application (Windows only).
  • Disconnect and reconnect the account.
  • Contact the IT Department.
  • Can’t sync file or can’t save changes to original file

    The original file isn’t accessible, but a copy of the file with the edits exists under its original parent folder. If the original parent folder is no longer accessible, the file is moved to the root of My Drive. In certain cases, the file may be moved to Lost & Found.

    This error happens when:

    • The local changes are incompatible with changes in the cloud.
    • The original file has been deleted or moved.
    • The employee no longer has permission to edit that file.
    • The employee moves a file into a deleted folder or a folder the employee doesn't have permission to edit.

    To sync the changes, make sure the employee can access the original file. If the employee does not own the file, request access from the owner of the file or folder. If the file or folder is in a shared drive, contact your manager or IT Department for access.

    Drive for desktop encountered a problem and stopped

    Certain virus detection and security software can interfere with the operation of Drive for desktop.


    If the employee has virus scan software on the computer and repeatedly gets the error "Drive for desktop encountered a problem and has stopped," exclude Drive for desktop from the virus scan.

  • For Windows: The default streaming location is Z:, but may be another location that you've configured.
  • For macOS: The default streaming location is /Volumes/GoogleDrive, but may be another location that you've configured.
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