staff having issues with Google Drive desktop app while at home

[TwistedHelixis]

Had 3 teachers contact me today that are working from home to say they are missing files in G Drive (Google Drive desktop app). Did the normal disconect account re connect, reboot, even uninstalled and re installed but still the same issue.

 

I know it was about now that Google are rolling out the new version of google drive but nobody in the school has this issue.

 

The only difference I can think of is the firewall will be enabled if they take a laptop home with them.

 

Any ideas as lots more staff will be working from home very soon and that could be a nightmare.

[Michael]

Sign out of Drive and try deleting the Google Chrome cache (including passwords), then start again. Seems to do the trick.

[TwistedHelixis]

Sign out of Drive and try deleting the Google Chrome cache (including passwords), then start again. Seems to do the trick.

Grrr, doing this gives the same issue as disconnecting the account, the missing files in a shared drive come back for a few minutes but then vanish.

[LeMarchand]

We had some issues where our winhttp proxy settings, which everything else seems ignore as the proxy isn't available at home, were causing problems with Drive off site. Ended up setting a scheduled task to check location and set it to blank unless at school.

[TwistedHelixis]

So just had someone with the same issue while in school :-(

[TwistedHelixis]

We had some issues where our winhttp proxy settings, which everything else seems ignore as the proxy isn't available at home, were causing problems with Drive off site. Ended up setting a scheduled task to check location and set it to blank unless at school.

Not had any issues with this over the past 3 years. Any idea what I need to change with winhttp?

[Michael]

I've not had the issue where files appear then disappear. Files appear missing, but when users sign out/delete cache and re-login using correct/update to date password, everything just works. I'm using transparent proxy at school.

[LeMarchand]

Not had any issues with this over the past 3 years. Any idea what I need to change with winhttp?

 

Don't know if this will help in your case, but I copied the script below locally and set it to run as a scheduled logon task.

 

@echo off

ipconfig | find /c "SCH.PXY.RNG." >NUL 2>NUL
if errorlevel==1 goto SETPROXY

netsh winhttp set proxy Proxy:Port "SCH.PXY.RNG.*"

GOTO END

:SETPROXY

netsh winhttp reset proxy

:END

Exit

 

Which either sets it as required if at school or resets it to null if not.

[TwistedHelixis]

Google support tried loads of things for over an hour and then dumped me off by saying that perhaps things would re sync during the night, not happy.

 

Would the netsh code fix random files and folders vanishing or was that if they were all missing? Basically if I remove / uninstall everything + delete all cache folders, reboot and re install everything the files all get listed for a few minutes and then some get removed, I am not sure the netsh code would fix that issue, what do you think?

 

BTW I zipped back to the school, grabbed a laptop and it is fine for me at home, grrrrr

[Michael]

Google support tried loads of things for over an hour and then dumped me off by saying that perhaps things would re sync during the night, not happy.

 

Would the netsh code fix random files and folders vanishing or was that if they were all missing? Basically if I remove / uninstall everything + delete all cache folders, reboot and re install everything the files all get listed for a few minutes and then some get removed, I am not sure the netsh code would fix that issue, what do you think?

 

BTW I zipped back to the school, grabbed a laptop and it is fine for me at home, grrrrr

 

Out of curiosity, do the files/folders appear correctly in a browser? If so it might be a proxy and/or Google Drive for Desktop client issue, but I've had very few reports with GD v49. Only the above which is quickly resolved updating the password.

[TwistedHelixis]

Out of curiosity, do the files/folders appear correctly in a browser?

yes they are fine in the browser

 

Only the above which is quickly resolved updating the password.

100% not a password issue, I have removed both drive and chrome accounts and logged back in.

 

If so it might be a proxy and/or Google Drive for Desktop client issue

I'll give the proxy thing a go tomorrow.

 

Would I just open cmd and type 'netsh winhttp reset proxy', then reboot the laptop or similar?

[Michael]

The only other possibility is something with the G Suite tenancy (many of us had this with GD v44). The fix is here, but I hope this ugly problem doesn't reappear!

[Michael]

I'll give the proxy thing a go tomorrow.

 

Would I just open cmd and type 'netsh winhttp reset proxy', then reboot the laptop or similar?

 

This'll remove the proxy yes. I'd highly recommend transparent proxy where possible.

 

What proxy solution are you using?

 

In saying that, it still doesn't explain why users are having the issue at home. This is where my tenancy configuration issue in combination of GD client used theory comes in (exactly as I've seen first hand in the past).

[TwistedHelixis]

The only other possibility is something with the G Suite tenancy (many of us had this with GD v44). The fix is here, but I hope this ugly problem doesn't reappear!

 

So when I check -

Apps > Additional Google Services > Access to additional services without individual control > Service status

this is already on

[TwistedHelixis]

What proxy solution are you using?

Just Group Policy that adds the correct address and port while on the domain, the staff just go in and disable the proxy if they need to work from home. It was setup by the LA like this years ago.

[Michael]

So when I check -

Apps > Additional Google Services > Access to additional services without individual control > Service status

this is already on

 

That's good to hear, at least we can rule this out.

 

I'd certainly mention this to Google, as it would rule out a proxy issue if users are seeing the issue on different networks. It could well be something else on the tenancy, but I'm just speculating now.

[TwistedHelixis]

Just a little update. I now have one of the teachers laptops and when I type netsh winhttp show proxy it returns 'direct access (no proxy server).

 

I assume I can rule the proxy out then?

[LeMarchand]

Sorry, had to leave early yesterday and this is the first time I've been able to get back to normal.

 

Would the netsh code fix random files and folders vanishing or was that if they were all missing?

 

 

I have forgotten what the fix was put in for, but it doesn't sound like your exact problem - I think they weren't getting Drive in File Explorer at home (or vice versa). Though the way that it was a problem between locations was similar enough for me to suggest trying the proxy reset.

 

Just Group Policy that adds the correct address and port while on the domain, the staff just go in and disable the proxy if they need to work from home. It was setup by the LA like this years ago.

 

Our internet is through the LA and they host the pac. No need for disabling proxies as everything defaults to direct if the pac can't be reached, which is only possible within the LA network. Unfortunately winhttp doesn't seem to accept pac as an option, and we were finding that the address: port had to be set to get certain things to work.

 

P.S. If you have IIS and a decent enough network, you could host a pac and change the GPO to use that. IME that means that there's no need to disable/enable proxies between home/work. Or you could script/schedule the swap. Unless your staff DON'T keep logging calls that they can't get on the internet.

 

EDIT:

 

I assume I can rule the proxy out then?

 

Looks like it.

Edited July 21, 2021 by LeMarchand

[Michael]

I'd rule out the proxy too.

[TwistedHelixis]

I'd rule out the proxy too.

 

Doesnt the 'no proxy server', when I type 'netsh winhttp show proxy' rule that out on the laptop being used at home.

 

BTW not sure if I mentioned but this is only an issue for staff working at home, everyone in school seems to be fine.

[TwistedHelixis]

So this gets even stranger. Drove over and picked up laptop with issue, drove to school and turned on laptop same issue. Remove all signs of Google drive and start over, all seems good for about 10 minutes and then some of the files vanish.

 

So we have 4 staff working from home, its only their laptops that seem to have this issue and taking the laptops back into school makes no difference.

[LeMarchand]

Are the files still in the Drive if viewed via a browser? If so, what's the disk space like in the laptop?

[TwistedHelixis]

Are the files still in the Drive if viewed via a browser? If so, what's the disk space like in the laptop?

 

the laptop I have got has 8gb free on the c drive, so not loads but should be enough for cloud based files

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Yes they are still in the oinoine version of drive

[Michael]

At least you've narrowed it down to 4 devices. What version of Windows are you running? I'd be tempted to re-image where possible.

[TwistedHelixis]

Could this be a firewall issue on the private adapter?

 

Just taken the laptop home, disabled the firewall for the private adapter, rebooted the laptop and now all the files are back.

 

Ill give it 10 minutes before posting back as they would have vanished by then if there is still a problem