Cant find document in google drive but I can search for it

[TwistedHelixis]

I am using Google Drive desktop app to Backup a few folders from our server to our Google space. The staff do not save files to this server and use Google drive to save all files.

 

I just clicked on the backed up computer in Google Drive and noticed it listed an edited file by a teacher, which is odd as they cant save anything to this server.

 

Just to double check, I ran a search on the actuall server and it didn't find this document, so I dont think its on the real server.

 

If I go to the details section of the document it just lists 'Google Drive' as the location (nothing else) but I cant see it in my Google Drive.

 

If I look at the sharing for the file it lists me as being shared with, but its not in my 'Shared with me' area

 

If I type the name of the file it comes up in the search list.

 

Any ideas how I can find where this document is actually stored?

[TwistedHelixis]

So.... Locking at the activity in Google Drive for the backed up server, there is a long list of files being created and edited by 2 teachers. All of them have the same issue as listed in my OP.

 

Very odd

[RLR]

Sounds like the files might be orphaned. Can you see the file if you type this into search: "is:unorganized owner:me"

 

 

More info on orphaned files under heading: You can't find something and you don't think that you deleted it

Edited October 22, 2021 by RLR

[jthompson]

If it was actually in your My Drive, you'd expect the location to be reported as "My Drive" (or the name of one of your subfolders). Do you know who the owner is?

 

It could also belong to a Shared Drive (so no user as owner). If there's a folder named literally "Google Drive" in a Shared Drive somewhere, that might match with what you're seeing.

 

If you have gam, "gam user show fileinfo " will show you who the owner is, or alternatively which teamDriveId it belongs to. "gam user show teamdrives" will allow you to identify which Shared Drive has a particular teamDriveId.

 

In terms of what folder it's in, that will be different for each user with access, so I don't think it's a property of the file itself, if that makes sense.

[TwistedHelixis]

Sounds like the files might be orphaned. Can you see the file if you type this into search: "is:unorganized owner:me"

nothing retuened.

 

Just sat at the teachers laptop and they have a root folder shared with me, this folder had the files getting listed under my Google Drive > computers section.

Not sure why she has shared that with me, so I just un shared.

 

Perhaps at some point in the past I deleted it from my 'shared with me folder', and for some very odd reason the files are getting listed under our server backup.

 

I have now uninstalled Google Drive app from my server and will re install, perhaps this will help.