Google Drive - Very odd file behaviour.

[TwistedHelixis]

Last year I had File Stream (now Google drive for Desktop) installed onto my school file server. This just synced a few key folders from the server to my Google Drive. About 6 months ago I installed a new server, Installed Google drive for Desktop and synced some folders. I checked in Google Drive (online) that both computers were listed under computers, then I turned off the old server, and have not turned it on since.

 

I was just doing some tidying and noticed the old server still listed in Google drive / computers. When I clicked on the old computer I was shocked to see in the right hand activity window it is still getting files synced to it. The really odd thing is, they are not files from my account but a couple of our teachers accounts. How is it possible that my own Google Drive backup seems to be getting other peoples files?

 

If I click on one of the files listed in the activity window, it takes me to that file, but it does not list where that file is located.

 

If I do a search in my Google drive for one of the files, it lists the files but when I click on one, it also opens the file, but doesn't tell me where that file is stored.

 

I have just done a full search on the new server and none of those files are found on the server itself, so those files must be coming from the teachers own Goggle accounts somehow.

 

I would like to delete the old server from my Google drive but not while it's still seems to be getting files synced with it.

 

 

 

EDIT. Those new files only get listed in activity when clicking on the computer name, not if I click on any of the folders such as pupils or multimedia.

Edited January 19, 2022 by TwistedHelixis

[TwistedHelixis]

Contacted Google support who have said they will need to go away and investigate this very odd issue

[atcoates]

If those users have shared files with you, wouldn't they appear in your drive? Or are they members of the same drive as you? Edited January 19, 2022 by atcoates

[TwistedHelixis]

If those users have shared files with you, wouldn't they appear in your drive? Or are they members of the same drive as you?

There is more to this than shared files or using the same accounts or drive. The support person went over all of these options first. The files do seem to be shared with me from the user, but he couldn't workout how they would end up in my computers list, or where they are in the users Drive.

 

The files also are more than just orphaned, they don't even get listed in the admin Google Drive audit report. The only place he can see these files is on the activity window when clicking on the computer name.

 

Why they are getting listed under my own computer backup section is so far a mystery.

 

The support person mentioned at the end, do not delete the old computer as these files might very well delete from the teachers drives (if they are there) also.

 

EDITED

Edited January 19, 2022 by TwistedHelixis