Clarifying: Google Drive

Drive is Storage.

You keep files in Drive. Any File. It can be pictures, movies, whatever. Google Drive stores the file and allows you to access the file from any computer, phone, tablet.

It’s just like your “my documents” folder. Only synced between devices.

Google Files (docs, presentations, etc.) reside in Google Drive.  When you open a google doc / sheet / presentation / form you are using Google Products and can do this via a web browser.

Non-Google Files (SMART files, MS Office Files, Etc) can be stored in Google Drive. You need to have the program to open those files to edit those files. That’s the difference between Google Files and files stored in Google Drive.

Why are we Downloading Google Drive and Stop Using My Documents?

 

Right now your My Documents folder is synced to the H Drive. We will be retiring the H Drive for most staff and students over the next year. We get unlimited storage with Google Drive. It makes little financial sense for the district to maintain a separate storage drive. Also, the H Drive does not work on a Chromebook.

Moving to Google Drive will increase start up times for your computer. You will be able to access your files from any device.

Pay Attention

Understand how file syncs work. When you save a file in your Google Drive folder on your computer, it syncs with your Google Drive in the Cloud (like dropbox). If you make a change to a file, it automatically syncs to the cloud. If you make the change to a file in the cloud, it automatically syncs to your computer.

Stop using My Documents after you download and use Google Drive.

Download Drive

  1. Go to: google.com/drive/download/
  2. Download the file.

Agree to Terms of Service

Read if you want to.

Download EXE File

Download and Install.

Run through the Installation Instructions

Follow the prompts.

Sign in with @hcsdoh.org Account

This will sync you Google Drive folder to your @hcsdoh.org account.

Make Note of Where you Google Drive is Located

You’ll want to add to your favorites.

Again, Note Favorites

This is where you’ll find your Google Drive Folder.

Select Which Folders to Sync

Select which folders you want to sync from your cloud account to your local computer.

This is where things can go wrong.

I strongly recommend you select “select only these folders”.

Copy ALL your files from your My Documents into your Google Drive

Select all your My Document Files. Copy. Paste into Google Drive.

If you have any folders outside of your My Documents (perhaps your Desktop) that you want to save, copy and paste them as well.

Note: Image is of Mac File structure, but works the same way.

STOP USING MY DOCUMENTS

From here on out, save all your files in your Google Drive folder.

If you save anything in your My Documents, IT WILL NOT BE BACKED UP.

Don’t use it.

In fact, delete your My Documents folder. You’ve already copied everything into your Google Drive. This will prevent confusion.