One of one of the best issues about backing up your recordsdata to a web-based service is that they’re, nicely, backed up. So it’s comprehensible that numerous Google Drive customers are upset after discovering out that this might not be the case. An error with a latest model of the desktop shopper for Google Drive has resulted in lacking recordsdata for some customers — a lot of lacking recordsdata going again a number of months in a couple of circumstances. Update: The downside has been corrected in a brand new model.

An ongoing support thread on Google Drive Help, spotted by The Register, is filled with dozens of replies from customers who’ve discovered their distant backups empty. The preliminary grievance comes from a Windows consumer who says that their Drive recordsdata going again to May of this yr have instantly disappeared, apparently from each the native folder and Google’s server. Direct assist from the help staff was unable to revive the recordsdata. Over 300 customers have clicked the “I have the same question” response.

A reply from a Google worker says that the corporate is conscious of the difficulty and dealing on it, stating that it’s affecting a “limited subset of Drive for desktop users.” Google says that within the meantime you shouldn’t delete any of your native recordsdata or disconnect your account from inside the Drive app. Oh, and it is best to most likely again up these recordsdata some other place — you realize, that factor you’re paying Google to do for you.

A separate thread from Google posted yesterday stated that the difficulty is affecting model 84.0.0.0 by 84.0.4.0 of the syncing app, presumably for each Windows and Mac. If you’re counting on Google Drive for any necessary recordsdata, you may want to have a look and maybe think about an alternate service.

Update, December seventh, 2023: The lacking file error appears to have been corrected in Drive desktop model 85.0.13.0 for Windows and Mac. Missing recordsdata might be discovered in case you use the Recover from Backups operate…hopefully. Check out this Google Drive support page for detailed directions.