Table of Contents

Google Backup and Sync Setup

Introduction

The old Google Drive standalone Windows application has now been replaced by either Google Backup and Sync or Google Drive File Stream. Google Drive File Stream lets you access your files in Google Drive as if they were stored on your computer. It does NOT however backup your computer's file to Drive. For that reason, we are recommending everyone move to Google Backup and Sync instead.

Installation

  1. Download the Google Backup and Sync installer program:
    https://www.google.com/drive/download/backup-and-sync/
  2. Launch the program from your Downloads folder:
  3. The application will launch and download the rest of the installation files:
  4. After it finishes installing, it will launch automatically and give you some information:
  5. Click the Get Started button to continue. Once at the login screen at the bottom select signin using your browser instead. Enter your full @wcs.k12.va.us e-mail address and click Next:
  6. You will be sent to our SSO Portal login screen. Enter your username and password and then click Login:
  7. After logging in, you will be shown some information about how it backs up:
  8. Click the buttons to continue until you get to the screen where it asks you what you want to backup. By default, it automatically selects your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders. You can add other folders later (Music or Videos for example)
  9. The next screen will ask if you want to sync everything in your existing Google Drive to this computer. In most cases, you will select Everything. If your Google Drive contains more files than you have hard drive space, you might have to selectively sync certain folders from your Google Drive.
  10. Backup and Sync will run down in your system tray and start automatically when you boot your computer. To see what it's doing, click the Up Arrow in your system tray and then hover over the Backup and Sync cloud icon. You may also click the icon to see it what it's backing up in realtime.
  11. When you login to the web interface for Google Drive, you'll see a Computers folder. Backup and Sync will create a new folder for each computer you install it on. In this example, you'll see my desktop and notebook each have their own sync folders.

Your computer will now continuously backup to Google Drive. If your computer or hard drive crashes, you will not lose any of your important files. You'll also never have to worry about whether your files are on each computer you may be using.