Hello guys

Google Drive (now Backup and Sync from Google) desktop software is for personal use & terminates the software execution as soon as the user logs off from the computer. We needed a solution for a server in which we were using Google drive for legacy database backups. Following the instructions @ http://www.myrtec.com.au/kb/331-running-google-drive-as-a-windows-service, we were able to setup a Windows service executing the drive executable, which looked bit dirty from different angles as we were using some stone age software to run the Service.

Then we came across couple of discussions at

https://superuser.com/questions/463801/sync-google-drive-when-not-logged-in

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20148768/google-drive-as-service-or-background-operation

and, were able to design a far better solution. Here how it works:

Install & setup Google Drive (Backup and Sync) software (your box/Server)

Go to settings & disable “Open Backup and Sync” on system startup

Now, you can safely quit the Backup and Sync software (Right click, quit)

Fire up Windows Task Scheduler and create a task, let us called it “Google backup and sync”

Make sure the tasks runs without the user being logged in.

Depending upon the startup load on the server (If your server/box many services which require maximum memory and processor, delay starting the this new task by few minutes)

It is advisable to setup the startup path for the task. Just copy and paste the executable path.

Most importantly, if you are using a laptop, make sure you are setting up whether the drive sync task should start while the laptop is on battery power.

Once all these settings, you will be asked to provide the current user password. If you have a password policy, remember to change the password for the task once after you change the account password.

That’s all. Right click and execute the task and monitor the task manager, you should see two instances of google drive sync exe file. Now, logging off shouldn’t terminate the google backup and sync.

I hope this post makes it easier for you to setup Google backup and sync for Windows servers.

rajesh