GMail Drive is a free third-party namespace extension ("add-on") for Microsoft Windows and is not supported by Google. It allows a user to access a virtual drive stored in a Gmail e-mail account by causing the contents of the Gmail account to appear as a new network share on the user's workstation. In order to use this add-on, the user needs a Gmail e-mail account. The add-on enables the user to use the standard Windows desktop file copy and paste commands to transfer files to and from the Gmail account as if it was a drive on the user's computer. In computer programming, and particularly in Microsoft Windows programming, third party software component refers to a reusable software component developed to be either freely distributed or sold by an entity other than the original vendor of the development platform. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Special Folders. ... Windows redirects here. ... This article is about the corporation. ... For other uses, see Gmail (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Gmail (disambiguation). ... A network share is a location on a computer network, typically allowing multiple computer users on the same network to have a centralized space on which to store files (i. ... For other uses, see Gmail (disambiguation). ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Windows redirects here. ...

Function

In order for GMail Drive to operate, the computer must be connected to the Internet and the user must have a Gmail account. A broadband connection is preferable though not necessary, as all operations are done through Gmail and consequently over the Internet. GMail Drive uses the inbox of the Gmail account to store files and creates a virtual filesystem on top of the Gmail account, enabling the user to save and retrieve files stored on the Gmail account directly from inside Windows Explorer. GMail Drive adds a new virtual drive to the computer under the My Computer folder, where the user can create new folders, copy and drag-and-drop files to, but does not give an actual drive letter, such as C:, preventing its use in all DOS applications, and some older Windows applications. Image File history File links Gmaildrive. ... Drag-and-drop refers to the act of (or support for the act of) clicking on a virtual object and dragging it to, or onto, another virtual object. ... Microsofts disk operating system, MS-DOS, was Microsofts implementation of DOS, which was the first popular operating system for the IBM PC, and until recently, was widely used on the PC compatible platform. ...

When the user creates a new file using GMail Drive, it generates an e-mail and posts it to the Gmail account's inbox. The e-mail appears in the normal Inbox folder when using the normal Gmail interface, and the file is attached as an e-mail attachment. GMail Drive periodically checks the mail account (using the Gmail search function) to see if new files have arrived and to rebuild the virtual drive's directory structures.

Multiple computers can connect to one Gmail account thus allowing GMail Drive to act as a multi-user file server.

Consequently, restrictions on the Gmail service are also enforced when using GMail Drive. For example, files larger than 20 MB cannot be uploaded, as the maximum file size of Gmail attachments is 20 MB^[1]. In the past, Gmail also prevented users from transferring certain file types, such as an executable or ZIP archive. Some users bypassed this restriction by renaming the file extension or by putting it into a RAR or 7zip archive. ReBoot character, see Megabyte (ReBoot). ... The ZIP file format is a popular data compression and archival format. ... “RAR” redirects here. ... 7-Zip is a data compression and file-archiving program predominantly for the Microsoft Windows operating system. ...

Caveats

GMail Drive is an experimental package that depends on but is not provided by Google. Changes in Google's Gmail system may render GMail Drive temporarily or permanently inoperable.

The Gmail Program Policies do not explicitly ban or permit GMail Drive, shell namespace extensions, or the use of Gmail storage space for files other than e-mail.^[2] Nonetheless, use of GMail Drive may trigger Google to temporarily suspend a Gmail account.^[3]

See also

• Gmail
• Virtual drive
• GmailFS
• Gspace

For other uses, see Gmail (disambiguation). ... A virtual drive is a term used with respect to computers when a drive is emulated in some fashion. ... GmailFS is a virtual file system developed by Richard Jones which allows users to mount and use their Gmail email accounts storage as a local disk drive. ...

References

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External links

• GMail Drive Site
• Gmail Terms of Use