Disclaimer: Google doesn’t support gmail drive, which is a third party application, but the space available on gmail can be used for storage purpose. Google may temporarily disable the mail account if extensive use of gmail drive is found. This procedure of insallation of the application is for windows.
It’s always an issue to store files on the web, and also keep them secure. A novice on the web may endup sharing important files, which he/she has stored on the various file storage services available on the internet. So any user would like to have a solution such that the data remains secure, but easily accessible when online. The most secure place on the web, would be your email account, which is as much secure as the mails saved in it. But storing the files as an attachment is quite tiring if we have large number of files to save together. How easier would it be if, there was some way to avoid this step of attaching the files to the mail!!
Well, there is a way. Gmail Drive to the rescue. Gmail drive is a very small and light utility which adds a virtual drive to your computer network, which gives you direct access to the mail space. The application is developed by viksoe, and can be downloaded here. Once downloaded, unzip the file and run the setup utility. The shell extension is automatically added to your computer. A drive named “Gmail Drive” appears in my computer. On double clicking it, a login window will ask for credentials wherein we put in your gmail userid and password. The application will login and show drive space, where we can transfer files using normal windows features like drag and drop, copy, cut and paste.
This happens on the frontend. In the background however, the utility creates a mail and attaches the file to it and sends it to your gmail account. The file is seen as a standalone file in gmail drive, but as an attachment in the mail box. To segregate it from the normal mails, go to mailbox and using labels tab, create a new label using appropriate name like “Gmail Drive Mails”. Then create a new filter. In the subject field of the filter, enter “GMAILFS:” Click next step, and select “Skip the Inbox (Archive it)” and “Apply the label:” and select the label that you have created. Then click, “Create filter”. This way, you do not end up deleting the gmail drive mails during regular cleanup, and also ensure that the files are stored safely.
Do use this utility to get added benefit from the gmail space available.
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