1. CubeBackup Documents
  2. FAQ
  3. What are these additional files and folders displayed under my Google Drive backup snapshots? What are orphaned files in Google Drive?

What are these additional files and folders displayed under my Google Drive backup snapshots? What are orphaned files in Google Drive?

CubeBackup generates backup snapshots based on the current status of your Google Drive. Some users become confused when they find extra files or folders displayed in the backup snapshot which are not directly visible in Google Drive. These anomalies are most likely orphaned files or shared folders in your Google Drive.

Starting with CubeBackup version 4.11, Google Drive backup snapshots have been enhanced to separately display files in 'My Drive', 'Shared with Me', 'Computers' and 'Trash' for improved organization. For installations upgrading through the console or versions prior to 4.11, the original hierarchy is retained for consistency. To switch to the new layout, run the cbackup fullSync command.

Orphaned files and folders

If a user shares a parent folder with you and later deletes it or revokes the share permissions, the files/directories you have created inside it become "orphaned" and disappear from your Google Drive.

These orphaned files/directories are not gone for good since they still take up space in Google Drive, but they won't show up directly in the files list. They are protected in CubeBackup the same as normal files and listed in the backup snapshot. You can search for them in your Google Drive by the file name, or by typing is:unorganized in the Google Drive search field.

Shared files and folders

To avoid unnecessary duplication, CubeBackup stores one copy of shared files under the owner's backup snapshot. If you wish to display these files for every user they are shared with, you can enable the global setting Backup files shared with me under SETTINGS > Apps > Drive > Options.

Please note that enabling this option in CubeBackup may result in duplicates in the backup data.

However, when it comes to shared folders, CubeBackup will always preserve the folder structure and display it in each user's backup snapshot, whether or not the option is enabled. This allows CubeBackup to place files and subdirectories in their proper hierarchy.