HOW-TO: Use your Gmail account as a personal file server

This is a fairly simple and useful trick to score yourself a gigabyte's worth of free online file storage. If you already have a Gmail account, you can use it as a central file server that is accessible from anywhere you can access Gmail. If you don't have a Gmail account... read on. We're going to install a shell extension that will allow you to mount your Gmail account as a virtual drive on your desktop, so you can perform basic file manipulation operations without having to go through the web-based interface. Drag and drop, batch copy, create folders and delete files as you normally would in Windows Explorer, and be able to access your virtual drive from virtually anywhere.

There are some limitations and caveats associated with this how-to: Gmail doesn't support files larger than 10MB, so you won't be able to store large movie files or anything, but you wouldn't be doing that anyway 'cuz it's illegal, right? Also, the Gmail drive shell extension only functions under Windows XP, but you'll be able to access and download any of your files via any operating system and browser combination supported by Gmail.

Be advised that this trick is completely unsupported by the Google folk and so may cease functioning at any time — particularly following upgrades to the Gmail service. As far as we know this isn't illegal (we actually read the EULA for you — that's love, people), but we can't guarantee Google won't go all RIAA on us and crack down on this app, either, so use at your own risk.

Also, it goes without saying that none of you would dream of using something like this to shuttle around any illegally-obtained or un-DRM'd music, right? 'Cuz that would make you a criminal, and we can't advocate that. This is only for personal use storage of your, uh, extensive Powerpoint collection, k? Buckle in and let's roll.

Ingredients

• Gmail account
• Gmail Drive shell extension
• Windows XP PC
• To access your files elsewhere, a browser that supports Gmail. Here's the official list:
• • Fully supported browsers:
    • Microsoft IE 5.5+ (Windows)
    • Netscape 7.1+ (Windows, Mac, Linux)
    • Mozilla 1.4+ (Windows, Mac, Linux)
    • Mozilla Firefox 0.8+ (Windows, Mac, Linux)
    • Safari 1.2.1+ (Mac)
  • Will work with Gmail's basic HTML view:
    • Microsoft IE 4.0+
    • Netscape 4.07+
    • Opera 6.03+

First up, download the Gmail Drive shell extension. The download page says you need to have Internet Explorer 5 or higher for installation; this just refers to the fact that Internet Explorer is infernally wed to Windows Explorer and you need a version of the Windows Explorer based on the IE5+ engine. If you're running Windows XP you should be all set with this. No need to actually launch that browser — we wouldn't conscionably recommend that to anyone.

Installation is as simple as running the Setup program. When the installer is finished running, it will tell you you can begin using Gmail Drive right away, but you may actually have to restart your machine before you can access the new drive. If you don't see it in the list of locations under My Computer, just try restarting. Otherwise, you should be seeing Gmail Drive showing up just any regular storage device would:

Double-click the Gmail Drive icon, and you will be prompted for your login information:

Enter your deets and Gmail Drive shell extension will happily enumerate your files and log you in:

If you already have files stored in your account from attachments you've received, etc., you will see them in the Explorer window after you've logged in. Otherwise, if you have no files or if you've just created your brand spankin' new Gmail account, you'll just see an empty Explorer window:

Let's drag and drop some files into our new virtual drive. We'll choose some image files that we shot ourselves because, as far as we know, it's not illegal to copy these yet. Just open an Explorer window with some files you'd like to store on your new file server, select them, and drag and drop them into your Gmail Drive just as you would with any regular file transfer. You'll get a dialogue window with an animation involving a cute little phone that for some reason is sending a letter — some tribute to ye olde modems of yore?

Regardless, it means Gmail Drive is whisking your files happily away and posting them to your Gmail account. When the transfer is finished, you'll see icons for your files in your Gmail Drive:

Fabulous. Now — if you have another Windows XP machine you use regularly — your work PC, for example — you can just set up the Gmail Drive shell extension there and have Explorer-type file manipulation on that machine, as well. This could be a really handy solution for sharing files between your two locations. But since we already know how to use Gmail Drive, let's take a look at what happens when we log in to our Gmail account from a regular old web browser.

Go to the Gmail login and enter your account information:

When you log in, you'll see a number of new messages - one message per file you just uploaded. Messages corresponding to files that have been uploaded via Gmail Drive appear with a "GMAILFS" prefix in the header, following by the filename and the file size:

Since we've uploaded images, we can view our photos right from within the Gmail interface:

From here, we can forward the images on to friends, or download them to whatever machine we are on and have instant access to them at any time. Plus, we benefit from all the handy built-in features of Gmail itself; we can easily search for our files by name and tag them to organize them however we wish. All this from the installation of one simple and free utility.

So we know that a lot of you might find this handy, but you don't happen to have a Gmail account. Well, it's your lucky day, peeps, because we have a few invites to give away. Obviously we don't have enough invites for everyone, but we'll give them away on a first-come, first-served basis until they're all gone. Just make sure you use a valid email address when you post your comment, because that's where we'll send the invite to, dig? Don't say we never gave you anything.

[dv8 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

this is super old. I've had this for months. It doesn't work that great btw. It also has a 10MB file size limitation. THere's another extension out there u can use (i forget the name) which sidesteps the 10MB file size limitation as well.

[RC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Limited to <10mb files.
Currently. I believe he's attempting to fix this in future revisions.
Fortunately the same option in *nix is not limited in this fashion as the shell extension breaks up the files into <10mb chunks for you.

[bz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Great trick, can I get a gmail account?

[crsh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

crap, hopefully google won't lower the 10 MB limit because of this - it's a great feature, but now it's just going to get abused.

[tim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I really like this trick.!! maybe it's even handy to share files with my pda?

[Elliot @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I'd love one of your gmail invites! You guys rock!

[Ma-mania @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Can't wait to try it out. So long hotmail....

[rhys @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

http://isnoop.net/gmail/

Free gmail accounts for all (about 400,000).

[ryan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I'd like an gmail invite please :)

[Naxi @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Giving away GMail accounts? Kick ass! Sign me up!!

[Annoymous Hero @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Here's a good site for Gmail invites, seeing as they have 384,254 invites or so avaliable. :)

http://isnoop.net/gmail/

[Andrew @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Wow, that would be great to have free online storage from anywhere. I just hope google doesn't change anything so that this wouldn't be possible. Thanks for letting us know about this great find!

[ko123 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Hurrah, way to introduce your users to OLD technology, and software like gmail drive that's been out for a long time. Another of those how tos that you claim are all your creations but are really just lame compilations.

[canismajor @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

yes, please, a Gmail inviet would be nice!

[Aston @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

If you have a gmail invite left, I'd be happy to get it. Thanks!

[A Paeth @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I'd love one of those gmail invites. You guys rock!

[jbucko @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

if anybody needs a gmail account invite, email me at j_bucko56 at yahoo dot com .. I have about 50 of 'em

[semi @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

yeah...u guys missed this news way back..
i been using this thing for a month now..

[Emberline @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

This sounds outstanding, I'd love one of the gmail accounts if you have any left to give. Either way, great post.

[gorkon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

COOL. Anyone know of a Mac OS X client?

[Eric Parker @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Way cool!

[Emberline @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

oops, the email is [e-mail] Thanks.

[Stephen Crosby @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I was just about to use the same phrase until i read the comments, thats funny. Anyway, yes it is super old.

[Simon Langham @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Always good to have some option when I forget my memory key at home.

[Jonas @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

the shell extension dont work for me,... at the login,.. i get a error "wrong securitypoiter of the accountdomain" i dont know what thats mean,...

[luxuryluke @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I've got plenty of invites. send me a request and i'll give out all of mine (50) to whomever asks nicely!
luke

[timothy hamilton @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

is there a download for mac?

[Kenny @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

if engadget runs out of invites, i have plenty to give away.

mail me: standsolid at [google's new email service].com for one.

[G-MAN @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Hundred bucks says GMAIL is about to go public considering that they are now giving everyone 50 invites....

[Tom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I'm interested in a gmail account.
Sounds like an interesting option.

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Enjoy your site. Would appreciate a gmail invite, if you have any left

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Enjoy your site. Would appreciate a gmail invite, if you have any left

[rhys @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

#24, I get the same error. Disabled Norton but I still have a firewall built into my router, could that be anything to do with it?

[Chris Knight @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Gmail me, baby! I'd love an invite if you've still got any...

[Andrei @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

It doesn't work for me...

here:

An error occured!
System Error Message: Unknown

Anyone ever encountered this?

[JRom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I would love an invite to give to my wife if you've got any left. Thanks.

[ax0n @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Fill out my form and I'll send the first 50 of you GMail invites.

http://www.focushacks.com/gmail/

This doesn't log anything. I'll empty the messages once you accept the invitation. The form just formats your info and emails me so I have an easy way to invite people. If the page says it's down, then I'm out of invites.

[staffzor @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

i have 50 gmail accounts anyone?

[arkowi @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I just e-mail files to myself, put MYFILES in the subject as well as several keywords. Then, its serchable by just putting MYFILES plus the keywords I am looking for. I don't see where this is any easier...plus I can upload them from anywhere.

Now, if it could get around the 10 MB limit, you may be on to something.

[keith c @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

i have to try this out, if it works, all hail engadget!!!

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

This would be handy for home/work file sharing.

[Mike Patrick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

What I want to know it:

Where did you get that great Explorer Icon for the Memory Stick????

[Henry Eli @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Great Blog. Would love a Gmail account if you have any left.

Cheers

[hdong @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Just want that GMail Invite!

[Ben @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

I get the same message as #33...does anyone have any idea why the error? Are there any services that need to be enabled...that might be disabled as of now

[LouSir @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

This doesn't work. I get the same errors as the people above. Some googling revealed that most people think this method died around 2/14/05 .

DOHHH.

LouSir

[Philippe Rogge @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

Craving for a gmail account!

[LouSir @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

This doesn't work. I get the same errors as the people above. Some googling revealed that most people think this method died around 2/14/05 .

DOHHH.

LouSir

[Ben @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

my mistake...I got the same error as #36

[Josh McCormick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:22AM]

System Error Message:
The security identifier provided is not from an account domain.

I should have guessed! Huh?