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TEC Refresh and Google Drive File Stream

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Let's start with the FACTS!
  • Your U Drive is here to STAY! (No worries about that tool going anywhere)
  • Some buildings will get a TEC Refresh (Your Building Techs will let you know if that's you)
  • Google Drive provides UNLIMITED storage space (No file too large!)
  • You have a NEW storage drive on your Windows Desktop or Laptop... the Y Drive!
All of these facts are very important to you! Why? Well, our files are precious. We invest enormous amounts of time into developing documents for educating our students and for managing our day to day operations at each of our schools. Files are important.

Read on to learn about your NEW Y Drive and the TEC Refresh (at the end of this post)...

To start, Jessica sent an email out titled "Google Drive is now a Drive on your Computer". (You can search your inbox here if you wish to read it.) That email discusses your NEW Y Drive. Officially, Google calls this new service the Google Drive File Stream. We have already installed this service on all staff machines. However, to see it and to begin using it you will need to activate that service with your PPS Google account. Just know this, with Drive Stream your...

Y Drive = Google Drive

What does that mean? Through some pretty sweet digital vudu, you now have UNLIMITED storage on your desktop and laptop computers. Woot! That means a couple of things, 1) you can store any file type there and as you are connected to the network or wifi it will be backed up safely, and 2) you may work with your Word and Pointpoint files on your TEC through MS Office, and still have them stored in Google Drive. Yay!

Follow these directions to get connected. (From your TEC or Teacher Desktop*)

STEP 1) Click on the Start Menu, then choose All Programs

STEP 2) Choose Drive File Stream from the menu (additionally, you may search for File Stream in the search bar at the bottom of the menu)


STEP 3) A Google login screen will appear, enter your email address and network password there


STEP 4) A welcome window will appear, you may either close it or click through its information and click the "open windows explorer menu"

STEP 5) If you closed the window after login, open My Computer or click Windows Explorer

After either STEP 4 or STEP 5, you should now see added to your list of computer drives the Google Drive File Stream (Y:). In that drive, you will see your Google Drive My Drive and Team Drives folder. Moving files there will allow them to live on both your Windows machine and in Google Drive. LET THE SYNC MAGIC HAPPEN!

* Remember, once your teacher station becomes obsolete it will not be replaced. You WILL always have your TEC and your Teacher Chromebook.

TEC Refresh

A couple of our Portage buildings are receiving upgrades to aging TEC Desktops. Your Building Tech will inform you as to who you are. (If you hear nothing, IT'S NOT YOU! haha)

In order to prepare your computer for the upgrade, we HIGHLY recommend you move ALL your files from your desktop (and My Documents for those who store your files there) to either your U Drive or your Google Drive, perhaps using your new Y DRIVE (if you've taken the time to set up that option).

Below is a series of steps you might use to begin this move. (Feel free to do this in the manner that best suits you.)
  1. Create a New Folder titled "TEC Backup, Spring 2018" or "Desktop Backup 2017-2018" (Use whichever naming convention you wish)
  2. Drag-n-drop all the files and folders you wish to keep into this ONE FOLDER
  3. Open either My Computer (Windows Explorer) or Google Drive
  4. Drag-n-drop your new backup folder to My Drive (either on Google Drive or your Y Drive... or if you have space, your U Drive)
  5. Wait for all files to upload or sync to their new location
    1. We recommend doing this earlier in the day to allow time for your files to move
    2. Depending on the number and size of your files, this process could take a few minutes to several. Be prepared to wait for the process to complete, accordingly.
  6. Optionally, you may store your files on a flash drive as well if this suits you better.
Use whatever system you like to backup your files; the point is to BACK THEM UP. We do not wish to see any of you lose the great work that you have put so much time into creating.

Should you find that you require assistance, please reach out to your building tech or the helpdesk promptly.

Good luck!





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