Following the announcement on May 19th, 2026, regarding the the migration of the Campus H: and R: Drives to Google Drive (for more information, please refer to the email "Modernizing Campus Data: Moving H: and R: Drives to Google Workspace" that you received from helpdesk@tcnj.edu), your network drives will no longer be available in your File Explorer (Windows) or through the H: Drive and R: Drive desktop icons (Mac). This article will address questions that have been brought up to IT.
FAQ
Q: Can I map my Google Drive like my H: or R: Drive?
A: You can! By installing and using the Google Drive for Desktop App you can map your Google Drive as the G: drive on your Windows and Mac device. See this Help Desk Article for more info
Q: What data is safe to put in Google Drive?
A: Google Drive meets FERPA requirements, however we do still ask that you contact your Support Specialist or the Help Desk if you have Category 1 - Restricted Data or Category 2 - Confidential Data (see this policy for category definitions TCNJ Information Classification Policy).
Q: What is the difference between “My Drive” and “Shared Drives” in Google?
A: “My Drive” is the equivalent of your existing H: drive and the location where your personal files will be migrated. In your My Drive, look for a folder called /HDrive-username. “Shared Drives” are the equivalent of your existing R: drives and are intended for collaborative work. All R: drives not being exempted will be prefixed with “R-”. For example, the R: drive folder Admissions (R:\Admissions) will be migrated to the Google Shared Drive: R-Admissions. You can learn more about the difference by this by visiting this Knowledge Base Article.
Q: If I had access to a subfolder on R:, where is that folder now?
A: That folder will be under the “Shared with Me” section of Google Drive.
Q: Do I have to convert all my Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files into their Google equivalents?
A: No, you do not. You can use the Google Drive for Desktop app to navigate to where they are stored on your Google Drive and opening them will open up the corresponding Microsoft application (Google Drive for desktop indicates whether a file was made in Microsoft Office or Google). Google Drive can also natively store, preview, and even edit Microsoft Office files using their Google Workspace equivalents without converting them. You can open a .docx or .xlsx file directly in your browser, make your edits, and it will save back automatically as an Office file.
Q: What if we need to recover a file? How do we do that?
A: First, take a look in your Trash in Google Drive. Often, the file can be recovered from there. If it’s not in there, then the process to request a file restore is the same as when the files were on the H: and R: drives. You will need to provide the full path to the file, the name of the file, and the date for the version you wish to restore. Please check out this service request for more details.