Google Drive for macOS requiring system extension to mirror files
My Google Drive client (version 54) on macOS Big Sur started insisting that I install some kind of system extension in order to mirror files locally offline.
It wants me to restart the Mac, go into some kind of system recovery mode, and set it to "reduced security" before restarting to allow Drive to run a system extension. Seems like a huge hassle for a simple task, potentially insecure, and wasn't required previously anyway. What gives?
Solution 1:
Answering my own question because I figured it out.
It was requiring this advanced scenario because I had chosen a different, custom folder in which it would store my offline Drive files. Somehow the system was preventing Drive from accessing this local folder without heightened privileges. The solution was easy:
- Delete Drive app, delete local Drive folder
- RE-install, choose "Mirror files"
- Let it keep its own defaults for the folder (do not rename it!)
After that, all files started syncing normally without any system extension need.