Gladinet Cloud Desktop Starter Edition (64-bit) for Windows

User Reviews

• Problems with support

  M-PollockMarch 15, 2015

  Pros

  This is a convenient utility which makes your cloud storage look exactly like Windows Explorer

  Cons

  Gladinet seems to import your in the cloud files and folders to your local hard drive, filling that hard drive up and making it otherwise unusable

  Summary

  Gladinet Cloud Explorer loads folders and files stores in the cloud as a virtual directory in Z drive. That's fine, it works well. But there is a problem: I have a small C: drive, as I am using a 120 GB SSD drive, and so I quickly got an alarm: "Your c drive is out of space, only 8 GB free, 111 GB used". Why? This is what is actually in drive C: Program Files: 5 GB Users: 10 GB, of which Gladinet Cache 1.5 GB Windows: 20 GB Others: 0.2 GB Puzzling.... only 35 GB is being used, when I add them up separately. But Windows Explorer now suggests that 111 GB of my C: drive is being used. There is absolutely no obvious explanation, except when you look at Drive Z where Gladinet is, where 111GB is being used... Same number! So is Gladinet filling up my hard drive, while claiming that its Folders are "in the cloud"? When I talked to Gladinet, I was told, no relationship. What is showing in your C: drive is not what is in the Gladinet cloud, you must have something else in there. This makes no sense. What is, actually, obviously happening, is that the Gladinet Z: drive usage is showing up in my C: drive. Because whatever I do, the C: drive and the Z: drive (where Gladinet usage shows up) are ALWAYS EXACTLY THE SAME! Everyone in my company who uses Gladinet Cloud Explorer has the same problem. Whatever shows in Z: also shows up in C: But there is no documentation, and no forum for Gladinet. No way of getting help in fact. I cannot get any recommendations out of Gladinet Help, which seems to be dead to all communication.

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• Works just the way you expect it to.

  cyber_niccoApril 8, 2012

  Pros

  Easy explorer access to your cloud storage.

  Cons

  None, really.

  Summary

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• Never quite there

  stanorlaskiOctober 10, 2011

  Pros

  Slightly better than drag and drop

  Cons

  Never seems to work when you need it to.

  Summary

  Every so often I try this out hoping that the next version is better, it's not. This is slightly better than just using the website interface.

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• Very good app for accessing your cloud storage...

  _Cap_October 6, 2011

  Pros

  Can access your free 25GB SkyDrive storage and mount it as local drive.

  Cons

  Easy and simple solution for fast access and work with your cloud storage. I'm using it mainly for hand-copy of pictures and documents to/from cloud.

  Summary

  If you need app for hand copy operation to/from cloud storage, than this is probably what you looking for.

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• Very Unpredictable, makes huge mess of your files!

  danieltanguayAugust 2, 2011

  Pros

  Please see summary.

  Cons

  Please see summary.

  Summary

  I was very excited when I read the software's advertisement but quickly became disappointed with the hurdles I had to jump through to make it do what I wanted. There was a heck of a learning curve trying to get Gladinet to do what it is supposed to do easily according to it's advertisements. Very rarely did I get the results I was seeking (if at all). Although I do keep it installed for it's ability to mount my cloud storage folders I ultimately I gave up on the software when it came to automated backup and synchronization from pure frustration. Cons and Complaints (Backup Operations): 1. Google Docs Issue: Had a heck of a time trying to get Gladinet Cloud Desktop to do a Cloud Backup to the directory I wanted in Google Docs. Even though I had previously setup some of the folder structure the way I wanted it in My Google Docs account to match my local storage. Gladinet insisted on creating duplicate directories side by side instead of comparing and synchronizing the one that already existed (very annoying and time consuming to fix manually). They should have a setup wizard or something. Cloud Backup Settings Note: When setting up a backup task in Gladinet Cloud Desktop be sure to realize that if you want to backup say C:/My Files on your computer to a first level folder in Google Docs named "My Backup" to just select Google Docs as the target because Gladinet will create the "My Backup" directory automatically. If you create a directory named "My Backup" in Google Docs and then select it as the backup target then it will create a second level collection called "My Backup" inside of the "My Backup" collection you just created Only solution I found was to fight with it till I got it right but then.... 2. BACKUP ISSUE: After nearly a week of uploading I manually logged in and inspected my Google Docs collections to find that all of my backup directories had indeed been created however the files that were supposed to be inside them never arrived! (What the heck was it uploading for a week?) Cons and Complaints (Synchronization Issues): 1. SYNC ISSUE: Files over 2GB are not supported and will result in retry errors. In addition if you have many of these and wish to purge these files from attempting a retry you have to select them individually to do so. If you have dozens of them this could take awhile, UGH! Seems to be no way of telling it to ignore these files on future scheduled backups! I will be contacting support on this issue and will post the results. 2. PICASA ISSUE: Received many pending retry notifications for files that could not sync with Picasa and the software offers no explanation as to why. After contacting support with this error I was informed that sub folders are not supported in Picasa so whatever directory you store your pictures in can only have folders (1) level deep. Any deeper files and folder will result in errors. This is a Picasa limitation NOT a problem with Gladinet Cloud Desktop. After analyzing the folder structure and verifying files are not greater than (1) folder deep I am still receiving a handful of retry notifications for files that can not sync with Picasa. As of yet I have still not figured out why. 3. PICASA ISSUE: Gladinet added a bunch of crap to my Picasa web folders.Grrr. 4. Now I am receiving many dozens of retry notifications for files that can not sync with Google Docs and as with the similar Picasa issue above the software offers no explanation as to why. (I want to add that they seem to be some sort of Gladinet or System file ending in .db) I will be contacting support on this issue and will post the results. Never mind to time consuming there are better ways to backup than this. 5. Would not allow me to connect to Windows Skydrive though it advertises support for it. From time to time cloud storage providers (like Amazon, Google and Microsoft) change their interface. When this happens it may take Gladinet a few days or so to correct the issue and release a patch which will be auto-detected by your Gladinet software once it's available. One day after having this error a patch was released and everything began working just fine with my Microsoft Skydrive account. Cloud Sync Settings Note: When backing up to Picasa sub folders are not supported so whatever directory you choose can only have folders (1) sub-level deep all other folder and files will result in errors. This is a Picasa limitation NOT a problem with Gladinet Cloud Desktop. 07/07/2011 Verdict: I am no longer going to use Gladinet for backup operations because there are just to many issues I have run into which make it simply unreliable. I will as I said in the opening keep it installed for easy access to my Cloud storage providers.

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• Good program

  standuncanJune 7, 2011

  Pros

  Looks and feels like a MS directory. Drag and drop files into it. Functions like an extra hard drive. I use it with MS Skydrive, so I have 25 gigs of cloud space. Hard to beat. It's slower than Drop box, but you can store much more for free.

  Cons

  Past versions have been a little unstable and have crashed. I understand it is better now. I wish it uploaded (they call "mounting") and downloaded a little more quickly. If you are patient it's fine. But if you are in a hurry, it will frustrate you.

  Summary

  A very good program that deserves more buzz.

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• Convenient Way to Access Your Cloud Storage

  cyber_niccoJune 6, 2011

  Pros

  Easy. Convenient. Works.

  Cons

  Need paid version to use advanced features, such as folder sync and automated backup.

  Summary

  If you want an easy way to mount and access your disparate cloud storage providers, this product does the job well.

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• Its simple, it works, its free.

  nmurphy24June 3, 2011

  Pros

  I would not have started using Amazon's cloud without this download message from Cnet. Now I am hooked - Amazon has done a great job of implementation.

  Cons

  None. BTW, to Gladnet - I am not getting the message of what your 'Pro' version does that the free version doesn't. I'd suggest being more obvious about the additional benefits.

  Summary

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• A free product that works great

  alexlurch1April 7, 2011

  Pros

  Seamless integration of Windows Skydrive into explorer

  Cons

  None for me

  Summary

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• Good, but could be better

  standuncanFebruary 21, 2011

  Pros

  It can tie into existing cloud storage, such as Windows Live, giving it almost unlimited storage. It looks and functions just like Windows explorer, with file folders and directories. And it's tech support is amazingly friendly and helpful.

  Cons

  Slow and unstable in uploading files and occasionally they fail mid route. Hard to move files between online directories, and it crashes a little too often.

  Summary

  A very good program, but needs a little more work. Likable tech support. It's a program that really needs to be.

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