All Products
Search

This Product

    Drive and Photo Service:Mounted drive

    Document Center

    Drive and Photo Service:Mounted drive

    Last Updated:Dec 15, 2025

    The mounted drive maps your cloud storage to a local drive, allowing you to access cloud files and back up local files as easily as a local disk. Use the mounted drive when you need seamless file management and efficient data synchronization.

    Prerequisites

    1. Use the PC client to log on to the Cloud Drive for Enterprises (CDE) client (version 1.4.0 or later). For the latest version, see Client download.

    2. Enable the file historical version.

    3. Enable the mounted drive.

    Limitations

    • Mounted drive does not support simultaneous editing by multiple users (collaboration). To collaborate with multiple users, use the Online Editing feature. For more information, see Online Editing feature.

    • Mounted drive cannot be installed on Windows systems with ARM processors, such as some Microsoft Surface devices that use Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.

    • Mounted drive relies on the local file system's concurrency mechanism for file transfers. Transferring more than 1,000 files at once or a single file larger than 1 GB may be slow. For optimal performance in these cases, use the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition desktop app. Then view and edit the files in the mounted drive.

    • When an application accesses a file in the mounted drive, the operating system reads and writes the corresponding cloud file in real time. This process requires high network bandwidth and stability. Slow or unstable networks (for example, when using a mobile hotspot or in a restricted network environment) can cause upload and download failures. For use cases with insufficient network bandwidth and stability, use the Sync backup (in invitational preview) feature to synchronize data. Alternatively, use the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition desktop app to download, modify, and re-upload files.

    Capabilities

    • Supports two-way, real-time data synchronization between the local mounted drive and the cloud.

    • Maps cloud storage to a local disk, allowing direct access to cloud files without pre-downloading.

    • Provides smart file prefetching and on-demand downloads. For example, when you play an audio or video file, it streams the file, allowing you to play it as it downloads.

    • Uses smart cache management to provide access to all cloud files with minimal local disk usage.

    • Supports both Windows and macOS operating systems.

    Install the mounted drive

    Note

    If the mounted drive is enabled but not visible in the user interface, restart the Cloud Drive for Enterprises PC client.

    Install on Windows

    1. Log in to the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition PC client.

    2. Go to the Mounted Drive page and click Install Now. After the installation is successful, use the mounted drive.

      Install Now button for Mounted Drive on Windows

    Important

    Install on macOS

    Important

    If you are using an Apple silicon Mac, you need to first configure System Extensions. For more information, see Change security settings on the startup disk.

    1. Download and install the macFUSE driver.macFUSE installation window

      1. Use the recommended macFUSE version for your macOS:

        macOS version

        macFUSE version

        Notes

        Sequoia 15.x

        4.10.2

        If your macOS is the latest version, download and install the latest version of macFUSE.

        Sonoma 14.x

        4.6.1

        Ventura 13.x

        4.6.1

        Monterey 12.x

        4.6.1

        Big Sur 11.x

        4.6.1

        Other earlier versions

        3.11.2

      2. After installation, if you see a System Extension Blocked prompt, click Open Security Preferences.

      3. Follow the prompts to go to System Settings > Privacy & Security. In the Security section, set "Allow applications downloaded from" to App Store and identified developers.

      4. Authorize macFUSE (from developer Benjamin Fleischer) to load.macOS security preference to allow macFUSE

    2. Install the mounted drive.

      1. Log in to the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition PC client.

      2. Select Mounted Drive and click Install Now. After the installation is successful, use the mounted drive.

        Install Now button for Mounted Drive on macOS

    Use the local mounted drive

    1. On the Mounted Drive page, click Open Local Mounted Drive. The local mounted drive is named PDSDrive by default when it is created.

      Note

      Changing the drive letter is only supported on Windows.

    2. Once opened, manage content in the personal space, reeceived shares, and team space.

      Important

      Do not delete, rename, or add files or folders to the root directory of the mounted drive.

    Uninstall the mounted drive

    1. Log in to the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition PC client.

    2. Go to the Mounted Drive page and click Uninstall.

      Uninstall button for Mounted Drive

    3. In the Uninstall Mounted Drive dialog box, click OK.

    FAQ

    How do I resolve a mounted drive installation failure on Windows?

    This failure is usually caused by an issue with the Dokan driver, a required dependency. Follow these steps to troubleshoot the problem.

    Note

    • For best results, install the mounted drive on a genuine, unmodified version of Windows.

    • To prevent data loss, always save and close your files before exiting the client.

    Troubleshooting

    First, check if the Dokan driver is installed by going to Control Panel > Programs and Features.

    Dokan driver in Programs and Features

    Scenario 1: Dokan driver is not installed (automatic installation failed)

    If you don't see the Dokan driver in Programs and Features, you need to install it manually.

    1. Navigate to the following directory:

      C:\Users\[YourUsername]\.edm\plugins\mountapp\pkg

    2. Double-click the Dokan_x64-noVC.msi installer to run it.

      Dokan installer file

    3. After the installation is complete, try installing the mounted drive again from the client.

    Scenario 2: Dokan driver is installed but the drive still fails to start

    If the Dokan driver is listed but the mounted drive won't start, a clean reinstallation may be required.

    1. Exit the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition PC client completely.

    2. Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features and uninstall the Dokan driver.

    3. Important: Restart your computer after the uninstallation.

    4. After restarting, open the Mounted Drive interface in the client. This will trigger a fresh automatic installation of the driver.

    5. Once the driver is installed, you should be able to enable the mounted drive.

    Scenario 3: Dokan driver installation fails on Windows 7

    On Windows 7, manual installation of the Dokan driver may fail if a required security patch is missing. You might see an error like this:

    Dokan installation failure error on Windows 7

    To fix this, you must install the patch before installing the driver.

    1. Go to the Microsoft Update Catalog for KB4474419.

    2. Download and install the correct version of the patch for your system. You must restart your computer for the changes to take effect.Microsoft Update Catalog for KB4474419

    3. Follow the steps in Scenario 1 to manually install the Dokan driver.

    4. After the Dokan driver is installed, try installing the mounted drive again.

    How can I fix the macFUSE "Unsupported macOS Version" error after upgrading macOS?

    Problem

    After upgrading to a new version of macOS (such as 15.0 or later), the mounted drive may become unusable, and you see an "Unsupported macOS Version" error from macFUSE.

    Unsupported macOS Version error

    Cause

    This error occurs because the new version of macOS is incompatible with the older version of macFUSE installed on your system.

    Solution

    To fix this, update macFUSE to the latest compatible version.

    1. Open System Settings on your Mac.

    2. Navigate to the macFUSE preference pane.

    3. Click the Update FUSE button to install the latest version.

    4. After the update is complete, restart the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition PC client.

    Update FUSE button in System Settings

    Where do files go when I delete them from the mounted drive?

    No, they are moved directly to the Cloud Drive for Enterprises Recycle Bin, not your local computer's Recycle Bin or Trash.

    • Personal space files: View and restore deleted files from the Recycle Bin in your personal account.

    • Team space files: Only administrators can access the team's Recycle Bin to restore deleted files.

    How do I disable the mounted drive for my organization?

    To disable the mounted drive for all users in your organization, contact us with your Enterprise ID.

    How do cloud permissions map to local file system permissions in the mounted drive?

    Permissions in the mounted drive mirror your permissions in the cloud. However, these cloud-based rules are mapped to the local file system's permission model, which can cause some differences in behavior. For example, you have full control in your personal space, but your access to a team space depends on the permissions granted by an administrator.

    For a detailed breakdown, see Permission mapping for mounted disks.

    How do I check the version of the mounted drive client?

    Find the current version number on the Mounted Drive page within the Cloud Drive for Enterprises PC client.

    Mounted drive version number

    How do I upgrade the mounted drive client?

    The client automatically prompts you to upgrade when a new version is available. You can also manually check for updates:

    1. Go to the Mounted Drive page in the client.

    2. Click Check For Updates.

    Check For Updates button