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    Drive and Photo Service:Mounted drive

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    Drive and Photo Service:Mounted drive

    Last Updated:Mar 09, 2026

    The mounted drive maps cloud storage to a local drive, enabling you to access, edit, and back up cloud files as if they were stored locally.

    Prerequisites

    1. Log on to the Cloud Drive for Enterprises PC client (version 1.4.0 or later). To download the latest version, see Client download.

    2. Enable the file historical version.

    3. Enable the mounted drive.

    Limitations

    • The mounted drive does not support simultaneous editing by multiple users (collaboration). For collaborative editing, see Online Editing feature.

    • The 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 take a long time. For better performance, use the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition desktop app to upload files, then view and edit them in the mounted drive.

    • When an application accesses files in the mounted drive, it reads and writes cloud files in real time, which requires stable network connectivity. Slow or unstable networks (such as mobile hotspots or restricted environments) may cause upload or download failures. In such scenarios, use the Sync backup (in invitational preview) feature to synchronize data, or use the Alibaba Cloud Drive Enterprise Edition desktop app to download, modify, and re-upload files.

    • Microsoft ended support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, and many software ecosystems have followed. The mounted drive may not work on Windows 7. Upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11.

    Features

    • Two-way real-time synchronization between local and cloud storage.

    • Direct access to cloud files as a local disk, without pre-downloading.

    • Smart prefetching and on-demand downloads. For example, stream audio and video files without waiting for a full download.

    • Smart cache management with minimal local disk usage.

    • Support for both Windows and macOS.

    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, the mounted drive is ready to use.

      Install Now button for Mounted Drive on Windows

    Important

    Install on macOS

    Important

    If you are using an Apple silicon Mac, configure system extensions first. See Change security settings on the startup disk.

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

      1. Select the recommended macFUSE version for your macOS:

        macOS version

        macFUSE version

        Notes

        Tahoe 26.x

        5.1.2

        For the latest macOS version, install the latest macFUSE.

        Sequoia 15.x

        4.10.2

        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, the mounted drive is ready to use.

        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, received 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, 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 do 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

    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?

    Deleted files are moved to the Cloud Drive for Enterprises Recycle Bin, not the 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 cloud permissions but are mapped to the local file system's permission model, which may cause differences. For example, you have full control in your personal space, but team space access depends on administrator-granted permissions.

    For details, 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 when a new version is available. To manually check for updates:

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

    2. Click Check For Updates.

    Check For Updates button