Bottom Line: The 2025 5 GB Failure Was a ZimaOS Google Drive Integration Limit, Not a Google Drive File-Size Limit
Small uploads worked, while 5 GB+ video files failed with an input/output error. IceWhale's product manager later confirmed that the ZimaOS-to-Google Drive API path had a transfer-volume limitation in that build. That matters because Google Drive itself supports much larger individual files; the problem was the integration layer.
Current ZimaOS Can Move Files Between Local Storage and Google Drive
The September 2026 Connect Cloud Drives guide now documents direct local-to-cloud moves, batch migration, progress reporting and post-transfer verification. So do not treat “files over 5 GB fail” as a current product rule.
The ZimaOS backup overview is the better path when the goal is backup rather than collaboration.
Check the Failure Against Google's Actual Limits
Google Workspace documents a 750 GB per-user upload/copy limit in 24 hours and allows individual files up to 5 TB in shared drives. A 15–20 GB video is therefore not inherently too large for Google Drive. See Google's Drive upload and copy limits.
If one large file fails today, check ZimaOS transfer status, free local space, provider quota, daily upload usage and whether the same file uploads directly through Google Drive.
For large API-based uploads, Google recommends resumable uploads so interrupted transfers can continue instead of restarting from zero. Google Drive resumable-upload guidance is the technical reference when diagnosing integration failures on large files.
For Same-Office Transfers, SMB Is Still the Faster Simpler Path
If colleagues are on the same LAN, SMB avoids the cloud round trip. It also avoids uploading 20 GB to Google Drive just so another local machine can download it again.
The ZimaClient connection guide covers the client layer around direct access.
For Remote Colleagues, Separate File Access From Cloud Backup
ZimaClient remote access can expose ZimaOS files without first copying them into Google Drive. If the requirement is “send a durable cloud link to coworkers,” Google Drive remains appropriate. If the requirement is “reach files on my NAS remotely,” use the NAS remote-access path instead.
The key diagnostic question is therefore not “Does Google Drive sync?” but “Am I backing up, collaborating through Drive, or remotely accessing NAS files?” Those are three different workflows.
