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Mount IDrive e2 as a Windows Drive Letter for 5.5

IDrive e2 Without the Sync App

IDrive e2 is an S3-compatible object storage at 2.5 USD per terabyte per month. It is the cheapest S3 cloud with a working backup heritage. The IDrive sync app works but it mirrors locally.

Mount IDrive e2 as a Windows drive letter and you skip the mirror. I: drive. Open files in any app, edit in place, save back. No sync, no cache, no upload button.

The WebDAV Trick

IDrive e2 does not ship native WebDAV, but it is fully S3-compatible. Use MinIO with the WebDAV gateway flag enabled and point MinIO at IDrive e2 as the backend. ScsDriver talks to MinIO. MinIO talks to IDrive e2. You get I: drive for the cost of one VPS and one IDrive bucket.

ScsDriver is a one-time fee:

  • Monthly: $1.5 (cancel any time)
  • Yearly: $5.5
  • Lifetime: $5.5 (single payment, yours forever)

That is not a typo. The lifetime plan costs the same as the yearly plan.

Mount I: in 60 Seconds

  1. Create an IDrive e2 bucket. Note the endpoint URL (e.g. i2.lon01.cloud.idrive.com).
  2. Generate an access key and secret in the IDrive e2 console.
  3. Stand up MinIO on a small VPS (5 USD/month DigitalOcean droplet) with the WebDAV gateway flag.
  4. Configure MinIO to point at IDrive e2 as the storage backend.
  5. Install ScsDriver and open it.
  6. Server: your MinIO WebDAV endpoint.
  7. Username and password: from your access key.
  8. Pick a drive letter. I: is the obvious choice.
  9. Click Connect. IDrive e2 is now I:.

What Works on I:

  • Stream 50 GB video files in OBS Studio without downloading first.
  • Open raw photos in Lightroom. Edits save back to IDrive e2.
  • Mount IDrive e2 alongside Google Drive, Dropbox, or any other WebDAV mount. ScsDriver supports multiple drives at once.
  • Sleep and hibernation: ScsDriver keeps the WebDAV connection alive across power state changes.
  • Cold storage, warm access. IDrive e2 is 2.5 USD/TB/month. The mount tool is 5.5 USD lifetime. Together, the cheapest cloud drive you can mount on Windows.

Pricing Math

The monthly ScsDriver plan is $1.5. After 4 months you have paid $6. The lifetime plan is $5.5. From month 5 onward, the lifetime plan is free.

If you keep the tool for 6 months, lifetime saves you 50 cents per month. Over 5 years, lifetime saves you 90 dollars.

Why IDrive e2, Not B2 or S3

Backblaze B2 is 6 USD per TB but charges for downloads. S3 is 23 USD per TB. IDrive e2 is 2.5 USD per TB with no egress on most regions. For cold storage you actually want to read, IDrive e2 is the cheapest of the three.

Pair IDrive e2 with ScsDriver at 5.5 USD lifetime, and you have a working cloud drive for less than a Netflix subscription per terabyte per month. That is cheaper than a local hard drive after year 1.

The MinIO Trick, Again

MinIO on a 5 USD/month VPS with the WebDAV gateway flag is the secret sauce. MinIO proxies WebDAV to any S3-compatible backend, including IDrive e2. ScsDriver talks MinIO. MinIO talks IDrive e2. You get I: drive for 7.50 USD per month total (5 USD VPS + 2.5 USD/TB). That is less than a single cup of coffee per terabyte per month.

A Final Note

IDrive e2 is the cheapest S3-compatible cloud storage with a real company behind it. Mount your IDrive e2 today: https://drive.scsoi.com/

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