My students got Google Drive Error 429 - Not Accessible

Generally this error code means that too many people accessed the document at the exact same moment. In order for Google to protect from malicious people overloading a system, they put limits on how many people can enter a document in a short amount of time. If the limit is hit, it gives users this error and prevents further access to the document for a period of time. Usually you need a large volume of people and a really short amount of time (seconds) to get stuck like this. Note that it is the action of too many people too quickly entering of the document that causes it. If people stagger entering the document, then 100 people should be able to view and edit one single document during the same time.

To solve this:

• Do not keep trying to refresh the page. This will continue the error. The more requests for the page you have when this happens the longer the error will persist. Wait a few minutes and then just the instructor try again. If it works for you, then students can start retrying.
• In the future, try to pace people into the document. If sharing the link in Zoom, share in Zoom breakout rooms individually so that only small groups access the file at the same time. If in a physical space together, place it on a myCourses page that students need to visit first to open (they will take different amounts of time to sign in).