Whats your go to software for...

Rob Keeble

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Finding duplicate files on two different hard drives.

I am looking for some software to use to scan a bunch of old hard drives and compare to existing backup and weed duplicate files. Anyone have a preferred suitable package that will allow me to automate this task.

Thanks
 
Everytime i've had to do this, so much time has passed that I just end up googling and finding the most trustable-looking open source thing. Currently I'm using Ridnacs for file size distribution which doesn't really help you, unfortunately, but it's another example of the sporadic nature of that need.
 
Well I too have no answers yet......problem is trusting these small code packages.

Did find a very useful little tool which helps to sort things out a little better than standard Microsoft explorer......

http://www.explorerxp.com/

Cool thing about is that without having to use something like spilt screen windows features you can setup multiple folders in tabs and drag files between as you compare.

Still looking for a duplicate finder but will have to do that with one of my old machines first I don't want anything wrecking my new setup Lenovo.
 
What OS? Windows 7? There uses to be a lot of good free ones but over the years they have been changed to crippled trials which offer to find X amount of files and then have to pay in order to find more or to be able to do anything. I'll look around. Not sure I'll find anything different than what you've probably already found.

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There are several DOS command prompt batch files that do what you want to do but they are not very user friendly.

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What OS? Windows 7? There uses to be a lot of good free ones but over the years they have been changed to crippled trials which offer to find X amount of files and then have to pay in order to find more or to be able to do anything. I'll look around. Not sure I'll find anything different than what you've probably already found.

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Matt I am not at all against paying for software but as you say the way in which many of these levels of software package themselves leaves me wondering about the ethics of the company and has me shying away from using it as a result. I would far sooner they just sold it upfront like anyone else and not have the bait and switch tactic going. Hence my search for a package that someone has experienced without negative effects of advertising or spyware etc.
 
CCleaner is free and I have found it to be pretty robust. The biggest flaw with using the main part of it is that it is a bit too powerful if you are careless. Overall I have found it very good software for the last maybe six or eight years, don't know how long I have been using it.

There is a utility called file finder under "tools" that lets you find duplicate files across multiple drives and appears to let you remove them if you want to. I haven't ever ran this utility but have used other parts of CCleaner with no complaints other than when I was annoyed with my machine and got heavy handed removing things. I think that might be called operator error though! :)

Hu
 
I used to have an access db I used at my last job that had some vba scripts for getting folder/file info. Don't have that one anymore, but last time I needed to do some directory comparisons I used the one below, exported to a text file, then imported the file to access (after some clean-up of the top of the file. Was able to import it as tab delimited then build a few queries against it looking for duplicates. It's lets you choose attributes you want to export, which was really nice, including file types.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp
 
I also use CCleaner. Mainly to clear temp files and clean the registry. Didn't know they added a find files feature, but I'm also using an ancient free version. Good program. Saves me the hassle of doing things manually.

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Thanks Mohammad and Jozsef I will look into those packages. Thanks Darren thats some interesting little apps that Karen lady has created. Think i am going to download a few and play with them. Automation is the way to go. Getting there s...o....w.....l....y :D I am definitely finding my brain takes a great deal more time to grasp something than in the past but maybe it has to do with being once bitten twice shy.

Mohammad there are loads of programs out there, what i was hoping for was that someone has had the issue of finding duplicates and had been through the pain of filtering the malware kind. Will look at those next week.
 
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