Unfortunately, none of the users of computer systems is immune from the periodic occurrence of situations related to the appearance of files not only with the same name, but also with a uniform extension. Search for duplicate files should be carried out in the system at different intervals. But not everyone knows what is needed for this.
Why duplicates appear
To begin with, it is worth stopping at the fact that the appearance of files with the same name and extension in a computer system can be associated with many reasons, and not all of them, according to some users, can be critical. The problem here is that many applications during installation create their own temporary files, after which they can be deleted automatically or manually.
Unfortunately, not all users know that after installing an application, a file like Uninstall.exe or a file with a different name or even an extension (Uninstall001.dat) appears in the program directories.
Nothing wrong with that. Such components are only responsible for uninstalling the installed application and are automatically deleted at the end of the process. In extreme cases, residues can be removed manually.
Internet surfing
The surfing problem on the World Wide Web is quite common. The point here is that any browser used in the system saves temporary files and links in the cache. Of course, not every user knows how to get to them, for what they are needed at all. Nevertheless, any program for finding duplicate files can find such data even in those places that the average user simply does not know about.
You can clear data using your own browser tools or applications designed to optimize the system. But they often do not justify their purpose.
Software installation
Of course, the installation of software products leads to a general clogging of any computer system. This is due to the emergence of temporary, and then - and uninstall files. The situation is such that some of them are deleted immediately after installing an application, while others remain in the system.
Now you need to clearly understand how duplicate files are searched on your computer. Actually, “OSes” like Windows or Mac OS X do not have their own funds for this (with rare exceptions regarding “poppies”). The principle of operation of all applications is not based on the search for names of the same name, but on a comparison of the so-called checksums. This will be discussed later.
Manual troubleshooting
Naturally, looking for files of the same name or files that have the same extension, even on systems like Windows 7 or 8, is absolutely thankless. Not only will you have to enter the file name and its expected extension in the search, so the search will take so much time that not every user can endure. What remains? Yes, only one thing - to use at least the search for duplicate Windows 7 files or the G8’s own tools, although it does not shine.
Fundamentally, neither standard nor specialized means of troubleshooting problems associated with finding duplicates are distinguished. Consider the most popular of them.
Applications for finding duplicate files
Let us make a reservation right away: not every program for finding duplicate files is able to recognize whether this component is needed in the system. This is especially true for dynamic DLLs, related drivers and extensions responsible for their work.
The easiest solution may be to install a “lightweight” Duplicate File Finder application. Naturally, the program will find duplicates, however, no user can be insured that some system components will be removed from the report provided by the application, and this can lead to a complete “crash” of the entire system.
How it works
Search for duplicate files and folders is carried out using several basic algorithms. First and foremost, names and formats are considered. So, for example, the search for duplicate audio files occurs first by the principle of comparing ID3 tags. If such lines are not filled in the information fields, the audio can be compared according to the principles proposed by utilities such as TrackID for mobile gadgets that analyze the sound of the composition and then provide complete information about it.
This is not even the point. It’s just that compositions having the same “trim” can differ in sound time, in the quality of the reproduced material, etc. But the checksums and characteristics of the file itself are in .mp3,. wav, .ogg, .aiff or .flac remain unchanged. It is on this basis that two identical files can be duplicated, which can duplicate each other. It is worth noting separately that sometimes the situation with duplicate audio may also be related to the fact that at first, for example, one track is downloaded, then an album or a selection of music in which a certain composition may be present, etc. Note that absolutely does not apply to variations such as remixes or compositions that are recorded in such a fashionable version as feat, vs or tribute to. Take at least this option: King Diamond. Tribute to Metallica. One group simply performs songs of another. Duplicate search programs skip such cases.
It should also be taken into account that for the most part such applications are designed only for searching, and certainly not for deleting duplicate media files available on the hard drive.
On the other hand, it is worth noting the fact that the same search for duplicate files in Russian can be carried out automatically even with a given key interface language. In any search line, just enter the name of the file or part of it.
With extensions worse. The fact is that no program that searches for duplicate files on a disk or removable device can interpret the same “exe” file (.exe) in the sense of being similar to another.
The simplest example is a typical Setup.exe distribution. It is clear that if there are any number of such files, they are still different from each other.
Why duplicate searches are required
Now, let's move on to one of the most serious sections. Why do you think it is necessary to clean the system from some files and their copies? Yes, everything is simple. The fact is that when a file is opened, the system, even determining the location of the file on the disk, refers directly to the registry entry, which is responsible for the object being opened. If there are several such objects, let alone records about them, the system will begin to “think”, although this is not characteristic of it. Such “thinking” very often ends with either an incorrect shutdown of the application itself or a problem of the inoperability of the entire OS as a whole.
System Cleaning Programs
Universal packages that involve cleaning the system of “garbage” are also not always able to recognize some files with the same names and extensions. This is especially true for system files, for the removal or movement of which the program simply does not take due to its capabilities.
Here it is better to approach the problem, armed with professional utilities. The CCleaner program is recognized as one of the most interesting, which, when checked, is able to stop even some system processes. About the mobile application, we can say that this utility is even able to block some programs installed on the gadget. In this case, the search for duplicate files when connected via USB is no different from the standard process. You can use some specialized programs for synchronizing a mobile device with a computer terminal such as My Phone Explorer. However, most of these applications will not be able to search for duplicate files and folders.
What's better?
Now it’s time to come to grips with the programs responsible for finding duplicate files. First, install the Driver Sweeper application.
Believe me, it's worth it. This is a search engine for outdated or unused drivers in the system. Do not be surprised that the program will offer to “tear down” some native drivers such as Intel Audio or auxiliary drivers for video cards such as nVidia or Radeon.
Nothing wrong. Total Commander can do the same search for duplicate files no worse (but no better). The standard features of a file manager or specialized utility often simply do not meet the user's needs. That is why you have to rummage around on the Internet, “shovel” a bunch of sites with offers to install a particular utility, etc.
In fact, getting rid of such a headache can be quite simple. The best duplicate file finder, according to many experts, is DUPEGURU.
In general, since we are talking about this application, it is worth noting that the program is quite rare and completely unclaimed. But in vain. In fact, this application is able to perfectly understand and with many multimedia formats. For the full package, you need to install additional editions such as Music Edition and Picture Edition, after which any user will be able to automatically recognize music and pictures, and at the same time delete the same data.
Optimization problem
Of course, the problem of finding duplicate files does not stop there. It is clear to any user that the use of a special utility focused specifically on this process will avoid many difficulties, say, with optimizing the operation of a computer or laptop.
Actually, the reason for the slowdown itself can lie precisely in incorrect or outdated system registry links, and they, as you know, appear even when creating a backup copy (usually this is a cc_year file, month, date with the extension .reg).
Perhaps working with the system registry seems very complicated, however, deleting or converting some links and entries will affect the whole system completely painlessly. This applies to certain sections like HOT_KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HOT_KEY_CURRENT_USER. Here you can change anything. On some command lines, you can even set the system to automatically refuse to assign a direct call command to a file. Roughly speaking, this is a change of the character “0” to “1” (the usual inclusion of any function). However, it is better not to experiment with this.
This is understandable. Even searching or deleting some configuration files of the same name can lead to the most unpredictable consequences. Everyone knows that even in the "native" Windows folder there are files with the extension .sys, and in the system of such files you can find such an incredible amount that no program can determine whether the file is needed in the system, whether it is a virus, etc. .
Conclusion
It remains to add that the search for duplicate files by these methods is not limited. Everyone is free to choose which program to use. Some people don’t trust third-party software utilities at all, preferring to delete information using primitive tools. It doesn’t matter. The main thing is to achieve the maximum effect.