Recommendations for a simple-to-use duplicate file finder

I have LOTS of duplicate files on various thumb drives that I sloppily copied off my hard disk, and now I want to figure out which I can delete. These are .doc and .jpg files largely. I want a really easy-to-use way to comb through and delete the duplicates. Any suggestions? I don't mind paying, but I don't want to spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to use the program or worrying that I am deleting system files that shouldn't be deleted.

Do you have a system that works easily for you?

 

This is one that's been around a long time but works great. Will do what you want and lots more. Freeware.
http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm

 

Thanks to both of you, David and Rich. One problem I have with the duplicate file remover that I have been using (CloneSpy) results from the fact that when I copy files from my PC to a thumb drive, for some inexplicable reason the save date is off by a few seconds. So even though the files have the same name and size, they aren't identified by CloneSpy as identical. Grrr. It has a feature that just compares files names and sizes, but even that isn't catching the hundreds of identical files. I'll try the programs you suggested to see if I can bust through this.

To your concern, David, I'm not worried about system files -- just the fact that a have multiple copies of the same .doc and .jpg files, and I'd like to clean up the thumb drives without worrying that I am deleting files that are precious or important. It is a very simple problem born of poor housekeeping on my part, but it has proven frustrating to fix!

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try that one too!

 

I'm still having a hard time finding what I need. Maybe I am not using the software I've found correctly, or maybe what I need doesn't exist.

I have a bunch of flash drives onto which, at various times in the past, I copied entire directories of .doc and .xls and .jpg files from my PC (to use while traveling). I then added a handful of new files to the flash drives. Now I no longer recall what is on the flash drives that I need to save. Plus, I want to wipe clean the flash drives -- I don't want to sync them. (I really can't sync them because they are too small.) But I want to be able to identify any unique files on the flash drives so I can save those to my PC before I wipe the flash drives clean so I don't lose anything valuable.

I know there are now hundreds of new files on my PC -- I don't care about identifying those.

So what I want is not a duplicate file finder -- I want a "unique" file finder that is unidirectional -- that searches my flash drive for any files that it cannot find on my PC. Those files I can then save; everything else I'll trash.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks.

Macomb

 

Greetings, Happy_Macomb.

Back in the day I used Dup Detector for image files - it looks at pixel data as well as normal file data. Also had the added plus of showing the files side-by-side, which helps.

Worked great on 98-XP machines, but I've no idea if it'll work with Vista or 7 or if it's 64-bit compatible.

 

Thanks, Caliban; my desktop is an XP machine so that'd work great! I'll give it a whirl.

But do you recall if it can be set to show the unique files, as opposed to the duplicates? And and can it be used uni-directionally?

 

I solved the problem.

In case anyone is on the same search as me -- for a "unique" file finder -- I recommend ComparatorPro at http://softbytelabs.com/us/cpp/index.html. There is a free 30-day trial; after that I think it is $29.99. It seems very easy to use and sensible, and it saved me a ton of time cleaning up flash drives onto which I had copied lots of documents and then edited a few and then copied some more.

The website doesn't say it will work on Windows 7, but does say it will work on Vista. (I used it on XP -- no problems at all.)

 

Glad you got it sorted, Happy_Macomb, and thanks for the feedback. :major

 

Hi! I'm a long way from being a Geek. I understand duplicate file finders a little. I know you can get in a lot of trouble if you don't know what your doing. This probably isn't what your looking for, but this is how I deal with duplicate files.
It's called search everything. I really like it. Even if it's not what your looking for it's a great program and it's free. You have to know which files your searching for. I typed in pictures. Should work for jpg's too.
:confused
http://www.voidtools.com/

 

Thanks, One-Eye.

 

Your welcome. I think it will search your USB's too if they are plugged in. I don't have one plugged in but i think I remember it finding files there also. It's a great program even if it isn't what your looking for. Been a great help for me .Really nice for finding left over files after uninstalling a program.:wave