removing duplicate files

[Guest]

I have windows xp sp2 ie7 running on a compaq desktop, i have recently
downloaded a program called eazy cleaner which will scan and find all
duplicate files on the comp, i have run the scan and found that i have about
50.000+ files that are duplicates, my question is can anyone give me some
advice on what to do about this situation.

I have over 700.000 files on my comp and only 256 MBRam as you can see i
need to do something.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have windows xp sp2 ie7 running on a compaq desktop, i have
recently downloaded a program called eazy cleaner which will scan
and find all duplicate files on the comp, i have run the scan and
found that i have about
50.000+ files that are duplicates, my question is can anyone give
me some advice on what to do about this situation.

I have over 700.000 files on my comp and only 256 MBRam as you can
see i need to do something.

Actually - the number of files you have has little to nothing to do with how
much memory you have. Sure - I agree that Windows XP with 256MB memory
could be improved (512MB-1GB would be better in general) - but the number of
supposed duplicate files you have - unless they are being actively accessed
most of the time - has little to nothing to do with the amount of memory you
have.

 

[DL]

What to do?
Unless you know what exactly you are doing, and the repercussions of any
file removal, uninstall the utility
Increase your memory to 512mb min
Do not download install any so called 'optimisation' utilities

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have windows xp sp2 ie7 running on a compaq desktop, i have recently
downloaded a program called eazy cleaner which will scan and find all
duplicate files on the comp, i have run the scan and found that i have about
50.000+ files that are duplicates, my question is can anyone give me some
advice on what to do about this situation.

My advice is to do *nothing* about it. There may be a few duplicates
that you could delete, but the number is probably very small and the
potential for savings minuscule. The risk of deleting something you
really need, however, is great.

Is this program EasyCleaner at
http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm?

My very strong advice is to avoid all programs like this. They are far
more likely to cause you problems than to solve any.

I have over 700.000 files on my comp and only 256 MBRam as you can see i
need to do something.

No, you are mixing up two completely different things--disk space and
RAM. The 700,000 files take up disk space, not RAM, and RAM is not at
all a limiting factor in how many you can have. It's like a library;
you can easily have 700,000 books in your library, even though you can
only read one at a time.

 

[Jim]

I have windows xp sp2 ie7 running on a compaq desktop, i have recently
downloaded a program called eazy cleaner which will scan and find all
duplicate files on the comp, i have run the scan and found that i have
about
50.000+ files that are duplicates, my question is can anyone give me some
advice on what to do about this situation.

I have over 700.000 files on my comp and only 256 MBRam as you can see i
need to do something.

Take it easy here.

It is impossible to have two files with the same name in a given folder.
And, files with the same name in different folders may in fact be quite
different.
Just as an example. you could create a file called A.txt in the folder which
contains the HOSTS file which in fact is a copy of HOSTS.
You could easily create a file called A.txt in some other folder which is in
fact a letter to someone.

Jim

 

[Guest]

Thanks to all, you are right about the program easy clean Ken but as you may
have guessed i did not act on it instead sought advice from people i trust.

Abit more info into this is that microsoft sent me a legit copy of windows
xp sp2 and i was advised by them that they would help me step by step with
the install, in the process i was advised to save all the info that may be
lost as a result, which i did by following there instructions.

The intall went well but i found that a lot of info could not be retrieved,
and that is why i have folders and documents with the words sysold, progold,
docold, etc. I hope this will explain the problem a bit better

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks to all, you are right about the program easy clean Ken but as you may
have guessed i did not act on it instead sought advice from people i trust.

Good!


Abit more info into this is that microsoft sent me a legit copy of windows
xp sp2 and i was advised by them that they would help me step by step with
the install, in the process i was advised to save all the info that may be
lost as a result, which i did by following there instructions.

The intall went well but i found that a lot of info could not be retrieved,
and that is why i have folders and documents with the words sysold, progold,
docold, etc. I hope this will explain the problem a bit better

It's difficult for me to comment on this, since from what you've said,
I have no idea why you couldn't access some of your files. You
apparently have duplicates that you've purposely made as a sort of
backup and are now using those as the originals.

What did you make duplicates of? Why couldn't you access the
originals? What happened when you tried? If you get an error message,
please quote it verbatim.