Duplicate Files

[Guest]

I have a program that helps optimize my Windows XP. One part of the program
finds all the duplicate files. When I run this part, it finds 100's of
duplicte files. There might be at least 5 to 10 of each. Is it safe to delete
these if I am not sure what they are for?

 

[Bert Hyman]

(e-mail address removed) (=?Utf-8?B?QmlsbA==?=) wrote in

I have a program that helps optimize my Windows XP. One part of the
program finds all the duplicate files. When I run this part, it
finds 100's of duplicte files. There might be at least 5 to 10 of
each. Is it safe to delete these if I am not sure what they are
for?

If you're not sure what they're for, then no

One reason for apparently duplicate files to exist on your system is
because it's not uncommon for applications to install their own
copies of common DLLs in the installation directory, just to be sure
the version they expect is available to them regardless of what might
be going on elsewhere in the system.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have a program that helps optimize my Windows XP. One part of the
program finds all the duplicate files. When I run this part, it
finds 100's of duplicte files. There might be at least 5 to 10 of
each. Is it safe to delete these if I am not sure what they are for?

....
"... if I am not sure what they are for ..."

No. Find out what they are for.

Just because there are duplicate files does not mean they are bad/unused in
one location or another - not to mention - are they *actually* duplicate
files or do they just have some similar characteristics - like filename?

 

[Leonard Grey]

Hi Bill:

It's never safe to delete a file if you don't know what it's for -
that's common sense - and it's not a good idea to use 'optimize'
programs for Windows, particularly if you aren't sure of what you're doing.

On the other hand, it's an excellent idea to learn how to maintain your
computer on your own and forget about 'optimize' software, unless
wasting a day reinstalling Windows is your idea of fun. Compish?

 

[Guest]

I get the drift. Thanks.

Hi Bill:

It's never safe to delete a file if you don't know what it's for -
that's common sense - and it's not a good idea to use 'optimize'
programs for Windows, particularly if you aren't sure of what you're doing.

On the other hand, it's an excellent idea to learn how to maintain your
computer on your own and forget about 'optimize' software, unless
wasting a day reinstalling Windows is your idea of fun. Compish?

 

[Alan]

Bill,

agree to Leonard. It's not safe to delete duplicate files of system
type e.g. dll, exe. you may delete duplicate documents like doc, xls,
jpg becaue you know what they are for you.

Alan
http://noclone.net

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I agree with Alan but I use Directory Report to find duplicate
files.

http://www.file-utilities.com
The website has a nice video on deleting duplicate files

When in doubt - don't delete anything that you didn't create - it
isn't worth the risk

For those wondering what Allan Braun is referencing:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr.../ecd11e91ed1167c0?q=Is+it+Safe+file+duplicate

Allan,

On a thread that old (16+ months) it is best you make some reference in your
response to the original post. Few people will likely have history back
that far.