Removing duplicate files

[Ray k]

One of the functions of the program EasyCleaner 2.0 by Toni Arts is to
located and remove duplicate files. In all cases, duplication is based on
file type, file size, modified date/time, anc CRC, but not necessarily the
file name. In some cases, other attributes are also shown as identical
(attributes, file version, product version).

Some examples of the hundreds it found:

1. Same file in c:\i386 and c:\windows\system32
2. Same file in c:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSADC\ and
c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386S
3. Same file in c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\ and c:\windows\system32

Sometimes there are more than two copies of the same file. (Many of them are
under different profiles (All Users, Profile 1, Profile 2, etc.)

My question is, Is it safe to allow Easy Cleaner to remove the duplicates?
How would it know which one to delete?

Thanks,

Ray

 

[Twayne]

One of the functions of the program EasyCleaner 2.0 by Toni Arts is to
located and remove duplicate files. In all cases, duplication is
based on file type, file size, modified date/time, anc CRC, but not
necessarily the file name. In some cases, other attributes are also
shown as identical (attributes, file version, product version).

Some examples of the hundreds it found:

1. Same file in c:\i386 and c:\windows\system32
2. Same file in c:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSADC\ and
c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386S
3. Same file in c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\ and c:\windows\system32

Sometimes there are more than two copies of the same file. (Many of
them are under different profiles (All Users, Profile 1, Profile 2,
etc.)
My question is, Is it safe to allow Easy Cleaner to remove the
duplicates? How would it know which one to delete?

NO. Do not remove duplicate system files such as those. i386 is a
storage folder and much needed in the event of problems, and the others
are going to be necessary system files.

Only let it delete duplicates of your own data files that you have
created and know precisely what they are. Otherwise you could end up
with some pretty rude surprises along the way.

HTH,
Twayne

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

One of the functions of the program EasyCleaner 2.0 by Toni Arts is to
located and remove duplicate files. In all cases, duplication is based on
file type, file size, modified date/time, anc CRC, but not necessarily the
file name. In some cases, other attributes are also shown as identical
(attributes, file version, product version).

Some examples of the hundreds it found:

1. Same file in c:\i386 and c:\windows\system32
2. Same file in c:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSADC\ and
c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386S
3. Same file in c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\ and c:\windows\system32

Sometimes there are more than two copies of the same file. (Many of them are
under different profiles (All Users, Profile 1, Profile 2, etc.)

My question is, Is it safe to allow Easy Cleaner to remove the duplicates?

The i386 folder is an installation folder, so anything that's there
and also elsewhere would be very foolish to delete.

How would it know which one to delete?

It can't possibly know. I don't know whether it guesses or asks you to
decide. Guessing would be terrible, and asking you would be close to
as bad, since the nature of your questions make it clear that you
wouldn't know the right answer.

In my view, running something that does this is almost always much too
dangerous, and you shouldn't do it.