Safe to eliminate duplicate files?

[Gerhard]

Safe to eliminate duplicate files?

I wanted to eliminate duplicate files that had accumulated over time. So, I
used Easy Duplicate Finder http://www.easyduplicatefinder.com
(protecting however system folders and other system files
*.sys,.*ocx,*drv,*dll) and was quite surprised by the large number of
duplicate files.

But perhaps these duplicates are necessary?
I noticed, that very often the same file, e.g. windows.edb, is located in
two locations:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows and also in
C:\Users\AllUsers\ Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows.
Is it safe, to delete one of them?
Or more general, is it safe to eliminate all thus identified duplicate files
in windows vista home premium?

Thanks in advance, Gerhard

 

[fatsteve]

Safe to eliminate duplicate files?

I wanted to eliminate duplicate files that had accumulated over time. So, I
used Easy Duplicate Finder http://www.easyduplicatefinder.com
(protecting however system folders and other system files
*.sys,.*ocx,*drv,*dll) and was quite surprised by the large number of
duplicate files.

But perhaps these duplicates are necessary?
I noticed, that very often the same file, e.g. windows.edb, is located in
two locations:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows and also in
C:\Users\AllUsers\ Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows.
Is it safe, to delete one of them?
Or more general, is it safe to eliminate all thus identified duplicate files
in windows vista home premium?

Thanks in advance, Gerhard

Why bother? What are you going to save 100kb? 2mb? 10mb? 50mb? This
is peanuts

 

[Mary]

And to add to that--many so called duplicates are not real duplicates at all.
If you delete one of those, you delete the real file as well. Files listed
under Desktop, YourName are not actual files, just links to the real thing.
The only files you should consider deleting are those you created
yourself--ones you recognize and know you don't want to keep.

 

[LesleyO]

Why bother? What are you going to save 100kb? 2mb? 10mb? 50mb? This is
peanuts

Apparently you don't know enough to know that those duplicates are not
really duplicates. Have you not examined your own system? They are a
duplicate *list* and form of link to the original. Your response may have
caused this user to lose some of his original material.

 

[fatsteve]

Apparently you don't know enough to know that those duplicates are not
really duplicates. Have you not examined your own system? They are a
duplicate *list* and form of link to the original. Your response may
have caused this user to lose some of his original material.

Huh? My response was against searching for and deleting duplicates.

 

[LesleyO]

Huh? My response was against searching for and deleting duplicates.

Not in a way that showed you knew anything about the fact that they weren't,
in fact, duplicates! All you did was chide OP down about saving a "peanuts"
amount of space. No caution about *absolutely not doing it because he would
lose his originals*!

 

[fatsteve]

Not in a way that showed you knew anything about the fact that they
weren't, in fact, duplicates! All you did was chide OP down about saving
a "peanuts" amount of space. No caution about *absolutely not doing it
because he would lose his originals*!

ooh well ladi da

 

[fatsteve]

You may also like to try glaryutilities, free from 'Glary Utilities |
Glarysoft' (http://www.glarysoft.com) . It has a duplicate finder
function , which searches the other way round - only looking for files
it knows are safe. I just ran it on my C drive and it reported no
duplicates belonging to the o/s/

7038

SIW2


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Filename: DUPLICATE2008-10-04_041734.jpg |
|Download: http://www.vistax64.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7038 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

I was not the OP

 

[Paul Montgomery]

I use to 'remove duplicate files'
[URL and name snipped]. Very
good app.

"Cleaner007" is a shill.

When a post can't be found to make that reply to, one will be created
asking if anyone knows of a similar product.

There are FREE products available.

 

[Allan Braun]

When in doubt - do not delete the file

I use Directory Report to find my duplicate files
http://www.file-utilities.com/downloads/wdir.zip

 

[Bill Daggett]

I'm new to the forums and came on here to specifically have this very
same question answered. I ran Glary Utilties Duplicate File Finder and
came up with duplicate files in both the Program Data and User folders.
I'd like to do some "before school starts" cleaning up. I have LOTS of
duplicates and need to know if it is safer to delete files in the
Program Data folder or the User folder. Please don't rag on me like
happened above. I'd like a nice, courteous reply that doesn't belittle
my far less superior knowledge than those I'm coming to for help. I'm
sure I'm not the only one looking for an answer to may be a very simple
question to some. Thanks for whatever help you can give.

Vista puts copies of lots of files in different places. It would ONLY
be safe for you to delete duplicates in your data folders.

First rule: if you don't know WTF you're doing, don't do it.

 

[jean3167]

There are some programmes for XP to find duplicate files. I wanted to delete music duplicate file I used the programme delete duplicate files for such aim. It helped me. This program is not only for the music, but for all files. And now it is more free place on my PC

 

[Bonfiglio111]

Duplicate File Finder

I am using a tool to remove duplicate files from the computer and its easy and user friendly its from Ashisoft.

http://www.ashisoft.com

 

[bobyrurka]

петак, 03. октобар 2008. 03.44.01 UTC+2, Gerhard је напиÑао/ла:

Safe to eliminate duplicate files?

I wanted to eliminate duplicate files that had accumulated over time. So,I
used Easy Duplicate Finder http://www.easyduplicatefinder.com
(protecting however system folders and other system files
*.sys,.*ocx,*drv,*dll) and was quite surprised by the large number of
duplicate files.

But perhaps these duplicates are necessary?
I noticed, that very often the same file, e.g. windows.edb, is located in
two locations:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows and also in
C:\Users\AllUsers\ Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows.
Is it safe, to delete one of them?
Or more general, is it safe to eliminate all thus identified duplicate files
in windows vista home premium?

Thanks in advance, Gerhard

If you want to delete your duplicates safely, try this software "Duplicate Files Deleter" from http://DuplicateFilesDeleter.com. You can manage any duplicate files without worries and it's safe to use. There's a quick video on how to use this software from their website. It's the best way to manage unnecessary duplicate files.