Hi Don,

I have done that tedious job with all the duplicate BIAB files that just landed on my drive and stayed there just like weeds, dust, sand, and stones on a not maintained driveway.


  • 1. make a full backup with all that clutter -- have that backup in randomly accessible files, so you can restore a single file by just copying. I use a program from Seagate that came with the backup drive.
  • 2. take an external disk -- you only need it temporarily -- and create the file structure of your best dream.
  • 3. run your duplicate finder -- if that duplicate finder has the capability of byte by byte comparison, like AllDup, that is best.
  • 4. move one of the duplicates to the prepared landing spot on the external disk *)
  • 5. gleefully erase all the others.
  • 6. move everything else that you want to keep onto that external drive to the right spots in the prepared file structure.
  • 7. and again put a smile on your face and delete on your drive what is moved -- you still have that backup.
  • 8. move the content of the temporary drive to your hard disk again -- and remember if there is something missing: You have that backup.


*) There are duplicates that are not duplicates because of the byte by byte comparison. The real hard part is to decide which one you want to keep.


I wish you a happy August, file erasing month of 2015.
Guido

Desktop; i7-2600k, 8 GB mem., Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build
Laptop: i5-2410M, 4 GB mem, Win 10 Pro, BIAB 2017; RB 2017 - latest build