Duplicate Files

Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 27", Intel Core i3, 3.2 ghz, 4G mem
Ok, call me dumb....but when switching computers, I think I may have some how created duplicate files. Before I get any deeper into a mess, I'm hoping there is a solution....
Is there a way to search for duplicates and/or consolidate?
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
4,407
Reaction score
2,098
Points
113
Location
Sacramento, California
There are a bunch of utilities for the Mac that will search for duplicate files. Here is a free one:

Mr.Clean (free)
http://arcobaleno2001.interfree.it/prodhtm/mrclean.htm
http://xoomer.virgilio.it/arcobaleno2001/downloads/MrClean.sit

But be careful! I've heard from a number of folks who have gotten themselves into quite a bit of trouble with this type of utility. Don't delete anything that you aren't absolutely sure that you don't need or want it anymore.

It is important to note that there is some *normal* duplication of names in the Mac OS. For instance, you have at least two, and maybe more, Applications and Utilities folders on your hard drive, one for the System, and one for each user account. The same goes for the Library folder, Preferences folder, etc.

___________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
OS X Maintenance And Troubleshooting
___________________________________________
 
OP
P
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 27", Intel Core i3, 3.2 ghz, 4G mem
What if some of your files are in one volume and the duplicate is in another? Oh how I wish I were smarter about this stuff....

Thanks in advance.
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
4,407
Reaction score
2,098
Points
113
Location
Sacramento, California
What if some of your files are in one volume and the duplicate is in another?

What do you mean "in one volume"? Do you mean on another hard drive?

Oh how I wish I were smarter about this stuff....

In time, you will be. We were all newbies once. In the meantime, that's why this forum exists, so that we can answer your questions and to help you learn.

___________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
OS X Maintenance And Troubleshooting
___________________________________________
 
OP
P
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 27", Intel Core i3, 3.2 ghz, 4G mem
What do you mean "in one volume"? Do you mean on another hard drive?

I tried to take a screen capture, but then couldn't figure out how to upload, so I will try to explain....

In finder in my name (guessing that's the user) there is a folder....then under documents there is another folder with the same name. And then yes, I also have two external hard drives with folders and I'm afraid there might be duplicates from there and my hard drive.
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
4,407
Reaction score
2,098
Points
113
Location
Sacramento, California
If you have a Documents folder within your Documents folder, you can set Mr. Clean to scan the outer folder and it will also include a scan of the deeper folder and give you a list of the duplicates.

For the Documents folders on your external drives, you can do any number of things. You can copy all of the documents into one folder on one drive, and then use Mr. Clean to look at them all.

Or you could download this search utility:

EasyFind (free)
Download
(near bottom of page)

...which has more searching features than Apple's Spotlight. Use EasyFind to search only by file name, and to simultaneously search all of your drives, including your attached drives. Look at all the files with duplicate names and do a Get Info on them (Command-I) to see which has the latest modification date.

___________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
OS X Maintenance And Troubleshooting
___________________________________________
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
4,407
Reaction score
2,098
Points
113
Location
Sacramento, California
There are also synchronization applications that will allow you to automatically integrate files from multiple sources to one source:

e.g.

FileSync (free)
http://www.designersdomain.com/filesync/index.html

Synk ($40)
Synk: Live file synchronization and backup for the Mac

Synchronize X ($30)
Synchronize! X Plus intro

___________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
OS X Maintenance And Troubleshooting
___________________________________________
 
Joined
Sep 9, 2009
Messages
5,473
Reaction score
201
Points
63
Location
Down Under :D
Your Mac's Specs
Back to my old 2.2GHz C2D MB after selling my MBP and wondering what my next Mac will be :)
Before you go messing with any of this software, I would highly recommend making a time machine backup or a clone.

I don't remember which duplicate finder it was that I tried some time back, but I do recall that it had devastating results.
Luckily I had a time machine backup and my install discs which were needed to restore my system.
Since then, I have been very stringent with backups, as well as keeping my system as organised as possible.
This is what I love about the drag and drop feature, as it makes it easy to organise everything every step of the way.
 
OP
P
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 27", Intel Core i3, 3.2 ghz, 4G mem
Currently, I am comparing folders one by one. The Mr. Clean crashed, and that scared me, so for now, I will do it 'by hand'. UGH Time consuming, but I feel more in control.

Now to learn how to back up properly......
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top