Duplicate files

Question

Hi

I've asked this elsewhere in the forum (wrong place I think) and have been advised to raise it here...so here goes

Using System Mechanic 6 : Duplicate File Finder - returns the astonishing result of approx 20,000 duplicate files on my 6 month old Dell system. Yes twenty thousand!!! When I look they are mainly Windows-type files.

I can think of three possible reasons:

1. It might be a Dell hidden operating system in the event of system restore? - and therefore nothing should be be deleted? - I assume someone from Dell can confirm this fairly easily -

2. The basic structure of my PC is wrong - possibly my fault when initially setting up accounts etc?

3. Something more sinister - a Ghost or mirror of my software created by a Trojan (far fetched?)

HELP!!!!!!

BJ

davejohn · Answer

Unless you know for certain that duplicate .dll files are identical (and not just the date and filesize) don't mess with it. I've tried those cleanup programs before and I was always glad I had the foresight to make an image backup before deleting duplicate files. They always cover their you-know-what's by telling you they *think* the files are duplicates but warn you to make sure before deleting. And they never say how to make sure.

I'd leave it alone.

Dave

B_Junn · Answer

My feelings exactly DaveJohn - but - its a lot of space 'apparently' tied up in -- what??   I just need someone from Dell who knows to tell me (privately if they prefer) if this utility has unearthed something Dell normally do as a normal part of their setup - but don't really want users to know about - as they might start messing with it.   I do worry that somehow there's a complete replica of my system on here - NOT created by Dell!   I just want some re-assurance really Message Edited by B_Junn on 01-21-2006 04:29 AM

rickmktg · Answer

@B_Junn wrote:

My feelings exactly DaveJohn - but - its a lot of space 'apparently' tied up in -- what??

I just need someone from Dell who knows to tell me (privately if they prefer) if this utility has unearthed something Dell normally do as a normal part of their setup - but don't really want users to know about - as they might start messing with it.

I do worry that somehow there's a complete replica of my system on here - NOT created by Dell!

I just want some re-assurance really

1) Dell doesn't respond to posts.

2) Dell doesn't do anything special except for Dell PC Restore which is in a Ghost hidden partition.

3) Dont' run programs like that.

JRosenfeld · Answer

Windows itself has several places where it keeps backup copies of system files (for example on my system the dllcache folder has about 3200 files, the I386 folder has about 7600, the \service packfiles\I386 folder has some 2000; these are all duplicates put there by Windows) . These are useful, if something gets corrupted, running the system file checker, which knows where to look for spares, can replace the broken or missing files in the active Windows folders.

Many programs install their own copies of some Windows files in their own folders, either because they are designed to use a particular version of the file, or to ensure that the program will run under different versions of Windows, which might not all have the same files.

I agree with the others: don't delete duplicates of Windows or program files. Hard drives these days are large and the space you might save is not worth the risk of creating trouble for yourself.

The only reason that you might ever consider using an app to look for duplicate files would be to find duplicates of your own documents that you created (those in your My documents folder, for example).

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 01-21-2006 07:43 PM

Windows General

Duplicate files

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