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

Gerhard wrote:

> 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

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.

"fatsteve" wrote:

> Gerhard wrote:

> > 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

>

"fatsteve" <internet@sky.com> wrote in message

news:48e58179$0$22580$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

> Gerhard wrote:

>> 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

 

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.

LesleyO wrote:

>

> "fatsteve" <internet@sky.com> wrote in message

> news:48e58179$0$22580$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

>> Gerhard wrote:

>>> 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

>

> 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.

"fatsteve" <internet@sky.com> wrote in message

news:48e595c4$0$22545$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

> LesleyO wrote:

>>

>> "fatsteve" <internet@sky.com> wrote in message

>> news:48e58179$0$22580$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

>>> Gerhard wrote:

>>>> 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

>>

>> 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.

 

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*!

LesleyO852268 Wrote:

> "fatsteve" <internet@xxxxxx> wrote in message

> news:48e595c4$0$22545$5a62ac22@xxxxxx-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...> > >

> > > LesleyO wrote:> > > > >

> > > >>

> > > >> "fatsteve" <internet@xxxxxx> wrote in message

> > > >>

> > > news:48e58179$0$22580$5a62ac22@xxxxxx-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

> > > >>

> > > >> 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. > >

>

> 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*!

 

Hello fatsteve,

 

I believe those apps. like doublekiller and the one you are using are

only intended to be run on folders containing your own pictures,

documents, music files, etc. If Vista decides it needs copies of files -

best let it keep them.

 

A safer idea may be to keep all your personal docs, pics, etc. on a

separate partition from the operating system - any cleaning you do of

that partition won't damage the o/s.

 

Then use proper disk cleaning tools like Vista's cleanmgr.exe to keep

the o/s partition in shape.

 

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76073-disk-cleanup.html

 

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/87831-disk-cleanup-correct-shortcut-vista-64-bit.html

 

Hope that helps

 

SIW2

 

 

--

SIW2

SIW2852285 Wrote:

> > LesleyO852268 Wrote:

> > "fatsteve" <internet@xxxxxx> wrote in message

> > news:48e595c4$0$22545$5a62ac22@xxxxxx-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...> > > > >

> > > > LesleyO wrote:

> > > >

> > > > 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*!> >

>

> Hello fatsteve,

>

> I believe those apps. like doublekiller and the one you are using are

> only intended to be run on folders containing your own pictures,

> documents, music files, etc. If Vista decides it needs copies of files

> - best let it keep them.

>

> A safer idea may be to keep all your personal docs, pics, etc. on a

> separate partition from the operating system - any cleaning you do of

> that partition won't damage the o/s.

>

> Then use proper disk cleaning tools like Vista's cleanmgr.exe to keep

> the o/s partition in shape.

>

> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76073-disk-cleanup.html

>

> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/87831-disk-cleanup-correct-shortcut-vista-64-bit.html

>

> Hope that helps

>

> SIW2

 

 

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 |

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

--

SIW2

LesleyO wrote:

>

> "fatsteve" <internet@sky.com> wrote in message

> news:48e595c4$0$22545$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

>> LesleyO wrote:

>>>

>>> "fatsteve" <internet@sky.com> wrote in message

>>> news:48e58179$0$22580$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

>>>> Gerhard wrote:

>>>>> 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

>>>

>>> 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.

>

> 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

SIW2 wrote:

> SIW2852285 Wrote:

>>> LesleyO852268 Wrote:

>>> "fatsteve" <internet@xxxxxx> wrote in message

>>> news:48e595c4$0$22545$5a62ac22@xxxxxx-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...> > > > >

>>>>> LesleyO wrote:

>>>>>

>>>>> 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*!> >

>> Hello fatsteve,

>>

>> I believe those apps. like doublekiller and the one you are using are

>> only intended to be run on folders containing your own pictures,

>> documents, music files, etc. If Vista decides it needs copies of files

>> - best let it keep them.

>>

>> A safer idea may be to keep all your personal docs, pics, etc. on a

>> separate partition from the operating system - any cleaning you do of

>> that partition won't damage the o/s.

>>

>> Then use proper disk cleaning tools like Vista's cleanmgr.exe to keep

>> the o/s partition in shape.

>>

>> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76073-disk-cleanup.html

>>

>> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/87831-disk-cleanup-correct-shortcut-vista-64-bit.html

>>

>> Hope that helps

>>

>> SIW2

>

>

> 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

Gerhard851344 Wrote:

> Safe to eliminate duplicate files?

>

> I wanted to eliminate duplicate files that had accumulated over time.

> So, I

> used Easy Duplicate Finder 'Easy Duplicate File Finder - Delete

> Duplicate Files' (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

 

Hello,

 

I believe most of those those apps., like doublekiller and the one you

are using are only intended to be run on folders containing your own

pictures, documents, etc. If Vista decides it needs copies or apparent

copies - best let it keep them.

 

A safer idea may be to keep all your personal docs, pics, etc. on a

separate partition from the operating system - any cleaning you do of

that partition won't damage the o/s.

 

Then use proper disk cleaning tools like Vista's own to keep the o/s

partition in shape.

 

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76073-disk-cleanup.html

 

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/87831-disk-cleanup-correct-shortcut-vista-64-bit.html

 

You may like to try the free glaryutilities. It has a duplicate finder

function , which can search 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.

 

'Glary Utilities | Glarysoft' (http://www.glarysoft.com)

 

Hope that helps

 

SIW2

 

 

--

SIW2

Safe to eliminate duplicate files?

 

I wanted to eliminate duplicate files that had accumulated over time. So, I

used Easy Duplicate Finder Easy Duplicate File Finder - Delete Duplicate Files

(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

 

I use to remove duplicate files Clone Remover. Very good app.

On Tue, 7 Oct 2008 15:59:27 -0500, Cleaner007

<Cleaner007.3gxifa@news.home.local> wrote:

>I use to 'remove duplicate files'

>. Very

>good app.

>

>

>--

>Cleaner007

>Posted via Forum to Usenet gateway

 

"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.

Is it safe

 

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