Space Hound 32 Screen Pictures - Find Duplicate Files Which Are Exactly the Same

Space Hound 32 - Duplicate Files: Find Exact Duplicates

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The Duplicate Files Exact Duplicates Report is straightforward and easy to understand. It utilizes a two sided view which allows you to quickly examine the state of duplicate files on your system by summarizing each occurrence of a duplicate condition.

A search by Exact Duplicate is not nearly as fast as a simple File Name search. However, since it only returns true duplicates (file name the same, content the same), it may be a useful tool to use first when you initially start to manage your files. The only files which will be shown are exact duplicates of other files.

By using the mouse to click once on a column header, you can sort the display in any order desired. This allows you to focus your time on the files which consume the most room or are the most numerous. After all, with today's 20 and 30 gigabyte disk drives, saving 50k here and there isn't even worth the bother. Space Hound 32 helps you concentrate on the really big waste so that you can get back to using your computer instead of managing it.

In the example below, the left side of the display has the file name CHESS.EXE highlighted. The summary tells us that there are a total of 2 instances of this file which have been returned by the search. Both of these 2 files is shown on the Duplicate File Matches side of the display.
A feature first released in version 3 of Space Hound 32 is the Suggest Button which can be seen on the top right of the display. Space Hound 32 does not automatically delete duplicate files from your system. At Fineware, we consider that approach far too dangerous for both novice and expert users. However, we also understand that many of the users who need our program are not system gurus who are well versed in PC file management. Because of this, we created the Suggest Button.

Shown below is the suggestion calculated against the example above. As the disclaimer (shown in red) implies, there are no absolutes with regards what is appropriate with a given environment. These files are duplicated on the authors PC because he has a need to maintain historical copies of each application he has on the market. This is one the main reasons we do not automate duplicate file removal functions.

The suggestion provided is developed in a logical manor. Each included statement either states a fact or draws a conclusion on all of the previously discovered information. Frequent use of this tool will make you a system guru in a very short period of time.

Since the function of these web pages is both both sales and education, we will use this example and expand on the through process used.

All files have the same Modification Date.	We already know that they are identical on content and file name. Now we know that they even carry the same file date and therefore are 100% identical.
No definitive suggestion is possible because none of the files contain embedded version information.	This is the final recommendation of the program. Unfortunately, it isn't very clear on what should be done. You should always assume that there is a possibility that deleting a file such as these two can result in other applications failing to perform correctly.

So... what to do in a situation such as this. Only the user of the machine is going to have a 100% guarantee as to what can and can't be removed. One suggested test might be to launch each of the programs. This can be done from within Space Hound 32 by pressing the Launch button on the program's button bar. If one of them fails to launch and the other one is successful then you should probably delete the one that fails.

Another possible clue might be found by using the program's File Browsing utility to look at both of the directories where the files reside. This might provide a clue as to which directory is the most current. In our example above, the author knows that the directory structure which begins with "C:\Gateway Drives" happens to be a backup for the files on another machine on the network. This is another example of why automatic deletions are a bad idea.

Duplicate Files | Duplicate File Names | Exact Duplicates | Content Based