45,000 duplicate files -- Aarrggh!

[AgTip]

I ran a duplicate files checker on my OS drive *C:* and found that I have about 92092 files there; 45228 of which are duplicates. It looks to me like Windows 7 is on my drive TWICE. I searched Google and found nothing ... it is as though this is either 1) a stealth problem, or 2) I'm the only miserable wretch on the planet that has this problem. Can't find a reference to it on w7forums (although I am not very adept at forum Search).

My questions are two:
1) What is going on? Should I delete half of those files? Which half? Is this "normal"?
2) and, Why me, O lord? No damned wonder my C: drive has filled up so suddenly.

 

[Ian]

Out of interest, did you suspect there was a problem before running the duplicate file checker? As it isn't usual for duplicate files to be a problem.

Do you have any examples of file paths that are duplicate? It seems a bit odd that Windows 7 is installed twice (although it is possible). If you can post some example file paths of a duplicate, it should shed some light .

 

[yodap]

I ran a duplicate files checker on my OS drive *C:* and found that I have about 92092 files there; 45228 of which are duplicates. It looks to me like Windows 7 is on my drive TWICE. I searched Google and found nothing ... it is as though this is either 1) a stealth problem, or 2) I'm the only miserable wretch on the planet that has this problem. Can't find a reference to it on w7forums (although I am not very adept at forum Search).

My questions are two:
1) What is going on? Should I delete half of those files? Which half? Is this "normal"?
2) and, Why me, O lord? No damned wonder my C: drive has filled up so suddenly.

What dup file checker utility did you use?

 

[davehc]

This can also happen if you "Take Ownership" of system/junction folders, such as "Documents and settings."

 

[Digerati]

My questions are two:
1) What is going on? Should I delete half of those files? Which half? Is this "normal"?
2) and, Why me, O lord?

Hmmm, I count 5!
Duplicates are common and as noted, normally don't do anything but eat up disk space. You should NOT delete half, or even any of them. Many are needed and the others we can't tell which are needed and which are not. It is normal. As noted many are needed, however you do seem to have many more than normal. Did you upgrade from a previous version of Windows? Do you have more than one disk or partition?

 

[AgTip]

More is not good ...

Gentlefolk,

I did a clean install of Win7. I'm happy with it, but only time will tell if I feel as confident with it as I did with XPpro.

Yes, I did "take ownership" of My Docs. I am trying to keep the C: as lean as possible insofar as I made it rather small thinking of the old days when Win would only recognize a partition of a small size. So took ownership and tried to relocate My Docs in a larger partition (D of my primary drive. I can see where that might result in some duplications.

I am trying to move everything that is static to the large 1Tb "book" and leave max room for working stuff, and in my eagerness to do an absolutely clean install of Win7, I moved everything to the Book. I thought I might have more duplications than necessary, so I was going to check and clean stuff up as I had time. I started with Drive C: since that holds the OS. I employed Glary Utilities dup finder to see how I liked it, and I also used Duplicate Finder. Dup Finder scanned all files: 92117, and found 17243 groups of duplicates for a total of 40,958 duplications. This seems a bit huge to me.

On the other hand, Glary Utilities scanned only the common files like .avi .mpg .wmv .wma .mp3 .wav .mid .m3u .zip .rar .txt .rtf .doc .xls .wri .pdf .gif .jpg .bmp .png .exe and .odt for nearly the entire list. It scanned 16578 files and found 2950 duplicates. This doesn't seem quite so extreme.

I have attached a .jpg of the relative sizes of my partitions and drives. Maybe this will be some help. I also rarred-up a .xls file that lists about half of the duplicates ... this will be a certain help to the discerning eye in diagnosing my problem (he rashly hoped).

Perhaps, as the Digerati suggests, I am merely being too effing fastidious. But, man, those dup figures seem mighty high.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Hi AgTip - Welcome to w7forums

The largest part of the duplicates are probably in one folder (C:\windows\winsxs\). If you could set this one folder as an exception to your duplicate search. The numbers maybe smaller. I'm not familiar with the find duplicate programs or how to set exceptions.

The Winsxs folder, stores multiple copies of dll's in order to let multiple applications run in Windows without any compatibility problem. If you browse inside, you will see what look like a lot of duplicate dlls, each having the same name. These are actually, different versions of the same files which are being stored; as different programs may require different versions. In short, Winsxs, which stands for 'Windows Side By Side', is Vista's native assembly cache.

Read more here - http://www.winvistaclub.com/f16.html

 

[AgTip]

Thanks, Clifford. I did a quick peek at my records and many ¿most? of the duplicates ARE in the SXS file. I'll run my dup files checker again. I'll bet the number is a lot smaller.

 

[yodap]

For comparison, I have 4.25 GB in my SXS folder. Like you I try to keep my C drive lean and mean and that is about 15 -16 GB on average. I've moved "My Docs" and all pics, music and videos to another partition.

Your C seems a little small but If you stay on top of it, it will be okay.

 

[Digerati]

I've moved "My Docs" and all pics, music and videos to another partition.

That's what I do too. My C drive is for the OS and HW drivers only, as well as those irritating but essential programs that insist on installing on C - like Belarc.

I also move the Downloads and Favorites folders, and my Temporary Internet Files off of C.

 

[AgTip]

Now I'm not one to bitch (more than 5X per minute), but I detest programs that INSIST on installing on my C: drive. Pushy little freakers, they. I've discovered by using Program Files on my fat partition, in my case Drive D:, that programs seem to run just as fast and just as well in that "secondary" place.

I haven't run a duplicate files check today, but after doing some pressing chores, I'll take a break and see what I have after excluding the SXS folder.

 

[Digerati]

programs seem to run just as fast and just as well in that "secondary" place.

Sure. Windows does not care. As long as the Registry points to the right place.