| In this article we will discuss how to delete files from | | | | other files in its directory. You can also select: Send |
| your computer. | | | | to MS-Explorer. Sometimes just seeing what these |
| If you are like me, you have made many backups of | | | | other files are will give you confidence that it is safe |
| your music files, videos, and other files. After a | | | | to delete a file. |
| while they start taking over your computer. But | | | | Directory Report never automatically deletes files. |
| you don’t know where all these backups are and | | | | You must select which files to delete. This is the |
| you may have even have forgot where they are. | | | | safest action. Directory Report gives you the |
| Directory has many methods of finding your duplicate | | | | choice of deleting a file permanently, deleting to the |
| files. The quickest way of finding your largest | | | | recycle-bin (safer), copying the file, moving the file, or |
| duplicate files is to perform a search based on files | | | | replacing the duplicates with a hard link. |
| with the same size. The resultant duplicate file list is | | | | A file is composed of two parts, 1 – the |
| shown with the largest files on the top. Select any | | | | directory entry and 2 – the contents. The |
| two files and do a binary compare. This will show | | | | directory entry has the file’s properties (dates, |
| you if the two files are identical. Although this is a | | | | read-only, owner and a pointer to the actual |
| tedious manual method you would be surprised on | | | | contents). If you have two files A and B, and you |
| what the largest duplicate files are and how easy it is | | | | replace B with a link of A, then the duplicate |
| to free up huge amount of disk space. | | | | contents of B are deleted. But both A and B point |
| The most accurate method of finding duplicate files is | | | | to the same contents. Any change you make to A |
| to compare them byte by byte. Unfortunately this | | | | will also make the change to B. |
| is also the slowest. Directory Report has been | | | | Selecting which files to delete manually can be very |
| revised 33 times and employs many tricks to speed | | | | tedious. Directory Report has the capability of |
| up this process. | | | | selecting files in each duplicate group. You can |
| The second most accurate method of finding | | | | select the newest created files, select the oldest |
| duplicate files is to compare their Cyclic Redundancy | | | | created file, select files that are in a certain directory. |
| Checksum (CRC). This method is much faster than | | | | Directory Report has many filters so that you will |
| comparing byte by byte. Directory Report uses the | | | | only scan files you want. This is much faster than |
| CRC-32 algorithm. It takes each byte of a file and | | | | scanning every file on your computer. You can use |
| passes it through the CRC-32 formula. The result is | | | | file name filters (Example: *.jpg), file name exclude |
| a unique 32 bit number. If two files have the same | | | | filters (Example: skip *.bmp), Directory Exclude |
| size and have the same CRC, then they are | | | | filters (Example: skip over the c:windows directory), |
| identical. Since Directory Report uses a 32 bit CRC, | | | | Size Date and other Filters (Example: only scan files |
| the odds of two different files having the same CRC | | | | which are more than 1 meg), File Owner filters |
| is 1 / (2 ** 32). This is number is extremely small | | | | (Example: only scan files owned by Allan), File Owner |
| – 2.3283E-10. CRC-32 is used by Win-Zip and | | | | exclude filters (Example: do not scan files owned by |
| Win-RaR to ensure that unzipped files are identical to | | | | Jared). |
| their source. | | | | Directory Report can save the duplicate file list to a |
| If you are not sure that two pictures or two videos | | | | printer, text file, Excel file (CSV), XML file, |
| are duplicates, just double click on them. Directory | | | | HTML file, clipboard, or directly to an Excel program. |
| Report will launch the corresponding program | | | | Directory Report has many settings. You can save |
| associated with the files extension. | | | | them to a file and automatically reload them later. |
| If you are not sure if it safe to delete a file, then | | | | This will save you a lot of typing when you run |
| select it, right click and select: Display in main | | | | Directory Report multiple times. |
| window. This will show the file along with all the | | | | |