# Alternative solutions for finding and removing media file duplicates



## Cuzzinbrucie (Dec 24, 2016)

I am locating, collecting, and housecleaning all the media files I have spread across 3 HDDs. Maybe a 3rd are managed by Picasa3. The rest are not managed. Over the years I have accumulated (and duplicated) files and folders of media files: 80% photos, 20% short videos. The folders/files are spread across 3 HDD, one in my laptop, 2 external. Some of the features I would like to find in "duplicate media file finder/remover" software would include:

1) Automatically seeks out all types of media files on a mapped drive that I designate
2) Collects the complete path name/folder name/file name/file count containing the media files and makes them available for printing/export
3) Built in media file viewer

Anyone know of a program with these features please advise.


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## Michael Naylor (Jan 5, 2017)

If you're on Mac, you could try Duplicate Detective from the AppStore.  I've used it with some success, but there are others that specialise in images.


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## Jack Henry (Jan 5, 2017)

Gemini is a great app for this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Fred Stephenson (Jan 31, 2017)

Windows?


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## Paul B (Feb 1, 2017)

I second Mike's recommendation for Duplicate Detective for Mac.

On Windows in the past I used to use Auslogics Duplicate File Finder.


Cuzzinbrucie said:


> Some of the features I would like to find in "duplicate media file finder/remover" software would include ...


Note sure if either fully meet your criteria though.


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## Cuzzinbrucie (Feb 3, 2017)

Thanks guys.


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## Rob_Cullen (Feb 3, 2017)

I use Auslogics Duplicate File Finder -as mentioned by Paul above.  (Windows-10 )
Web Link:-
I've just installed Duplicate File Finder, a great tool to make your PC run fast and smooth

It is not a plugin for Lightroom so it could create problems for your Lr catalog if you 'delete copies' without care.


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## PhilBurton (Feb 4, 2017)

I-See-Light said:


> I use Auslogics Duplicate File Finder -as mentioned by Paul above.  (Windows-10 )
> Web Link:-
> I've just installed Duplicate File Finder, a great tool to make your PC run fast and smooth
> 
> It is not a plugin for Lightroom so it could create problems for your Lr catalog if you 'delete copies' without care.


As a suggestion, if you suspect you might be importing duplicates, run the duplicate detection utility before importing new images.  Then you would always select the new image as the duplicate to delete.  This way, you won't be messing with the LR catalog.

That's how I do it, and so far, so good.

Phil


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