A duplicate file finder for external drive can efficiently remove redundant sync files to free up disk capacity. In this article, you’ll learn how to securely erase duplicate files from an external disk.
Duplicate files are a common occurrence across both your computer, especially on external hard drives since many users use external drives as the backup drive for the main disk, and they are nearly unavoidable.
Duplicate files often accumulate on external drives for several reasons:
Multiple backups: Users frequently create multiple backups of their important data, either manually or through backup software. Over time, this can lead to redundant copies of files on the external drive. Software glitches: Occasionally, software or applications may create duplicate files due to bugs or errors. For example, a synchronization tool might duplicate files during a sync process. File compression: When users compress files to save space, the original files may still exist alongside the compressed versions. This results in duplicates, with the only difference being the file size. Incomplete deletions: Sometimes, users attempt to delete files but fail to remove all copies, leaving behind duplicates. File sharing and collaboration: When multiple users share an external drive for collaborative work, it's common for duplicate files to appear as different users may save their own copies.
However, regardless of the cause, it is imperative to address this issue. Eliminating duplicate files not only reclaims valuable storage space but also enhances file organization.
Users on Windows may browse and search individual files in File Explorer, therefore manually identifying duplicate files on an external hard drive isn't difficult. Assume you want to delete such files manually/without using a duplicate file finder. In such a scenario, you can use the Windows File Explorer software to test the procedure.
While this method isn't usually practical on large hard disks, it does work if you carefully follow the procedures.
Step 1. After you connect your external/USB hard drive to the computer, open File Explorer by pressing the “Windows”+ “E” buttons on your keyboard.
Step 2. Navigate to the USB drive.
Step 3. Sort the files by Name, Date, or Size. Compare the files side-by-side to look for duplicates
Look for similar files by searching its names.
Rep this procedure until all comparable files have been deleted from your external or USB drive.
If you’ve tried to use File Explorer to search files on your drive, you must know what disadvantages this built-in tool has. First, it’s quite slow. File Explorer is always slow at searching and it sometimes gets frozen during the searching process. Second, it may not find similar-sized files on your computer.
Therefore, for many inconveniences, many users turn to third-party duplicate file finder.
For locating and eliminating duplicate files, AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is unquestionably the best alternative. This tool's "Duplicate File Finder" capability allows Windows 11/10/8/8.1/7 users to swiftly scan and detect repetitious files while also allowing users to set up automated periodical cleaning programs on the device.
This software can handle a variety of files, including photographs, videos, music, documents, and archives, but it ignores key file types such as.dll;.lib;.sys; and so on.
Step 1. Install and launch this tool, choose the “Free up” tab in the top menu, and select “Duplicate File Finder”.
Step 2. In the new window, limit the scan range and file types. Then, you can click “Scan”. If you choose “Advanced”, you can set more details for the files, such as the size, comparison methods, file protection settings, and file data. Once you finish your settings, you can click “OK” to start the scan.
Step 3. During the scan, you can see the file numbers, spent time, and remaining time, if you want to stop the process, you can click “Stop Scan”.
Step 4. When the scan is over, you can see the results. All duplicate files will show in the window, and you can check the size, and time by clicking “Preview”. Click “Smart Selection”, and the program will choose the proper files to remove. And you can click “Settings” to set your preferences settings.
Step 5. After you confirm the deletion, the tool will start the removal process.
Step 6. Click “Close” to finish the task.
It’s common that duplicate files appear on your external and internal drive, but we can do some maintenance to keep the accumulation of redundant files in a low level.
Organize your files Create a well-structured folder hierarchy on your external drive to categorize files logically. Use descriptive file and folder names to make it easier to identify and locate items. Regularly review and clean up Periodically go through your files and delete unnecessary or outdated items. Consider setting aside time on a regular basis (e.g., monthly or quarterly) for file maintenance. Use a duplicate file finder tool Utilize duplicate file finder software to identify and remove duplicates. Run these tools periodically to scan your external drive for duplicate files. Be mindful during file transfers When you copy or move files to the external drive, check for existing copies to avoid unintentional duplication. If you're unsure, use the file management software's "Skip" or "Replace" options when prompted. Implement version control If you're working with documents that frequently change, consider using version control systems like Git for code or cloud-based collaboration tools for documents. These systems automatically manage versions, reducing the risk of duplicates. Backup strategically Plan your backup strategy carefully to avoid redundant copies. Consider incremental or differential backups that only save changes since the last backup. Regularly review and clean up old backup files. File compression and archiving When compressing files, keep track of the original files and delete them if they are no longer needed. This prevents duplicate copies of the same content in different formats.
By implementing these strategies and regularly maintaining your external drive, you can significantly reduce the accumulation of duplicate files.
What’s more, to keep your storage space organized and efficient, you can use disk management tool to manage your disk regularly. AOMEI Partition Assistant also provides PC Cleaner function to help you deeply clean junk files and app mover feature to allow you to move installed large apps to another location without reinstalling.
If you need to check duplicate files and need a duplicate file finder for external drive to remove these files from your computer, AOMEI Partition Assistant is your best plan.
As a versatile tool, it can not only help you free up disk space, but also assist you in upgrading disk without reinstalling OS, converting disk to MBR/GPT without data loss, creating portable Windows on an external drive, and so on. And it has the Server edition and other advanced editions for business and enterprise users.
1. Why do I need duplicate file finder for external drive? A duplicate file finder for an external drive is a software tool designed to identify and remove duplicate files on your external storage devices, such as hard drives or USB drives. You need one to free up storage space, enhance organization, and improve your drive's performance.
2. How does a duplicate file finder work on an external drive? Duplicate file finders scan the contents of your external drive, comparing file names, sizes, and content to identify duplicate files. Once duplicates are found, you can choose to delete or move them, depending on your preferences.
3. How often should I run a duplicate file finder on my external drive? The frequency of running a duplicate file finder depends on your usage patterns. It's a good practice to run it periodically, such as monthly or quarterly, to keep your external drive organized and free from duplicates.
4. Will using a duplicate file finder affect the performance of my external drive? Using a duplicate file finder temporarily consumes some system resources while scanning for duplicates. However, this minor impact is outweighed by the long-term benefits of a cleaner and more organized external drive.