How to remove Duplicate Pictures

[Modify_inc]

Using CCleaner, I created a text file of all my duplicate pictures. We had almost 3,000 duplicates thanks to my wife not knowing what she was doing. CCleaner does not allow you to select a group of specific folders to delete or anything, so you have to manually click all of them, except for the group you want to keep obviously. Luckily, they do allow you to save it as a text file.

So I'm hoping I can write a quick batch files that will remove the selected groups automatically. I'm just not sure how to do that. Or if someone knows of a Remove Duplicates app that actually allows you to select all of the duplicates except one.

Here is the structure of the text file if anyone can help:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1000.JPG C:\Users\Mike\Pictures\2013-12-19\babypics 1.12 MB 3/17/2012 1:20:41 AM
1000.JPG C:\Users\Mike\Pictures\2013-12-19\babypics\cellphone 1.12 MB 3/17/2012 1:20:41 AM
1000.JPG C:\Users\Mike\Pictures\babypics 1.12 MB 3/17/2012 1:20:41 AM
1000.JPG C:\Users\Mike\Pictures\babypics\cellphone 1.12 MB 3/17/2012 1:20:41 AM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1001.MOV C:\Users\Mike\Pictures\2013-12-19\babypics 14.0 MB 3/17/2012 6:02:15 PM
1001.MOV C:\Users\Mike\Pictures\2013-12-19\babypics\cellphone 14.0 MB 3/17/2012 6:02:15 PM
1001.MOV C:\Users\Mike\Pictures\babypics 14.0 MB 3/17/2012 6:02:15 PM
1001.MOV C:\Users\Mike\Pictures\babypics\cellphone 14.0 MB 3/17/2012 6:02:15 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

There has to be an easier way to delete duplicates than selecting them individually. If there was just an option of selecting all of a group minus one. I mean, if their are duplicates, then give me an option to delete all of them except for one. Am I missing something in that logic?

Thanks
Mike

 

[USAFRet]

An application like FreeFile Sync or SyncBackFree can mostly do this.

Point it at two folders, syncronize. Both folders will end up with exactly the same files. Then Delete one of those folders, resulting in a single copy of each file/picture.
Repeat as necessary.

 

[Modify_inc]

An application like FreeFile Sync or SyncBackFree can mostly do this.

Point it at two folders, syncronize. Both folders will end up with exactly the same files. Then Delete one of those folders, resulting in a single copy of each file/picture.
Repeat as necessary.

 

[Modify_inc]

Not sure how that would help me. It would only create a new folder synced with all my current pictures which still have duplicates in them. Please explain how syncing them to another folder is going to remove the duplicates.

 

[USAFRet]

Not sure how that would help me. It would only create a new folder synced with all my current pictures which still have duplicates in them. Please explain how syncing them to another folder is going to remove the duplicates.

This allows you to compare and sync data.
Within each folder, you may or may not have 100% duplicates.
Folder #1 contains files A, B, D E, F
Folder #2 contains files A, B, D F, G
Lots of duplicates.

Sync the two. Now you have two folders containing files A, B, D, E, F, G. Then delete Folder #2. Result = 1 copy of ALL the relevant files.

 

[nukemaster]

Many duplicate file finder programs exist, but they all work differently.

I would keep a backup of everything before doing this.

I have used dupfilnder 3.5(http://www.softpedia.com/get/File-managers/Duplicate-File-Finder-Brooks.shtml) for this purpose in the past. The nice thing about it was that it would also check the file it could find duplicate files with different names.

It is not fast, but it does work.

You can right click to select all duplicates.

Here is an example of it seeing 2 files with different names as the same(and the fact that they are).

Always make a copy of all files you are doing this too first in case something goes wrong.

 

[Modify_inc]

Not sure how that would help me. It would only create a new folder synced with all my current pictures which still have duplicates in them. Please explain how syncing them to another folder is going to remove the duplicates.

This allows you to compare and sync data.
Within each folder, you may or may not have 100% duplicates.
Folder #1 contains files A, B, D E, F
Folder #2 contains files A, B, D F, G
Lots of duplicates.

Sync the two. Now you have two folders containing files A, B, D, E, F, G. Then delete Folder #2. Result = 1 copy of ALL the relevant files.

So your saying sync two of the folders that are in my Pictures folder with each other. This way any duplicates will be removed between the two. I assume this is correct? If it is, goodness, I have many folders with different dates. How could I possibly makes sure each folder has been synced with every other folder? Or wait, I would only need to sync one folder with all the others, correct?

I think this may work, that is if I'm understanding it correct.

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[USAFRet]

Not sure how that would help me. It would only create a new folder synced with all my current pictures which still have duplicates in them. Please explain how syncing them to another folder is going to remove the duplicates.

This allows you to compare and sync data.
Within each folder, you may or may not have 100% duplicates.
Folder #1 contains files A, B, D E, F
Folder #2 contains files A, B, D F, G
Lots of duplicates.

Sync the two. Now you have two folders containing files A, B, D, E, F, G. Then delete Folder #2. Result = 1 copy of ALL the relevant files.

So your saying sync two of the folders that are in my Pictures folder with each other. This way any duplicates will be removed between the two. I assume this is correct? If it is, goodness, I have many folders with different dates. How could I possibly makes sure each folder has been synced with every other folder? Or wait, I would only need to sync one folder with all the others, correct?

I think this may work, that is if I'm understanding it correct.

Thanks for the explanation.

My method does not automatically remove dupes, it merely makes two folders exactly the same. It verifies and copies files in both directions.
Then you delete one of the folders.

There are other applications, such as the one nukemaster linked.