Yes, there are programs designed for this purpose.
Yes, there are programs designed for this purpose.
It seemed sensible to explore the various choices available in many potential programs, especially since this appears to be your initial attempt (OP). When identifying duplicates, the key decision you need to set within the software is precisely what you’re comparing. Are you merely scanning for identical files with matching names, or are you seeking true duplicates? I understand you mean the latter. For genuine duplicates, files must have identical content even if their names differ. This highlights the importance of selecting options that influence this process. Various tools offer different methods—ranging from byte-by-byte checks to hash comparisons, or as basic as verifying file size and modification dates. Choosing the right approach depends on how much accuracy matters to you, and your time commitment balances between missing files or unnecessarily processing everything. I think most programs rely on hash comparison by default; it’s reliable enough for practical use, though not perfect, and it delivers results quickly.
A precise byte-by-byte check would be perfect, though it could take weeks... honestly, I’m not sure. Usually I assume the system uses a hash plus other details like file size, etc., and it’s considered reliable enough. I’m not talking about a tiny error rate—meaning even with a slightly better method, mistakes are almost impossible (at least what I understand).