We all have been using removable storage media for a long, long time. Previously there used to be floppy drives, which were useful but they used to get corrupt very quickly. This led to the invention of the pen drive or the Flash Drive. These devices are extremely helpful in transferring large quantities of data from one computer to another one nearby. Also, in some scenarios where using the cloud isn’t a doable option to transfer data, the flash drive steps in and does the job with extreme safety and with a high degree of reliance.
Flash drives prove their worth every single day for students to submit their assignments and projects. Same can be said about professionals belonging to all walks of life, all thanks to this little gem known as a USB or a Flash Drive.
However, just like users run the risk of creating truckloads of data on their computer’s hard disk or even their cloud accounts, the consequences in the case of a Flash Drive are potentially of an even severe nature. This raises the stakes to an even greater level, with the user required to act quickly and put the house in order before data disorganization and the clutter simply explodes.
Let’s see what we’ve got to help you rid your Flash Drive of duplicates. We’ll start off with the basic and the easiest method which provides a decent degree of scan results. And then we will raise the result accuracy level as we switch to other methods. Here it goes then.
Use File Explorer
This is the old school search method which we’ve been employing to search for files or folders right from the first day when we started using a computer system. The method is simple enough for even a computer rookie to grasp right away. All it requires from the user is to open up This PC/ My Computer and now open the Flash Drive. Now, look out for the search box that is located right next to the address bar. You can easily enter in file extensions of the various file types found in your computer. The search results will appear momentarily and then it’s all about you manually checking any suspects and getting rid of all duplicates.
One important step you need to keep in mind with regards to this scan is to set up the view options the right way so that you can easily identify the duplicates. Here is how to do so:
1.Click the View tab and then click on Preview pane. (Helps preview images and identify duplicates visually).
2. Next to the Preview pane button will be several options about how you will view the results. Select the Details option.
3. Now look for the Current view category, which is located right next to the Details option you just selected.
4. Click the Group by dropdown menu and select Name.
5. Click on Group by once again and select Ascending. This ensures all the results will be laid out in alphabetically ascending order.
Turn Off ReadyBoost
ReadyBoost is one handy feature not many people are aware of. It was rolled out with Windows
So here is how you can turn off ReadyBoost for your USB.
1.Open This PC and right-click the USB.
2. Select Properties in the context menu.
3. Open up the ReadyBoost tab and simply select Do not use this device.
4. Click OK to apply the changes.
Use a Duplicate Finder for Flash and Network Drives
This has got to be the biggest one. You need to use a dedicated software program that has been designed while keeping the job of removing duplicate data in mind. If this is the case, look no further than Clone Files Checker. This software performs a comprehensive scan for duplicate files on your USB (as well as the hard disk and even selected Cloud drives!), presents you with a report on the duplicates found and allows you to delete them securely. The best part about Clone Files Checker is that it dives deep into the content of every single file being scanned for duplicate data and then compares this content with the content of all the remaining files that are to be scanned. This means that file name or any other potential traps are simply ignored during the scan, and you get the highest degree of accuracy courtesy the brilliance of this software app.
And yes, at every stage, it has been ensured that the user isn’t overburdened with too many choices. Only a minimal amount of input is required from the user, yet they are in complete control and decide when and which action has to be performed.
That’s it. We hope this one will prove to be a really helpful one in helping you free up a handsome amount of space on your Flash Drive by getting rid of the duplicates.
