Chuck's Blog

Finding Duplicate Files in XP

Windows XP’s default installation doesn’t provide you with a decent utility for tracking down duplicate files but Microsoft does have a tool called Duplicate Finder, which is part of the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools. Here’s how to install and use the Duplicate Finder tool:

First we need to Download the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools and follow the instructions for installing the Complete installation version. Open the Run dialog box by pressing [Windows]R or go to Start then Run. Now type Dupfinder in the Open text box and click OK.

Once DupFinder loads, select the drive or folder to search and then click the Start Search button. When DupFinder completes its search, you can scan through the list and examine the duplicate files.

Now you can either select Print Report or Export Data on the File menu to create a permanent record of the duplicate files.

Use the Sort command on the View menu to reorganize the list for better analysis or to get more detailed information about any file, select the file, pull down the File menu, and select the Info command. If you don’t recognize the duplicate file, it’s better to use the Rename or Move commands on the File menu rather than the Delete command.