Folder Contents Comparer

Hi,

I was hoping if anyone knows of a software that can achieve this, hopefully what seems is a relatively simple task.

What I am after is a program, either freeware or retail, that can if I select two folders can compare the full contents of each of the two folders and identify if one folder has any extra files that the other doesn't. Or if there are files named the same between the two but of different sizes.

My reasons are due to my repeatedly backing up my most needed folders, due to my having a fiasco back in March where my motherboard decided to corrupt all my internal SATA Hard Drives, so I have been repeatedly copying folders to numerous external drives and partitions. But I have got somewhat lost as to which contains what over the months.

They all should be the same folders, however there are times when I believe I have updated one backup folder and not others, then done the same with others and I am very lost as to which contains all my files.

So I need a easy way to sort out which has what.

Big thanks for any suggestions.

 

Paid for many like Opus. I like Beyond Compare the best of all. Very nice app. Freeware wise I used TreeComp for some time and it works nicely. Bit old now though.

I would try Beyond Compare if it were me.

Sul.

 

Another one you may want to try is SyncBack freeware. I am now using xplorer² pro for this kind of tasks, there is also a free version of it but I'm not sure if those fonctions are activated then.

 

I have a directory of projects I work on. It is on my usb drive. I have the same directory on both work computer and home computer. If I change something, normally I try to change it on the thumbdrive. Once I am happy with the changes, I copy over to hdd on each computer. Sometimes I change the version on hdd (if I forget the usb), and then have to be able to tell carefully which version is which. This can get confusing, especially if you let some time go by, or you modify your directory structure some.

I have tried some usb sync apps, namely Toucan, something called Synch by Virtual Plastic, JR Sync and Flash Synchron. Toucan is probably the best of those. However, I did not like them very well for my tastes.

I use Beyond Compare. I find it be easy to visually see what is orphaned or newer for each directory. And I like how you can easily view like named files to see what the actual changes are, via a good hilighting system. Makes it very quick to compare and decide who needs to go where. Not to mention having a hex viewer for binaries is also nice. Overall, if you don't think automation will work for your needs, I would at least trial version it and see.

Sul.

 

You could try CloneSpy. I use it to remove all the duplicate files that build up.

 

Thanks for all the very helpful suggestions.

I looked over Beyond Compare and it seems just the job for what I needed.

If not I will definitely have a look over a few others mentioned.

 

Take a look at winmerge.

http://www.winmerge.org/

Frank

 

FolderMatch