Block This
Re: Block This
I can't deny that I grew up in a toxic environment. In theory all those things are bad and will shorten your life if not make your long life miserable. I think that is the key. You and I are living in marvelous times. If it wasn't for all the high tech drugs that became available since we left those toxic houses we grew up in, we would indeed be dead. I recall Du Pont bragging that they offered "Better things for better living through chemistry." They stopped those offerings about twenty years ago when new management took over the company. But we are still here, aren't we? LOL Well, the chemistry they got involved with wasn't intended for consumption anyway, but my point is that both of us have experienced incidents which would have killed us if it were not for modern medicine. It's not possible to run our lives over in a clean environment to see if all that hazmat actually had any effect on us, but it would be an interesting experiment.
Re: Block This
We are both so old, we had our tonsils out as kids, because that's what they did, and they used ETHER to put us asleep.
I had one dentist when I was young who used gas, and not laughing gas, it was a gas to put you to sleep.
I've had laughing gas a few years later and it was definitely not the same thing.
So, as far as how they put us to sleep now, compared to then, they've come a long way.
Millions of advances in medicine and surgeries have helped keep us alive, when we would otherwise be dead.
Even so, my quality of life since having two heart attacks is not peaches and cream, that's for sure.
I had one dentist when I was young who used gas, and not laughing gas, it was a gas to put you to sleep.
I've had laughing gas a few years later and it was definitely not the same thing.
So, as far as how they put us to sleep now, compared to then, they've come a long way.
Millions of advances in medicine and surgeries have helped keep us alive, when we would otherwise be dead.
Even so, my quality of life since having two heart attacks is not peaches and cream, that's for sure.
Re: Block This
I don't remember what page we were talking about the security camera on, so I'll add this here.
I traded the security cameras with my neighbor two doors down for this:
A HDD docking station, plus three older IDE drives he used it to empty them.
He said it worked great, a lot faster and easier than the little plug in boxes we both have been messing with.
But the only feature he used was to move data from his IDE drives over to SATA drives. He didn't use any of the other features of it. And since he already has card readers and several SATA external drives, he's done using it.
The funny thing about this whole deal was, I called to ask him how to hook up these security cameras, since I couldn't figure it out from what I found on-line about them. He told me for what I wanted, I should just by a hardwired camera, and if I do, he would take those off my hands. I had also asked him if he could swap a power supply from one of my computers to another identical computer, because I have an external IDE and power plug and lots of IDE drives I need to go through.
That's when he said, I have something I just bought last month that will do that for you, I'm done with it, wanna trade.
And this is what I traded for!
https://www.amazon.com/SISUN-Docking-St ... 0766&psc=1
I traded the security cameras with my neighbor two doors down for this:
A HDD docking station, plus three older IDE drives he used it to empty them.
He said it worked great, a lot faster and easier than the little plug in boxes we both have been messing with.
But the only feature he used was to move data from his IDE drives over to SATA drives. He didn't use any of the other features of it. And since he already has card readers and several SATA external drives, he's done using it.
The funny thing about this whole deal was, I called to ask him how to hook up these security cameras, since I couldn't figure it out from what I found on-line about them. He told me for what I wanted, I should just by a hardwired camera, and if I do, he would take those off my hands. I had also asked him if he could swap a power supply from one of my computers to another identical computer, because I have an external IDE and power plug and lots of IDE drives I need to go through.
That's when he said, I have something I just bought last month that will do that for you, I'm done with it, wanna trade.
And this is what I traded for!
https://www.amazon.com/SISUN-Docking-St ... 0766&psc=1
Re: Block This
I think you got the better end of the deal. LOL That's a pretty impressive hub if you have a need for all those ports. I know you never throw anything away and that you will be very happy with your new found IDE bus. Now all you need is the time to go through your collection of antique memory devices.
Re: Block This
It will come in handy, unfortunately, it only has ONE IDE Bay, the other is SATA only.
Nevertheless, it beats using the little guts from an old external I ripped apart.
Since I had nearly everything identical on every computer, I'm hoping to simply download the drive to a Folder on external drive, then download another drive to another Folder on the same external drive, then use a compare program to find the duplicate files.
I didn't find the old file compare I used to use, so downloaded Meld, but have not looked at it yet.
I did run it to see the opening screen, but that was it.
OH, Ubuntu loaded on the frau's UEFI computer just fine, nothing strange happened.
If you recall, I downloaded a newer version of GParted and shrunk the Windows down and created a few partitions for Linux.
I used an external DVD player/recorder and plugged it into a USB port. Set the computer to boot from USB first, installed the Ubuntu disk and did a cold boot. It installed without a hitch.
From a cold boot it does bring up the GrubII screen, but will boot into Ubuntu after 3 seconds if you don't down arrow to Windows 10 first. I booted into both OSs without a problem.
Next I will see if I can get Debian and Linux MINT on it. When I have time that is, hi hi.
One other thing, Windows decided to UPDATE, but did ask me first. The new Update calls it Windows Service!
Back to my Docking Station for a second.
The neighbor who gave it to me said it is NOT a hot swap model, so make sure and turn it off before changing drives. Don't have to unplug it though.
I looked on-line and found this company has several models.
But even the box it comes in is misleading. It shows 2 IDE 1 SATA and 2 HUB whatever that means.
By 2 IDE they mean, either a 2-1/2 OR a 3-1/2 in slot one, SATA only in slot two.
On the BOX it says Plugs and plays and is hot-swappable, which is also misleading.
All it means is you CAN unplug the USB cord and move it to another computer while the unit is on.
It does not mean you can swap out a drive while it is on.
Glad he told me this before I fried a Drive or USB section of my Motherboard.
He said turn it OFF anyhow if I move it to another USB port to be safe.
The four pin power for the IDE drive can be moved back and forth so all IDE drives will work.
I have not used it yet!
Nevertheless, it beats using the little guts from an old external I ripped apart.
Since I had nearly everything identical on every computer, I'm hoping to simply download the drive to a Folder on external drive, then download another drive to another Folder on the same external drive, then use a compare program to find the duplicate files.
I didn't find the old file compare I used to use, so downloaded Meld, but have not looked at it yet.
I did run it to see the opening screen, but that was it.
OH, Ubuntu loaded on the frau's UEFI computer just fine, nothing strange happened.
If you recall, I downloaded a newer version of GParted and shrunk the Windows down and created a few partitions for Linux.
I used an external DVD player/recorder and plugged it into a USB port. Set the computer to boot from USB first, installed the Ubuntu disk and did a cold boot. It installed without a hitch.
From a cold boot it does bring up the GrubII screen, but will boot into Ubuntu after 3 seconds if you don't down arrow to Windows 10 first. I booted into both OSs without a problem.
Next I will see if I can get Debian and Linux MINT on it. When I have time that is, hi hi.
One other thing, Windows decided to UPDATE, but did ask me first. The new Update calls it Windows Service!
Back to my Docking Station for a second.
The neighbor who gave it to me said it is NOT a hot swap model, so make sure and turn it off before changing drives. Don't have to unplug it though.
I looked on-line and found this company has several models.
But even the box it comes in is misleading. It shows 2 IDE 1 SATA and 2 HUB whatever that means.
By 2 IDE they mean, either a 2-1/2 OR a 3-1/2 in slot one, SATA only in slot two.
On the BOX it says Plugs and plays and is hot-swappable, which is also misleading.
All it means is you CAN unplug the USB cord and move it to another computer while the unit is on.
It does not mean you can swap out a drive while it is on.
Glad he told me this before I fried a Drive or USB section of my Motherboard.
He said turn it OFF anyhow if I move it to another USB port to be safe.
The four pin power for the IDE drive can be moved back and forth so all IDE drives will work.
I have not used it yet!
Re: Block This
I think Microsoft and Ubuntu have some kind of sweetheart deal going for them. The first version of Ubuntu I tried out about ten years ago made me think of the Windows desktop. Then when Microsoft decided to support instead of fight Linux, they went to Ubuntu first. I'm not surprised to see a lot of online tech forums explain how to dual boot Windows with Ubuntu, and little written about anything else. I did look into the Linux Mint forums and found people who claim they are running Mint with Windows on the same machine. As far as I know, they are all telling outright lies. LOL I'll be getting back to that project now that I have upgraded the laptop and violated its virginity. I truly believe what I want to do can be done because my old Toshiba computer was doing it. The only difference is that the old computer was a clean copy of Windows while this MSI is an OEM version. Well, it was until I switched over the the beta channel for Windows.
OK on the docking station fibbing to you. It's not unusual for manufacturers to put spin on their less than perfect products. I still think it's quite a remarkable piece of electronics. If I had the same storehouse of golden oldies as you do I might have a need for that device too.
OK on the docking station fibbing to you. It's not unusual for manufacturers to put spin on their less than perfect products. I still think it's quite a remarkable piece of electronics. If I had the same storehouse of golden oldies as you do I might have a need for that device too.
Re: Block This
I don't know why, but I only tried it with one old small IDE drive so far, but dang it transfers files much faster than my homebrew device by taking the guts out of an old external HD that the HD failed in.
If I used it on Windows, I could get a program for it to do all kinds of things.
I used a 5 gig IDE HD first, copied it to a file in an old 200 gig external HD for testing purposes.
I also plugged a 32 gig SD card into the USB port on the front and copied to it also.
There was only about 2 gigs of data on the HD, not counting system files for the old Windows OS.
It's only the data I'm worried about anyhow.
Found out real quick MELD is not the program I needed. So went back to the tried and true FSlint janitor, hi hi.
Apparently MELD is for comparing files to find where each file is different, such as which is the newest of several revised documents and what were those changes, etc.
While FSlint is for finding duplicate files, but letting you view them.
So far I've only spent about 1/2 hour setting up the Docking Station, loaded an old IDE drive in it, connecting the power and USB cord, creating a file folder on the old external and copying files over.
Looked at the MELD program and it did not do what I wanted, so jumped to FSlint and found about eight identical files that didn't need to be where they were, hi hi.
I know where I'm going to have my biggest problem is when I start trying to find photos, because of the way I store photo's under each persons name. A group picture will have a copy under each person named in the photo. So yes there will be duplicates, but on purpose, hi hi.
I have a lot of other more important work to get done before I have to head to my brothers in St. Louis in July.
If I had the money, I would have you build a computer for me, but I'm flat broke, as usual, hi hi.
They have a lot of things planned for us to do while we are there, so I probably won't be able to give you a shout for an eyeball, although I would love to if possible.
If I used it on Windows, I could get a program for it to do all kinds of things.
I used a 5 gig IDE HD first, copied it to a file in an old 200 gig external HD for testing purposes.
I also plugged a 32 gig SD card into the USB port on the front and copied to it also.
There was only about 2 gigs of data on the HD, not counting system files for the old Windows OS.
It's only the data I'm worried about anyhow.
Found out real quick MELD is not the program I needed. So went back to the tried and true FSlint janitor, hi hi.
Apparently MELD is for comparing files to find where each file is different, such as which is the newest of several revised documents and what were those changes, etc.
While FSlint is for finding duplicate files, but letting you view them.
So far I've only spent about 1/2 hour setting up the Docking Station, loaded an old IDE drive in it, connecting the power and USB cord, creating a file folder on the old external and copying files over.
Looked at the MELD program and it did not do what I wanted, so jumped to FSlint and found about eight identical files that didn't need to be where they were, hi hi.
I know where I'm going to have my biggest problem is when I start trying to find photos, because of the way I store photo's under each persons name. A group picture will have a copy under each person named in the photo. So yes there will be duplicates, but on purpose, hi hi.
I have a lot of other more important work to get done before I have to head to my brothers in St. Louis in July.
If I had the money, I would have you build a computer for me, but I'm flat broke, as usual, hi hi.
They have a lot of things planned for us to do while we are there, so I probably won't be able to give you a shout for an eyeball, although I would love to if possible.
Re: Block This
Sorting through a mish-mosh of files to find duplicates doesn't have to be complicated. There are built in commands right in Linux that will do it for you pretty quick. What you decide to use depends on the final results you are looking for, of course, but I can say from your brief description that I like the sounds of MELD. I'd bet it can be set up to do what FSlint does, but maybe not. Sometimes programmers fail to recognize simplicity. LOL
Not to worry about the upcoming trip to St Louis and the potential for our paths to cross. Us old guys are going to be around for a long time in spite of what the statistics say. As I mentioned elsewhere, we are not bad enough for the Devil to take us in just yet. LOL I'm certain there will be opportunities in the future. You never know if some day I might happen to be near Knoxville. That would be a distinct possibility, in fact, if I were on a mission such as delivering a computer I built for you. I know the last time I looked into it we had some very different ideas about components. That would have to be worked out before any serious research into the project begins. I'm still thinking I want to upgrade from this ASUS tower. However, I'm pretty sure you could get at least two new custom built machines for what I'd have to ask for this behemoth.
I can't say how likely any of it is, but I'd not rule it our meeting some day. If circumstances change while you are up here, my schedule is usually pretty flexible. I really don't know much about St Louis, but, Google is my friend.
Not to worry about the upcoming trip to St Louis and the potential for our paths to cross. Us old guys are going to be around for a long time in spite of what the statistics say. As I mentioned elsewhere, we are not bad enough for the Devil to take us in just yet. LOL I'm certain there will be opportunities in the future. You never know if some day I might happen to be near Knoxville. That would be a distinct possibility, in fact, if I were on a mission such as delivering a computer I built for you. I know the last time I looked into it we had some very different ideas about components. That would have to be worked out before any serious research into the project begins. I'm still thinking I want to upgrade from this ASUS tower. However, I'm pretty sure you could get at least two new custom built machines for what I'd have to ask for this behemoth.
I can't say how likely any of it is, but I'd not rule it our meeting some day. If circumstances change while you are up here, my schedule is usually pretty flexible. I really don't know much about St Louis, but, Google is my friend.
Re: Block This
My son lives in Cherry HIlls Subdivision (I think) Baxter Road and Clayton Road area.
I've not been to St. Louis in about five years, went to Springfield to see my sister about eight years ago.
Due to my declining health, this will probably be my last chance to visit my old home town.
My sister will be coming in from Springfield, and my Brother (if he don't drown first), he lives on his boat at the Duck Club Yacht Club, which is currently accessible only by Canoe, hi hi.
He's been staying at his business in St. Charles until the water goes down.
If I had the money, I would love to have your ASUS tower.
The computers I always bought are not as cheap as they used to be.
They have gone from 300 bucks each to 350, and the last one came out to 380 I think.
When I talked to him last year, with the amount of RAM I wanted in it 16 gigs, and only a 500 gig HD or smaller, since I don't keep much on the computer itself, but I wanted a Mobo with better graphics, but not a separate graphics card, he quoted me 425 bucks for AMD, and 475 for Intel. I prefer AMD, always have, probably because they were faster and cheaper than Intel.
Talked to another guy who does mostly Windows and Laptops, and for the same set-up he wanted 500 bucks.
FSlint vs Meld
FSlint found all the duplicates easily enough, but in the short time I played with it, there were so many duplicates from two different old IDE drives, and in files I wanted to keep them in.
Trying to figure out a new plan of attack here.
One of the first things I did was look for empty folders, and it showed way to many of them as empty, so I stopped and went and checked the path shown to each one, and they were not empty.
Perhaps I was not using FSlint right.
Meld will allow you to compare duplicate files, to make sure they are identical, or if they have a line or two different it will show that too.
Here is what I did. I took two old IDE drives and copied each of them to an external drive.
I should preface this with, each time I get a new computer, I copy the HD from the old computer to the new computer.
Then after it is backed up, I add the old HD as a slave drive and erase it to use for data storage. Then the data storage is backed up to two other external drives.
I figured the easiest way to do this was to first copy my oldest IDE drive to the external, then the next oldest IDE drive to the external, skipping those that were already on the external. That took one heck of a lot of hitting the skip button, since both files were basically the same, with only a few new files added on the next oldest IDE drive, not found on the first. There is a skip all button, but unfortunately if you use that button it doesn't copy any files over.
What they need is a button that says skip files already on the destination drive, but only if they are an exact match, which I know is impossible.
I have thousands of image files with the same name and the same size, but the images themselves are different.
This happens when your scanner starts at 0001.tif folder A. And you have a folder B that also starts with 0001.tif, hi hi.
What I should probably do is first copy my Currently Active newest files to the external, then take it one folder at a time from the IDE drives, also one at a time. Trouble with that is I've reorganized all of my files into a more logical way of saving all of them. Then to compound the issue, for example on photo's, I have a folder for the original photos as they came from each camera, which I keep untouched. Then I have a folder with a copy of each original photo for going through and adding names on the image, and if I have all the names, they get moved to those peoples names.
And as I said previously, if it was a group photo with five people in it, and I knew each of their names, that photo is placed under each persons name in their respective folders. If I don't know a name, I also save it a folder marked unknown people. But sometimes I may know where and when the photo was taken which might help me figure out who they are, so have yet another folder with a location name and date on it.
FSlint finds ALL of these duplicates.
Meld on the other hand can tell there is something different because it reads the entire document. Haven't tried it with pictures yet. I'm sure both Meld and FSlint look not only at the name, but the checksum as well. But Meld can find the same document regardless of the file name and checksum, if it thinks it is the same document contents with minor changes, like only a line or word changed.
Ironically, I've tried to resort my files a few times in the past and wasn't happy with the way I did it, and you know me, I never delete anything. Just start over again with a new HD and new file system, hi hi.
There are only a few files I consider important enough to want to preserve for my son to have.
This would be my Genealogy files containing all the data I've placed on-line, such as birth certificates and pictures.
Plus my Master Photo File of everyone who is organized by name.
Most of the other photo's would be like the ones I have of unknown people or landscapes and flowers, of which I'm sure he would not be interested in. Maybe some of the location photo's I have, but several of those are already in the Master Photo File under the persons name the go with.
It will be a major undertaking that I though would be simpler, hi hi.
I've not been to St. Louis in about five years, went to Springfield to see my sister about eight years ago.
Due to my declining health, this will probably be my last chance to visit my old home town.
My sister will be coming in from Springfield, and my Brother (if he don't drown first), he lives on his boat at the Duck Club Yacht Club, which is currently accessible only by Canoe, hi hi.
He's been staying at his business in St. Charles until the water goes down.
If I had the money, I would love to have your ASUS tower.
The computers I always bought are not as cheap as they used to be.
They have gone from 300 bucks each to 350, and the last one came out to 380 I think.
When I talked to him last year, with the amount of RAM I wanted in it 16 gigs, and only a 500 gig HD or smaller, since I don't keep much on the computer itself, but I wanted a Mobo with better graphics, but not a separate graphics card, he quoted me 425 bucks for AMD, and 475 for Intel. I prefer AMD, always have, probably because they were faster and cheaper than Intel.
Talked to another guy who does mostly Windows and Laptops, and for the same set-up he wanted 500 bucks.
FSlint vs Meld
FSlint found all the duplicates easily enough, but in the short time I played with it, there were so many duplicates from two different old IDE drives, and in files I wanted to keep them in.
Trying to figure out a new plan of attack here.
One of the first things I did was look for empty folders, and it showed way to many of them as empty, so I stopped and went and checked the path shown to each one, and they were not empty.
Perhaps I was not using FSlint right.
Meld will allow you to compare duplicate files, to make sure they are identical, or if they have a line or two different it will show that too.
Here is what I did. I took two old IDE drives and copied each of them to an external drive.
I should preface this with, each time I get a new computer, I copy the HD from the old computer to the new computer.
Then after it is backed up, I add the old HD as a slave drive and erase it to use for data storage. Then the data storage is backed up to two other external drives.
I figured the easiest way to do this was to first copy my oldest IDE drive to the external, then the next oldest IDE drive to the external, skipping those that were already on the external. That took one heck of a lot of hitting the skip button, since both files were basically the same, with only a few new files added on the next oldest IDE drive, not found on the first. There is a skip all button, but unfortunately if you use that button it doesn't copy any files over.
What they need is a button that says skip files already on the destination drive, but only if they are an exact match, which I know is impossible.
I have thousands of image files with the same name and the same size, but the images themselves are different.
This happens when your scanner starts at 0001.tif folder A. And you have a folder B that also starts with 0001.tif, hi hi.
What I should probably do is first copy my Currently Active newest files to the external, then take it one folder at a time from the IDE drives, also one at a time. Trouble with that is I've reorganized all of my files into a more logical way of saving all of them. Then to compound the issue, for example on photo's, I have a folder for the original photos as they came from each camera, which I keep untouched. Then I have a folder with a copy of each original photo for going through and adding names on the image, and if I have all the names, they get moved to those peoples names.
And as I said previously, if it was a group photo with five people in it, and I knew each of their names, that photo is placed under each persons name in their respective folders. If I don't know a name, I also save it a folder marked unknown people. But sometimes I may know where and when the photo was taken which might help me figure out who they are, so have yet another folder with a location name and date on it.
FSlint finds ALL of these duplicates.
Meld on the other hand can tell there is something different because it reads the entire document. Haven't tried it with pictures yet. I'm sure both Meld and FSlint look not only at the name, but the checksum as well. But Meld can find the same document regardless of the file name and checksum, if it thinks it is the same document contents with minor changes, like only a line or word changed.
Ironically, I've tried to resort my files a few times in the past and wasn't happy with the way I did it, and you know me, I never delete anything. Just start over again with a new HD and new file system, hi hi.
There are only a few files I consider important enough to want to preserve for my son to have.
This would be my Genealogy files containing all the data I've placed on-line, such as birth certificates and pictures.
Plus my Master Photo File of everyone who is organized by name.
Most of the other photo's would be like the ones I have of unknown people or landscapes and flowers, of which I'm sure he would not be interested in. Maybe some of the location photo's I have, but several of those are already in the Master Photo File under the persons name the go with.
It will be a major undertaking that I though would be simpler, hi hi.
Re: Block This
A file checksum includes the name of the file in the count. A very simply copy command that does not copy duplicate checksums would sort out any exact duplicates. You are on your own with the rest of the sorting. LOL
The only time I've done such file comparisons is when I was writing code for some programming project. I'd have maybe six files with the same name and a different extension to indicate the progression, i.e. file.1.txt, file.2.txt, file.3.txt etc.. There were times when I would need to know what changed. That's when a search for strings that are different comes in handy. When it comes to differentiating people in a photograph, that's where I think databases are superior. You would associate a serial number with each unique individual. Then it's just a matter of searching for serial numbers and all the places they show up. That kind of thing would be easy to do originally but probably impossible to rework if it was not done in the first place.
I don't think you are ever going to run out of things to do. What you might consider is training somebody in the nuances of your file system and getting them to continue on and sort it out after you are gone. The training would take a lot less time than the actual work.
The only time I've done such file comparisons is when I was writing code for some programming project. I'd have maybe six files with the same name and a different extension to indicate the progression, i.e. file.1.txt, file.2.txt, file.3.txt etc.. There were times when I would need to know what changed. That's when a search for strings that are different comes in handy. When it comes to differentiating people in a photograph, that's where I think databases are superior. You would associate a serial number with each unique individual. Then it's just a matter of searching for serial numbers and all the places they show up. That kind of thing would be easy to do originally but probably impossible to rework if it was not done in the first place.
I don't think you are ever going to run out of things to do. What you might consider is training somebody in the nuances of your file system and getting them to continue on and sort it out after you are gone. The training would take a lot less time than the actual work.
Re: Block This
I once lost a lot of documents and folder of images using a simple copy & paste and saying Merge All.
Apparently copy and paste only goes by the file name, and ignores the date and file size.
So for years when I used it, I did each file one at a time, closely reading the date and time, and skipping those that didn't match. The trouble with doing it that way is ALL of the files are still in the original folder, so you have to write down the ones that were same to delete them. A royal pain.
Back when I was using Windows, I bought a program for moving files files that were 100% identical and making a second copy of the file moved file if there was any difference at all. It checked the date, time down to the second, and file size, and if any of those things didn't match, it made a duplicate with the name appended with a 1, 2, 3, etc.
But it wasn't perfect, especially with scanned photos, because all scanned photos were the same file size, and often had the same time on them for some reason. Which might be because of something I did, like used a program to convert all .pcx files to .tif, so they all ended up with same date and time on them.
I have not got back to playing with Meld, and FSlint finds way to many possible duplicates in too many different folders.
I did get a chance to use Meld to check a series of documents all with the same name in two different folders, and it worked great, brought up the lines that were different between the two, and allowed you rename them.
I used to pride myself in keeping all of my files organized and easy to find. But with redundant backups, and after the lightning strike that burned out nearly everything. I now have stacks of old IDE hard drives that although I put notes on them as to which computers they came from. I no longer know which ones were back-ups for which ones, hi hi.
Since most of what I keep for myself would be meaningless to anyone else, my first line of attack is to go through every drive taking only those things I want to pass on to my son, and making a file of them without duplicates, but still organized in their proper folders. Even this will be most time consuming, hi hi.
Apparently copy and paste only goes by the file name, and ignores the date and file size.
So for years when I used it, I did each file one at a time, closely reading the date and time, and skipping those that didn't match. The trouble with doing it that way is ALL of the files are still in the original folder, so you have to write down the ones that were same to delete them. A royal pain.
Back when I was using Windows, I bought a program for moving files files that were 100% identical and making a second copy of the file moved file if there was any difference at all. It checked the date, time down to the second, and file size, and if any of those things didn't match, it made a duplicate with the name appended with a 1, 2, 3, etc.
But it wasn't perfect, especially with scanned photos, because all scanned photos were the same file size, and often had the same time on them for some reason. Which might be because of something I did, like used a program to convert all .pcx files to .tif, so they all ended up with same date and time on them.
I have not got back to playing with Meld, and FSlint finds way to many possible duplicates in too many different folders.
I did get a chance to use Meld to check a series of documents all with the same name in two different folders, and it worked great, brought up the lines that were different between the two, and allowed you rename them.
I used to pride myself in keeping all of my files organized and easy to find. But with redundant backups, and after the lightning strike that burned out nearly everything. I now have stacks of old IDE hard drives that although I put notes on them as to which computers they came from. I no longer know which ones were back-ups for which ones, hi hi.
Since most of what I keep for myself would be meaningless to anyone else, my first line of attack is to go through every drive taking only those things I want to pass on to my son, and making a file of them without duplicates, but still organized in their proper folders. Even this will be most time consuming, hi hi.
Re: Block This
I'm pretty sure that the copy and paste command in Windows only looks at the file name. If it is identical then it offers choices for what you want to do about it. That's very labor intensive, of course. The timedate stamp metadata is put into the time created and the time last modified fields. The reason you get so many files with the same timedate stamp may be due to looking at the Last Modified date instead of the Created date. Then too, when you move files to a new location that is essentially creating new files that didn't exist previously.
Copy and paste, search and sort, and mix and match can all be done on any file attribute or combination of attributes. This is why I suggested a while back that you become familiar with Linux's "grep" command. It can sort out all that meta-data as well as extract information strings from within the files themselves. Files with a certain name quoted in them, for example, can be ferreted out with grep. It would take a bit of learning all the intricacies in order to become proficient, but I think the end results would be worth the effort.
Copy and paste, search and sort, and mix and match can all be done on any file attribute or combination of attributes. This is why I suggested a while back that you become familiar with Linux's "grep" command. It can sort out all that meta-data as well as extract information strings from within the files themselves. Files with a certain name quoted in them, for example, can be ferreted out with grep. It would take a bit of learning all the intricacies in order to become proficient, but I think the end results would be worth the effort.
Re: Block This
FSlint shows you the file name, date created, date modified, and which folder the file is in.
But because of the way my files or set up, with duplicates on purpose in different folders, I will forever have duplicates.
Another example besides the way I do photo's, has to do with business files.
When I get a purchase order, it goes into a Jobs to do folder first. Folder A, Work Orders.
Then a copy of the purchase order is placed in Folder B, Shipping.
Folder B is where I create the Packing Slips, and Mailing Labels.
When I complete the order, the purchase order is moved to Folder C. Folder A is now empty.
Folder C is where I place the UPS delivery receipts and generate the Invoice. When the Invoice is mailed, it goes into Folder D, Account Receivable.
At the same time as I mail the Invoice, Folders B, C, and D, are copied into Folder E. Folder E is named using the company name, month and year.
When the Invoice is paid, the Invoice is moved from Folder D to Folder E. Folder D is now empty.
The corresponding financial data is placed into the Accounting Program.
When I get a new order, it is placed in Folder A, and new Folders for B and C are created.
It sounds more complicated than it is.
However, when running a duplicates program, as you can see, the purchase order will appear several times.
Also, since UPS delivery receipts are all named the same with each delivery order sent to them, unless I change their receipt name, they all appear in a duplicates search also.
Why do I keep those files and so many copies?
Because it is not uncommon for a customer to call up wanting to know how many of what they ordered on a certain date, and when it was filled, sent, and received by them, etc. In other words, covering my landing gear.
But because of the way my files or set up, with duplicates on purpose in different folders, I will forever have duplicates.
Another example besides the way I do photo's, has to do with business files.
When I get a purchase order, it goes into a Jobs to do folder first. Folder A, Work Orders.
Then a copy of the purchase order is placed in Folder B, Shipping.
Folder B is where I create the Packing Slips, and Mailing Labels.
When I complete the order, the purchase order is moved to Folder C. Folder A is now empty.
Folder C is where I place the UPS delivery receipts and generate the Invoice. When the Invoice is mailed, it goes into Folder D, Account Receivable.
At the same time as I mail the Invoice, Folders B, C, and D, are copied into Folder E. Folder E is named using the company name, month and year.
When the Invoice is paid, the Invoice is moved from Folder D to Folder E. Folder D is now empty.
The corresponding financial data is placed into the Accounting Program.
When I get a new order, it is placed in Folder A, and new Folders for B and C are created.
It sounds more complicated than it is.
However, when running a duplicates program, as you can see, the purchase order will appear several times.
Also, since UPS delivery receipts are all named the same with each delivery order sent to them, unless I change their receipt name, they all appear in a duplicates search also.
Why do I keep those files and so many copies?
Because it is not uncommon for a customer to call up wanting to know how many of what they ordered on a certain date, and when it was filled, sent, and received by them, etc. In other words, covering my landing gear.
Re: Block This
I think if I was running a business I'd use something like a spreadsheet instead of folders. Specifically, I'd use a database because it can hold more types of information than a simple spreadsheet. Although, a spreadsheet would make a good summary report that can be sent to a customer. I would have backups of it all, but I'd not have duplicate file names spread out over multiple folders. Then again, you could not operate a business using my train of thought nor could I use yours. That's what makes us both special. 
Re: Block This
I used QuickBooks Pro for years and years. It was great for holding the financial data, and generating invoices, packing slips, etc. However, it did not have a way of storage a .pdf of the purchase order I received, nor an actual copy of the packing slip, or invoice. Nor the UPS labels and receipts, etc.
So even back then, I was still keeping all the original orders, regardless of what form I received them in.
At one time, I used to keep all purchase orders in the same folder and made sure I used a date format for each document so I could find them with ease.
But all it takes is a few times a customer claims they didn't order this or that, or ordered a different quantity, they can't argue with getting a copy of exactly what they sent me.
I used to use spreadsheets to keep track of my inventory, the QuickBooks added that feature to their program.
The problem was, it was not fluid enough to handle partial usages of an item. Also, due to the double entry system used in accounting, trying to track Dry Product A, less 32 grams, to create 1 gallon of concentrate, using 4 ounces per order from an 18 ounce dispenser per order using only X number of drops per batch, was technically an impossibility. But is something that can be done with ease on a spreadsheet.
In accounting, we have to show the purchase of the bulk dry product as an expense.
For the governments required annual Inventory report, you have to know how much of that product was used during the year. And the only way to do this easily is not keep track of the gallon of concentrate per se. When you do mix up a new gallon, you reduce the inventory of the dry ingredient by 32 grams.
However, then you have the Cost of Goods Sold to contend with. If only 20 drops are used in each batch, and a batch along with other ingredients makes 48 bottles, sometimes 50 bottles if you dredge the bottom of the vat. And if you are making lets say 8 batches. The numbers eventually get off by enough, you can only claim the product was used, and/or dumped down the drain.
After 25 years of packaging this same product, and keeping the average usage of the dry ingredient on spreadsheets, I now know a fair amount to claim as Cost of Goods sold down to the single packaged bottle.
When I first started buying Product A, it was 115 dollars for a quart sized container, sold by dry weight.
That size container today is 385 dollars for a container slightly less than a quart, still sold by dry weight, but 4 ounces less. And this is just one of the major ingredients.
I also have numerous micro-ingredients than can only be bought in bulk, but so little is used, it all expires and must be tossed. Thankfully, I no longer make one of my products that used so many micro-ingredients. Sales were not high enough to cover the product loss due to expiration of those products.
To give a simple but quick example: Look at the ingredients in a bottle of vitamins. One heck of a lot of different ingredients used in micro-amounts. Now lets say to make those vitamins you had to buy a quart size container of each one, but you only used less than 1/10th of a gram. And the ingredients expire in 6 months.
You would have to sell one heck of a lot of bottles of vitamins to use up your inventory before it expired. Up in the tens of thousands range, hi hi.
I'm rambling again aren't I?
So even back then, I was still keeping all the original orders, regardless of what form I received them in.
At one time, I used to keep all purchase orders in the same folder and made sure I used a date format for each document so I could find them with ease.
But all it takes is a few times a customer claims they didn't order this or that, or ordered a different quantity, they can't argue with getting a copy of exactly what they sent me.
I used to use spreadsheets to keep track of my inventory, the QuickBooks added that feature to their program.
The problem was, it was not fluid enough to handle partial usages of an item. Also, due to the double entry system used in accounting, trying to track Dry Product A, less 32 grams, to create 1 gallon of concentrate, using 4 ounces per order from an 18 ounce dispenser per order using only X number of drops per batch, was technically an impossibility. But is something that can be done with ease on a spreadsheet.
In accounting, we have to show the purchase of the bulk dry product as an expense.
For the governments required annual Inventory report, you have to know how much of that product was used during the year. And the only way to do this easily is not keep track of the gallon of concentrate per se. When you do mix up a new gallon, you reduce the inventory of the dry ingredient by 32 grams.
However, then you have the Cost of Goods Sold to contend with. If only 20 drops are used in each batch, and a batch along with other ingredients makes 48 bottles, sometimes 50 bottles if you dredge the bottom of the vat. And if you are making lets say 8 batches. The numbers eventually get off by enough, you can only claim the product was used, and/or dumped down the drain.
After 25 years of packaging this same product, and keeping the average usage of the dry ingredient on spreadsheets, I now know a fair amount to claim as Cost of Goods sold down to the single packaged bottle.
When I first started buying Product A, it was 115 dollars for a quart sized container, sold by dry weight.
That size container today is 385 dollars for a container slightly less than a quart, still sold by dry weight, but 4 ounces less. And this is just one of the major ingredients.
I also have numerous micro-ingredients than can only be bought in bulk, but so little is used, it all expires and must be tossed. Thankfully, I no longer make one of my products that used so many micro-ingredients. Sales were not high enough to cover the product loss due to expiration of those products.
To give a simple but quick example: Look at the ingredients in a bottle of vitamins. One heck of a lot of different ingredients used in micro-amounts. Now lets say to make those vitamins you had to buy a quart size container of each one, but you only used less than 1/10th of a gram. And the ingredients expire in 6 months.
You would have to sell one heck of a lot of bottles of vitamins to use up your inventory before it expired. Up in the tens of thousands range, hi hi.
I'm rambling again aren't I?
Re: Block This
You ramble. I ramble. Some people call it chat. That's what we do here these days. We are reminiscing about the good times in our lives Nothing wrong with that.
I never pursued running a business although I have a keen interest in economics. I could never think of a business I would enjoy managing, which is probably a good reason not to get into it. Successful people aren't in it for the enjoyment, other than depositing the profits in your bank account at the end of the day. About the only thing I considered seriously was a bed and breakfast operation. I enjoy cooking for other people and the small crowd of most B&B's would be about right for my interests. I also enjoy meeting new people and learning a little bit about them. The B&B scheme has all of that a more. But, alas, I opted in for the security of working in somebody else's business. That worked out well for 36 years. Then when I needed them the most, they eliminated my job. Maybe in my next life I'll get it right. LOL
I never pursued running a business although I have a keen interest in economics. I could never think of a business I would enjoy managing, which is probably a good reason not to get into it. Successful people aren't in it for the enjoyment, other than depositing the profits in your bank account at the end of the day. About the only thing I considered seriously was a bed and breakfast operation. I enjoy cooking for other people and the small crowd of most B&B's would be about right for my interests. I also enjoy meeting new people and learning a little bit about them. The B&B scheme has all of that a more. But, alas, I opted in for the security of working in somebody else's business. That worked out well for 36 years. Then when I needed them the most, they eliminated my job. Maybe in my next life I'll get it right. LOL
Re: Block This
In a way, I'm just the opposite of you as for as work goes. Probably because I was raised in a large family business.
This helped me understand the ways of business operations.
However, in my younger days out of high school I did go to work for large corporations, like McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft, Sverdrup & Parcel Engineering Company, and MRTC (Mississippi River Transmission Corporation) where your natural gas comes from. I hated working at McDonnell-Douglas and only stayed there a few months, but S&P and MRTC I stayed with each of them five years, leaving only because of my epilepsy attacks and no longer knowing how to do that particular job.
In business, although I love starting a new business and getting it going, after that, the challenge is over, so once the companies were profitable I normally sold them, most often to my best employee.
Over the years of starting and running businesses, and getting tired of them overly fast. I learned something important.
Whether you work for someone else, or work for yourself, most often you are still limited to the amount of money you can make. There is only one of you, and so many hours in the day. Unless you are in a business where you can delegate authority and hire others to do most of your work for you, while you do something else. Your are pretty much stuck with a limited amount of income.
But there is another type of business where whether you do most of the work yourself, or have it all done for you, where the limits of opportunity are endless.
But the first thing is, although you need customers, you need a business where you don't have to deal with customers.
Although the per unit profits are much less, I learned the best place to be is at the bottom rung in the chain of distribution and sales. In other words, being the manufacturer. A manufacturer only has one customer, his personal mfg. rep. who deals with distributors. The distributors deal with the wholesalers, and the wholesalers with the retailers, and of course, the retailers are stuck dealing with the consumers, which is why they make the largest profit on each sale.
Although I may make is sound simpler than it really is. I've been manufacturing and selling the AZ-NO3 nitrate remover for reef aquaria now for 25 years.
Although I physically do all the work, technically I only work 6 days a year at the actual manufacturing job.
This frees me up to start other businesses of a similar nature. Ones that do not consume a lot of my time.
When a business I started does start taking too much of my time, I tire of it, and turn around and sell it.
As far as my current only small and dwindling business, due to technological advances in the industry.
For a product like mine to stay on the market for 25 years is amazing to start with.
And the fact I have not sold it because I'm tired of it. But hey, I do need a little money to cover my meds, hi hi.
Naturally, it was not until I grew this company large enough to need a mfg. rep. that I could sit back and let everyone else do all of my work for me, except for the blending and packaging.
By using a mfg. rep. I get one large order, it used to be every other month, thus the six days a year, because it only took a day to bottle and package the large order. But I still had to order ingredients, bottles, caps, cartons, cases, etc. and handle all the accounting.
But the mfg. rep. warehouses the product so I don't have to. He ships to the distributors for a small profit. Distributors make a little more and ship to wholesalers. Wholesalers make a better profit and sell to Retailers who double the price to get their selling price.
But you see, although I make much less per unit sold, I have none of the headaches associated with distribution and marketing anymore. And my product is sold worldwide too.
It's the type of product you hope no one ever needs, but it is there if they do. Like a cancer drug for example.
I used to make other products besides this one, but it is the only one I still make now.
One of the products I made was for photographic developing machines. I did this in conjunction with AGFA who provided the product and I only bottled in the special bottles that fit their machines. I got this contract when they decided sales were no longer high enough for them to make the product for the few remaining machines left out there.
I had the right kind of bottling equipment, and for me, this was a free gravy type of job. They sent me the products in 30 gallon carboys, I bottled and packaged and shipped to three of their distribution centers. They even paid for the all the shipping costs.
It took me two to three days to do the bottling and packaging, four times a year. But as those machines were retired, sales eventually fell off until it almost reached zero. When they quit selling the product, I continued selling directly to those who still had a machine operational, about 15 of them when I started selling direct. But the nice part about that was, I was making 4 to 5 times what I did doing only bottling, because in essence, I was selling retail to them.
If my health were better, I have a couple of things I could start making, but I just don't want to fool with it anymore.
This helped me understand the ways of business operations.
However, in my younger days out of high school I did go to work for large corporations, like McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft, Sverdrup & Parcel Engineering Company, and MRTC (Mississippi River Transmission Corporation) where your natural gas comes from. I hated working at McDonnell-Douglas and only stayed there a few months, but S&P and MRTC I stayed with each of them five years, leaving only because of my epilepsy attacks and no longer knowing how to do that particular job.
In business, although I love starting a new business and getting it going, after that, the challenge is over, so once the companies were profitable I normally sold them, most often to my best employee.
Over the years of starting and running businesses, and getting tired of them overly fast. I learned something important.
Whether you work for someone else, or work for yourself, most often you are still limited to the amount of money you can make. There is only one of you, and so many hours in the day. Unless you are in a business where you can delegate authority and hire others to do most of your work for you, while you do something else. Your are pretty much stuck with a limited amount of income.
But there is another type of business where whether you do most of the work yourself, or have it all done for you, where the limits of opportunity are endless.
But the first thing is, although you need customers, you need a business where you don't have to deal with customers.
Although the per unit profits are much less, I learned the best place to be is at the bottom rung in the chain of distribution and sales. In other words, being the manufacturer. A manufacturer only has one customer, his personal mfg. rep. who deals with distributors. The distributors deal with the wholesalers, and the wholesalers with the retailers, and of course, the retailers are stuck dealing with the consumers, which is why they make the largest profit on each sale.
Although I may make is sound simpler than it really is. I've been manufacturing and selling the AZ-NO3 nitrate remover for reef aquaria now for 25 years.
Although I physically do all the work, technically I only work 6 days a year at the actual manufacturing job.
This frees me up to start other businesses of a similar nature. Ones that do not consume a lot of my time.
When a business I started does start taking too much of my time, I tire of it, and turn around and sell it.
As far as my current only small and dwindling business, due to technological advances in the industry.
For a product like mine to stay on the market for 25 years is amazing to start with.
And the fact I have not sold it because I'm tired of it. But hey, I do need a little money to cover my meds, hi hi.
Naturally, it was not until I grew this company large enough to need a mfg. rep. that I could sit back and let everyone else do all of my work for me, except for the blending and packaging.
By using a mfg. rep. I get one large order, it used to be every other month, thus the six days a year, because it only took a day to bottle and package the large order. But I still had to order ingredients, bottles, caps, cartons, cases, etc. and handle all the accounting.
But the mfg. rep. warehouses the product so I don't have to. He ships to the distributors for a small profit. Distributors make a little more and ship to wholesalers. Wholesalers make a better profit and sell to Retailers who double the price to get their selling price.
But you see, although I make much less per unit sold, I have none of the headaches associated with distribution and marketing anymore. And my product is sold worldwide too.
It's the type of product you hope no one ever needs, but it is there if they do. Like a cancer drug for example.
I used to make other products besides this one, but it is the only one I still make now.
One of the products I made was for photographic developing machines. I did this in conjunction with AGFA who provided the product and I only bottled in the special bottles that fit their machines. I got this contract when they decided sales were no longer high enough for them to make the product for the few remaining machines left out there.
I had the right kind of bottling equipment, and for me, this was a free gravy type of job. They sent me the products in 30 gallon carboys, I bottled and packaged and shipped to three of their distribution centers. They even paid for the all the shipping costs.
It took me two to three days to do the bottling and packaging, four times a year. But as those machines were retired, sales eventually fell off until it almost reached zero. When they quit selling the product, I continued selling directly to those who still had a machine operational, about 15 of them when I started selling direct. But the nice part about that was, I was making 4 to 5 times what I did doing only bottling, because in essence, I was selling retail to them.
If my health were better, I have a couple of things I could start making, but I just don't want to fool with it anymore.
Re: Block This
While we all have a free will with which to make choices, the opportunities are different in each family setting. Obviously there are limitations, but I've read of several people who became very successful and influential in spite of the odds. Bill Gates is just one example. Not only did he create a successful product but his product, and thus his creativity, has changed the life of a huge part of humanity. I don't know if he had that in mind when he started out, but he certain proved that limitations are superficial barriers.
Intellect and fortuitous circumstances are important for success but nothing can be accomplished without a good body and a good mind. Health is the ultimate determination for success. I think I'm at an age where I finally figured out what it takes to be comfortable in this life. Unfortunately that same age tells me my days are limited. I feel very fortunate to be as healthy as I am. Many my age are not. It's just not worth it to apply the secrets to success now. By the time I attain it, I'll die. I keep thinking of that when I buy those lottery tickets. I'm going to win big one day, really big. Then I'll have a heart attack from the surprise and not get a chance to spend it.
Intellect and fortuitous circumstances are important for success but nothing can be accomplished without a good body and a good mind. Health is the ultimate determination for success. I think I'm at an age where I finally figured out what it takes to be comfortable in this life. Unfortunately that same age tells me my days are limited. I feel very fortunate to be as healthy as I am. Many my age are not. It's just not worth it to apply the secrets to success now. By the time I attain it, I'll die. I keep thinking of that when I buy those lottery tickets. I'm going to win big one day, really big. Then I'll have a heart attack from the surprise and not get a chance to spend it.
Re: Block This
I hear you LOUD and CLEAR there Yogi.
I've spent the last seven years working on a book series.
I never knew it would take so long to do the world building part of the story, much less all the other things associated with it.
From working for a publisher I knew each thing that had to be done before I even started writing a story of this magnitude.
But the difference is. When a dozen people are working on the same project, each with an aspect of the project to work on, yeah, they can turn out a book a year.
However, when you are doing all the work yourself, by yourself, and each of those aspects of the project take a year or more to complete, time flies by with no story yet being written. I do have much of my writing done, but then there is all the editing involved, change it, change it, and rearrange it, etc. ad infinitum.
If I ever get it to market, and if it does take off for some strange reason, I won't be around to collect the rewards of my efforts. The only thing I can hope for is to leave a legacy, provided I do finish and it does take off that is.
I've spent the last seven years working on a book series.
I never knew it would take so long to do the world building part of the story, much less all the other things associated with it.
From working for a publisher I knew each thing that had to be done before I even started writing a story of this magnitude.
But the difference is. When a dozen people are working on the same project, each with an aspect of the project to work on, yeah, they can turn out a book a year.
However, when you are doing all the work yourself, by yourself, and each of those aspects of the project take a year or more to complete, time flies by with no story yet being written. I do have much of my writing done, but then there is all the editing involved, change it, change it, and rearrange it, etc. ad infinitum.
If I ever get it to market, and if it does take off for some strange reason, I won't be around to collect the rewards of my efforts. The only thing I can hope for is to leave a legacy, provided I do finish and it does take off that is.
Re: Block This
I've known for a while that you were writing something of your own. If nothing else comes of it, it will be a family treasure, your legacy as you say. Such will be the case even if it's not published nor well known. It's the kind of laudable goal that everyone could and should have. It's something to keep the mind active and the will power strong. I know you are obsessed with detailed perfection so that this series of tomes could be a long time in the making. I truly wish that you can complete your work and publish it. Doing so will get you a number in the Library of Congress and thereby make you immortal in a way. Who knows? Maybe some day a stray pirate will come along and dig up your buried treasure and make your name famous too.