How can I compare two hard disks so that I can determine the different files, if any, between the two?

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Level 4

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How can I compare two hard disks so that I can determine the different files, if any, between the two?

Is there a program that will catalog the two and show me the differences? I seem to remember such a program in the old classic days.

Posted on May 18, 2012 3:29 PM

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Answer 1

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ds store

Level 7

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May 18, 2012 3:53 PM in response to MlchaelLAX

Put the contents of both hard drives, each into their own folder, onto a third drive and then run Decloner (MacUpdate.com) on that third drive.

It will take some time as it will check the files themselves for duplicates (not just the names of the files)

Once all the duplicates are are removed, that will leave you two folders with just the differences.

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Answer 2

MlchaelLAX Author

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May 18, 2012 4:06 PM in response to ds store

Will that also work for invisible files/folders?

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Answer 3

MlchaelLAX Author

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May 18, 2012 11:50 PM in response to ds store

Wow: 14,157 files and there is no way to check them all at once for deletion! I have to check them one at a time?

Tell me there is a better way...

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Answer 4

ds store

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May 19, 2012 12:32 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

You can use TinkerTool to turn on invisible items.

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Answer 5

ds store

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May 19, 2012 12:38 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

MlchaelLAX wrote:

Wow: 14,157 files and there is no way to check them all at once for deletion! I have to check them one at a time?

Try holding the command or option key and clicking on the checkbox

Try holding shift command or option key and click on the first, then click on the lower ones to see if it will do multiple selection

Try click one and then do a command a for select all. Or use the Edit menu > Select all.

My trial ran out, so I can't test it.

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Answer 6

softwater

Level 5

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May 19, 2012 3:29 AM in response to ds store

Nice find, though I'm boycotting macupdate on account of their continued promotion of a certain well-known notorious product 😉.

Decloner can be got directly from the developer here:

http://www.pixelespressoapps.com/decloner/

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Answer 7

MlchaelLAX Author

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May 19, 2012 9:03 AM in response to ds store

ds store wrote:

MlchaelLAX wrote:

Wow: 14,157 files and there is no way to check them all at once for deletion! I have to check them one at a time?

Try holding the command or option key and clicking on the checkbox

Try holding shift command or option key and click on the first, then click on the lower ones to see if it will do multiple selection

Try click one and then do a command a for select all. Or use the Edit menu > Select all.

My trial ran out, so I can't test it.

These did not seem to work, but I decided that since Tinkertool now allows the finder to copy hidden files, I need to start over anyway.

So I will need a few hours to first trash the old comparison folders, empty the trash and then recopy into the two comparison folders.

One of these suggestions (or something else) must work. I'll try the website that softwater suggests.

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Answer 8

softwater

Level 5

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May 19, 2012 9:54 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

I've been playing around with Decloner, Michael, and none of the usual multi-selection options work.

I think the reason why you can't 'select all' is because the scan includes every instance of the file, so if you could select all you'd delete not only the duplicates but also the originals.

The only one that does seem to do it is selecting the little 'tick' box and choosing either 'select newest' or 'select oldest'. That will select all the duplicates accordingly.

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Answer 9

ds store

Level 7

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May 19, 2012 10:41 AM in response to softwater

softwater wrote:

Nice find, though I'm boycotting macupdate on account of their continued promotion of a certain well-known notorious product 😉.

Then you need to boycott Apple too, because that certain software is also on MAS under another name, using the emergency three digits + bundle.

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Answer 10

ds store

Level 7

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May 19, 2012 10:58 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

MlchaelLAX wrote:

but I decided that since Tinkertool now allows the finder to copy hidden files, I need to start over anyway.

Just have TinkerTool turn on invisible items and then run the Decloner scan again. No need to copy again, they were already copied the first time.

Just because you don't see the invisible files in the folder doesn't mean they were not copied.

For invisible files I don't know why you even want to bother, they are just used for the system etc., not for personal use.

I'm trying to figure out what your trying to accomplish here, I thought you might have two storage drives with files and you needed to find out what's missing on each.

When you mentioned invisible items, I though you needed to compare to OS X boot drives identically for forensic purposes or something, because Apple does hide stuff to protect it from users.

The Finder is going to change the invisible items like .ds_store files according to what's in each folder automatically.

The invisible items thing has got me baffled, it's just going to create more work for you and if you delete the invisible items, the Finder is going to barf on you and/or recreate them.

You should turn off invisible items and go back to where you were at before if you are just trying to compare two storage drives of files.

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Answer 11

MlchaelLAX Author

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May 19, 2012 11:32 AM in response to ds store

Actually, your tip about TinkerTool has led me to a different approach to solve my problem, so I may be able to abandon Decloner altogether.

As you know, I have posted detailed instructions for installing Snow Leopard into Parallels 7. I am hoping to simplify the process and eliminate the need to use Text Edit and Terminal commands for the average user.

One idea I am exploring is to come up with a Macintosh HD partition file that only contains the additional items needed by Parallels to boot from it; that is ServerVersion.plist and the com.rectalogic.vmware.plist used in LaunchDaemons. Then the idea would be to install Snow Leopard into this virtually empty parition file.

I need to cross two hurdles:

1. Make a partition that will accept Snow Leopard into it and then successfully boot in Parallels on its own; and

2. Install Snow Leopard from Lion

Remember Parallels 7 now accepts a Lion client partition, so the idea would be to create a Lion partition, attach the stripped down Macintosh HD paritition file as a 2nd Hard Disk, insert the Snow Leopard Install DVD and then install Snow Leopard into the stripped down Macintosh HD. Then shut down Lion and use the newly installed Snow Leopard Macintosh HD to create its own Snow Leopard environment.

Then I could compress the original stripped down Macintosh HD file into a very small file and distribute it to those who want to install Snow Leopard into it on their own.

In my experiments, I have not been successful in getting my "installed SL" partition to run. As it boots the spiraling wheel continues ad infinitum.

My hope with Decloner was to compare the installed SL partition to one that works. But I have now tabled that idea in favor of:

Take a fresh working SL partition and attach it to another one, so that I can examine and change its contents, by stripping out everything Apple put into it (using TinkerTool to expose invisible files) and just leave what I have put into it. And then in the Snow Leopard environment, attempt to reinstall SL from its DVD and see if that partition will function on its own.

If that works, then the next hurdle is to figure out how to install SL from Lion (which Lion does not like to do)

Any ideas?

Also, when I execute this command from Terminal: "sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.rectalogic.vmware.plist" -- what does launchctl do? Does it create a file somewhere, and if so can I replicate this Terminal command by just creating that file in the proper place?

I'll report back...

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