Windows 8 Unwanted duplication of new files on desktop to picture folder

[UK1960]

When I delete either the original or the duplicate, the other file is deleted as well and, when I restore the single example from the recycle bin, both are restored.

My own solution is:-
1) Drag and drop the original file onto its duplicate into the picture folder.
2) Stop creating files on the desktop.

However, I wonder if there is a better way of doing this that would allow me to create files on the desktop again. I often use the desktop to convert RAW photo files, prior to filing them in the picture folder, which may have something to do with this.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

The files in your picture folder aren't really in your picture folder they are just links to pictures stored in other locations.

Right click on one and look at properties, it will show you where is is really at, probably in your C:\Users\User Name\Pictures folder.
Things on the Desktop are in the C:\Users\Username\Desktop folder.

So if you have a image linked to the pictures folder, and you delete it from the original location, it will disappear from the pictures folder too.

If you restore it, it will reappear in the pictures folder again.

For all practical purposes you can just ignore the Pictures Folder the images aren't really there anyway, it's just Windows way of making it easy to find things.

It sounds like you have a link between your pictures folder and your desktop, it doesn't mean the images are really duplicated or use twice the disk space.

I think it's better to create folders for your images someplace else.

I create folders for all my images categorised but what they are.

I.e. E:\Photos\Nikon Images\Car Photos\Austin Healey, etc.
It's a lot easier to keep track of stuff and find it later then to have everything lumped into the pictures folder.

If you are going to place them on your desktop I'd recommend creating a folder on your desktop to put them in.
This folder will really be in C:\Users etc.

Wow, now I'm confusing myself. LOL

But I hope you get the idea.

Mike

 

[UK1960]

Thank you. I am very impressed! You are right. The apparent duplication only affects the picture library, not the folder in which the pictures actually are. Now I can stop wondering if my laptop has an undetected virus.

 

[keving326]

have you try DuplicateFilesDeleter ? i think it totally erase all duplicate file and without your instruction it never undo and file.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Glad it worked out.

Another piece of information, CCleaner has an application to find duplicate files, it's in Tools, File Finder.

Everyone should have the free version of CCleaner but not everyone knows that this tool it there.

http://www.filehippo.com/search?q=CCleaner

Mike