Dup Scout Ultimate

We are always taught it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to virtually everything we own. This philosophy also applies to computer files that can cost us our memories, friendships, marriages or jobs, regardless of the costs associated with keeping these files safe. One increasingly expensive way of backing up those files is represented by storage drives which can themselves pile up on top of the physical boxes of memories and paper documents one stores in their home.

A safe and efficient way of keeping backups from taking up unnecessary space is provided by Dup Scout Ultimate, a duplicate file scanner worth checking out.

The user is greeted when initially booting up the program with a friendly yet comprehensive interface consisting of shortcuts to the most important actions to be taken against duplicate files. The top ribbon allows the user to access databases with past reports of the duplicates found by the app, with the possibility of backing up and restoring configuration files.

The commands that follow let users switch the interface’s layout, connect network drives and manage the main options of the app.

The toolbar features the main activity handled by the app, which is scanning a directory for any duplicates. Multiple directories are supported and can be managed via the “Inputs” area, while the lower section displays various statistics related to the completion of the scan, ranging from the number of directories, files and duplicated sets to the total disk space taken up by the duplicates found.

On the right side, a table lists the original files and their copies detected by the app, which can then be sorted and categorized in the lower half of the application window by extension type, creation type and more. Once the duplicates are selected, the user can move, delete, compress or replace them with shortcuts or hard links.

For an automated version of what can be done through the app, a wizard is available for minutely searching duplicate files that were created, modified or accessed at various times.

Compared to the Pro version, Dup Scout Ultimate is bundled with extra features which help automate the processing of duplicate files, such as rule-based removal actions, SQL Database integration and a command-line utility for executing quick actions without the need of the included GUI.