Backing up for dummies

[Bluecarrot]

Ive got myself in such a muddle and cant get my head around it.

I have an old laptop (still operational, but temperamental) and a pc.

I backed up all our photos and docs from the laptop and photos from the pc onto an external drive.

I also have hopefully got it all backed up on google drive.. but I cant be 100% (my photos from my iphone auto backup to it as well)

But its all a mess. Theres duplicates. Photos from DPs and DDs iphones are on it using the same IMG_#### but in different folders. I have years of photos and videos that ive never systematically sorted through. Im so overwhelmed!

HOW do I get it all streamlined? I want it all on the PC, and for it to auto backup to google drive. I also want it to either automatically back up to the external drive, or be easy for me to do it once a month or so. (The laptop will only be used for surfing the net as its not overly reliable. though might perform better once all the crap is removed)

What is the main bit I should be working in? Google drive folder? Should I just create a new folder on my pc, and sort through all the files and photos and move the ones I want to keep into that one folder?

Lets say I delete a blurry pic off google drive folder, when it syncs with the old folder, will it be replaced? And vice versa? (And therefore i need to delete both copies at the same time?

I also need to move a lot of folders onto google photos, but I read I need to download them all onto my pc and go from there (might already have happened, but I feel too overwhelmed to even think about this next step!)

I will be eternally grateful for any direction. Hopefully the solution is simple and im just too confused to see it clearly!

[cdtaylornats]

Duplicate Cleaner and Duplicate Photo Finder might help

[Bluecarrot]

Great! Will go have a look.