Tech help please

[LemonDrizzles]

Hi all, I'm looking for a good copy programme that tells you if the file size / date is different. That is, copies all the files over. Then if it finds the same file, compares size and last date and only flags if there is a difference. if it has the same size and date, then it ignores the file and does not copy. I'm running windows 11. The copy file feature on Windows does not do this. It only looks at the same file name. It does not compare size and date unless you ask it compare all. On the last check, it was over 3,000 files with the same name. I cannot look at 3,000 files individually.

Reason being, my computer is making a crackling noise so I have to take it in to be repaired. I have to make a back up copy of all the files - but I already did this at the beginning of April. I was just made redundant so now am on the job hunt. I will be applying for jobs up until computer repair person can take the laptop.

It's about 10,000 files which originally took a few days to copy over. I'm now downloading jobs specs / updating my CV, doing home admin in between so quite a few files are still being updated across multiple folders and areas. I only need to figure out which files have had slight modifications and replace those. I do have a back up but these files always have a weird add on at the back. I just want to do a straight copy - I've already done it a few weeks ago.

I could just copy all the files over and then just work on the backup drive however there is a chance when they do the repair they do not wipe my PC at all. So if i work off the copy, I would need to spend yet another 2 days copying them all back over to the laptop if they realised they did not need to wipe it to repair it.

Alternatively, do you know of any place on the internet I can ask? I tried reddit but they just deleted my post saying it is against their rules to ask for software recommendations....

Thanks in advance for your help!

I’m not an expert but I think you can do this in Windows File Explorer. If I copy files by drag & drop, if there is any discrepancy between the file being copied and a version already there with the same filename, it gives the date created / modified and asks if I want to replace it or not. You also get the option of doing the same action for all the files being copied if there is a discrepancy. So you can copy a group of files or whole folders and don’t have to answer the same question for each one.

Apologies if I’ve misunderstood your question.

How many of the files will you actually need to use while the PC is being repaired? You could make a folder just of “working files”, and then you’d only have to copy over that one folder afterwards on top of your April backup.

@FictionalCharacter Thank you. Unfortunately, Windows File Explorer does not have this functionality. It's fine if there is just 1 or 2 files, but this is 10,000 files, it's asking me to check each file individually instead of just running a checksum against the orginal file.

I could make a working folder but prefer to stay organised in all the sub folders. Right now, I have 7 or 8 sub folders across different subjects I am making file changes to.

Each day, my fan makes a crackling sound. Checking speedfan, it regularly hits 57 degrees. Some moments, it's 63 which can cause permanent damage so I have to find a solution soon.