■ Why are some scan options disabled?
In normal mode i-DeClone disables some options that are deemed complicated or unsafe. If you feel confident you can enable expert mode from program settings, then you can use all the available options — and take the blame if anything goes wrong :)
■ How can I exclude folders from search?
i-DeClone in default trim doesn't enter any system or hidden folders or anything that could unbalance your system (WINDIR and Program files). If you want to exclude some other folder, add it normally as if to search in it, then right click on the folder name and use Exclude this folder menu command. Excluded folders show in red.
■ Searching for clones takes too long
i-DeClone is quite fast, but if you scan many folders with complicated options (e.g. checking inside file contents or other advanced file properties), then inevitably it will take longer. However you can leave i-DeClone unattended and do something else with your PC. You can pause then restart the scan if you need more computer resources momentarily. Eventually you will be notified that the scan is complete.
■ Searching inside mobile phones takes ages
Whereas you can connect your phone via USB cable and search in it directly e.g. for similar photos, MTP protocol isn't built for speed. If your phone has a removable SD card, then you will be much better off inserting it in your card reader and access it through a drive letter.
■ Can i-DeClone handle lots of files?
There are no theoretical limits to the number of files or folders that i-DeClone can handle. Practically though, the more files scanned the longer will it take, and the more resources (e.g. RAM) will be consumed — but that's unavoidable.
■ No duplicate files are found
You may be searching in the wrong place or/and for items that don't exist. If you are certain that duplicates exist, first expand your search scope to "This PC" so you will search everywhere. Also see if searching for All file types will return any results. Finally try scanning with default options, in case you were using your own custom scan parameters.
■ False duplicate results (#1: default options)
If you search for similar files (as opposed to exact clones), you may get some false positives. The AI algorithms used are good but not perfect: some "duplicate" groups will contain completely unrelated photos, or text documents. When searching for similar movies, the results could be thrown off if the required media information tags are missing or inaccurate. You are advised to sample some of the results to make sure they are as expected before deleting unrelated files.
■ False duplicate results (#2: custom scan)
If you change any default scan settings for any file category then you must take responsibility for the quality of the results. i-DeClone does whatever you asked it to do. The results are grouped with whatever relations you requested. They are related but not necessarily "duplicate" of each other. If in doubt always use default scan options.
■ I get slightly different results each time I scan
Some of the AI algorithms used for similarity checking sample file contents at random, so it is possible for some photos that are borderline similar to appear as duplicate in one scan, and be left out in the next. You can run (CTRL+R to revise) the same scan a few times to minimize the inherent random factor.
■ How can I remove some scan results?
If you don't like some of the results, select them with the mouse (using <Ctrl>+click to select multiple items), then right click on one of them and use Remove from pane menu command. This way they are out of sight but remain safe in your hard disk.
■ Sorting doesn't work as expected
i-DeClone always tries to show you results grouped by similarity. When you click on a sort header, it rearranges items within each group. If you want to sort without considering duplicates, right click on the results column header and untick Keep results grouped menu command.
■ I cannot remove an entire group of duplicates
i-DeClone assumes you want to keep at least one file in each group (the "original"), so if you go ahead and tick all items, it will complain that "Some duplicate groups have all items marked" and will not let you proceed with the cleanup unless you unmark items. If you are certain you want everything removed, select all items in the group, plus one item from a neighbouring group, right click and use Merge groups menu command. You still have to make sure that one item from the enlarged group remains unticked though.
In expert mode you can delete selected (not ticked) items using <DEL> key as in windows explorer — but these actions won't be logged.
■ What's the difference between hard and symbolic links?
These advanced NTFS features allow you to drop "shortcuts" to a main file and have them stored in various locations, saving space without sacrificing access. i-DeClone prefers hard links, but these are only supported for files residing in the same partition (drive letter). Failing that it will try symbolic linking. The latter are liable to disconnect if you happen to rename or move the target file. They also require elevation so i-DeClone will ask you to start in administrator mode to complete the linking.
■ Cleanup by creating links fails
Freeing up space via linking the duplicate files will only work in local hard disks that are NTFS formatted. If your drive is FAT32 formatted, or you are trying to link to network drives, then i-DeClone will complain. Also creating links to removable USB drives isn't advisable, unless they are always connected. If linking isn't possible you can delete the duplicate files to reclaim space.
■ Create links cleanup achieved nothing?
If you didn't get any error messages, it did work! Hard links are deceptive, the files stay in their place and you can see a file size reported as before, but the trick is that only one instance of the file takes up space, regardless of how many links there are. If you link lots of files you will see the impact on the total disk free space. Symbolic links on the other hand show as 0-size.
■ I did a mistake, can I undo the cleanup?
Sometimes you can. If the duplicate files deleted happened to be on your main hard disk or an external HD, then you can use your Recycle bin to undo the deletion. Items located in network folders or phones cannot be recycled! Creating links cannot be undone either. In emergencies see the log file in %TEMP% folder that lists the latest clean-up details (or use View log command from clean-up button menu).
■ Can i-DeClone search in compressed archives (ZIP, 7Z, RAR)?
By default i-DeClone will search in ZIP files that behave like folders out of the box. You can extend your system to search in many other compressed files if you install this plugin. Make sure you tick the setting Enter virtual folders to search in archives.
■ Can i-DeClone search in cloud storage?
Many of the popular cloud storage providers (OneDrive, Dropbox) are just special folders on your desktop, so i-DeClone can search in them for your cloud files. Some others like Amazon cloud drive on the other hand do not allow i-DeClone or any other desktop program to access the cloud contents.
Cloud files marked as "offline" (not available locally) will not be scanned for content or advanced file properties, to avoid unnecessary downloads
■ I don't want to see project summary information
Certain information dialogs are optional but you may find that Don't show this message again is disabled and cannot be ticked. If you don't want to see the summary page again, turn on expert mode from Settings (<F12> key), run a scan and tick "don't show this again" box. That's the last time you'll see a project summary — even when you go back to standard mode.
■ My photo/media/document format isn't handled
i-DeClone scan categories are really just lists of file extensions that define each format. If you enable expert mode from settings, then you will find a File types section in settings dialog. There you can add any extra types you have for music, video or whichever scan category you need to expand.
■ Can I export duplicates information?
Whatever you see in the results pane can be exported as clipboard text pressing <Ctrl+P> keyboard shortcut, or as a CSV file you can open with MS Excel. Use group ID column numbers to decipher the duplicate files in each group. You can also drag-drop items to explorer with the right mouse button
Licensing and registration
■ What are the limitations of the free trial?
i-DeClone runs full power even in trial mode. Its scan mode is fully functional: it will search your entire hard disk and present all duplicate files. However you cannot remove more than 100 duplicates unless you buy a license. After a few days of free use, the trial gets even more restrictive, so you need to either buy it or uninstall the program.
■ How many licenses (seats) do I need?
i-DeClone is licensed per user, not per computer. So if you are the only user, one license key is enough for all your personal computers. You only need to worry about extra seats if there are more people using the program.
■ What is the upgrade policy for i-DeClone?
At present there's no decision either way; upgrades may be free or there may have to be paid for. When you purchase i-DeClone you are guaranteed to receive free updates and support for at least a year.
■ Where do I enter the unlock key?
i-DeClone will ask for the license you bought when you start the program. If you don't see this dialog, be patient; i-DeClone will not nag you on the very first day of installation. To enter your license key immediately press <Ctrl+Shift+L> keys simultaneously while the program is running.
■ My unlock key doesn't work
Please make sure you use the entire key copy/paste from the email you received when you purchased the program, without modifications. For more information watch this demo video
If your question is not covered please feel free to contact us.