Find Duplicate Songs

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There are plenty of good programs for finding duplicate files–based on file name, size, and checksums–but finding duplicate songs can be trickier. After all, if you have the same recording in .mp3 and .m4a formats, you’ve got duplicate songs that are not duplicate files.

So you need to search by metadata–the extra information that defines the contents of a file. Specifically, you need a program that can matches songs with the same title and by the same artist (because Smash Mouth’s “I’m a Believer” is not a duplicate of the Monkees’ original.)

You’ll also have to remember that no list of duplicate songs generated by software will be perfect. A program may not realize that Beatles and The Beatles are the same group. Nor can it always differentiate between the original studio recording and the live concert version. (I’ve known Dead Heads with probably ten versions of “Brokedown Palace.”)

But the right program can give you reasonably accurate lists to work through. Here are three I can recommend:

iTunes: Well, no, I wouldn’t recommend you download and install iTunes just for this purpose, but if you’re already using it, you’ve got a pretty good search tool. Just select File • Show Duplicates. If you have the same song as an .mp3 and a .m4a, iTunes will list both, but it won’t find any .wma versions.

Lincoln Spector, PCWorld

A Quick Fix for Slow Internet Access

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This morning a neighbor asked me if my Internet access was really, really slow the last couple days. (We subscribe to the same ISP.) I said no, it’s been just fine. Then I offered him the same suggestion I offer most folks who complain about connectivity problems: power-cycle your modem and router.

In other words, disconnect the power cords from both, wait about 10 seconds, and then plug them back in. In a minute or two, your network will be up and running again, and your Internet access might be its good old speedy self. I say “might be” because there are loads of other possible culprits for pokey Internet connections.

For example, you might have a spyware problem. Windows’ Internet settings might be FUBAR (or at least less than optimal). If you’re connecting via a wireless router, there could be range issues.

In most cases, however, it’s probably just a router and/or modem in need of rebooting. For the record, my neighbor told me the power-cycling trick worked like a charm. Hmm, maybe I should send him a bill? Nah, I’ll just give him a link to Hassle-Free PC. Feel free to do likewise for friends and relatives who need answers to common PC problems!

Rick Broida, PCWorld

Is the Problem With My Modem or My Router?

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You can isolate the problem by trying different configurations. Try these tests:

1) If you use WiFi, move your PC into the same room as your router and use an Ethernet connection. If the problem goes away, it’s a WiFi problem, although you still won’t know if it’s the router or the PC.

2) Try replacing one or more of the cables involved. If you replace an expensive router and then discover the problem is a $2 telephone cable, you’ll hate yourself in the morning.

3) Borrow another laptop or invite a friend to work at your home for a couple of days. If you have the problem and they don’t, the problem is with your PC.

4) Bypass the router and connect the modem directly to your PC. If the problem reoccurs, the problem is either with the modem or the connection. But remember, not using a router is inherently dangerous, so go back to the router as soon as you’ve identified the problem.

And if the problem doesn’t go away after all of these tests, it’s your ISP’s fault, even if they insist it isn’t.

Lincoln Spector, PCWorld

My PC Keeps Freezing Up

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The obvious quick fix is to not leave your computer on for two or three days at a time. In fact, I’d give you this advice even if you weren’t having this problem. Windows tends to get unstable over time, and a reboot refreshes it. Besides, leaving the computer on all the time wastes electricity.

You should either shut it down or hibernate it at the end of every workday. Hibernating the computer won’t refresh Windows the way a full boot does, but it’s faster and lets you start the day exactly where you left off. From the hardware’s point of view (and I suspect you’ve got a hardware problem), there’s no difference between shutting down and hibernating a PC.

 

Lincoln Spector, PCWorld