Most of the time I enjoy searching (and researching) and trying to find Google answers to my own questions and issues. In a nutshell, I frequently get a long way from what I was originally searching for. My final (or to this point anyway) search led me to do a cleaning/scanning on my AIO. When I scanned for duplicates, I had several pages pop up. So then I had to search and see if I could find out why I had so many duplicate files. I quickly found both of each set of duplicates showed the same exact thing, except for one difference...the second duplicate showed "(x86)" after Program Files. So then I had to Google and to find out what it meant. For all intents and purposes (or intensive purposes, if you prefer), I know all I need to know about that.
What I am wanting to know now, however, is what is a good way to go about getting back my space? I understand the logic of why Windows 8/8.1 was written like that, but firstly, (1) what would be the best way to check and find out which version I can get rid of? Now I am specifically referring to game files. I have at least two locations for every game I've downloaded. Depending on the answer to (1), if all of my games can be played on the 32 bit (x86) files and I keep them, is there a possibility when there is an update to Windows 8.1 that a change in the update can prevent me from playing 32-bit games? I mean it could very well happen in the future. What if I find out I can play all of my games in 64-bit and deleted all of the 32-bits? Again, an update in the future could change something and make it not work. Gaming takes up a lot of space and although today I can deal with the duplicates taking up a lot, tomorrow I may need that space.
I do have another thought about it that's odd. When you download from a source, do the files now automatically get downloaded with the 32bit and 64bit or is it just one program that gets downloaded and waits for your system to decide if it should go to one or the other, or both?
Regardless, the first thing I would need to know is find out which ones can't be played. Can anyone help me with this? Has anyone found they faced a similar situation? I guess the main thing would be getting back my space. Thank you for your assistance.
CJ
What I am wanting to know now, however, is what is a good way to go about getting back my space? I understand the logic of why Windows 8/8.1 was written like that, but firstly, (1) what would be the best way to check and find out which version I can get rid of? Now I am specifically referring to game files. I have at least two locations for every game I've downloaded. Depending on the answer to (1), if all of my games can be played on the 32 bit (x86) files and I keep them, is there a possibility when there is an update to Windows 8.1 that a change in the update can prevent me from playing 32-bit games? I mean it could very well happen in the future. What if I find out I can play all of my games in 64-bit and deleted all of the 32-bits? Again, an update in the future could change something and make it not work. Gaming takes up a lot of space and although today I can deal with the duplicates taking up a lot, tomorrow I may need that space.
I do have another thought about it that's odd. When you download from a source, do the files now automatically get downloaded with the 32bit and 64bit or is it just one program that gets downloaded and waits for your system to decide if it should go to one or the other, or both?
Regardless, the first thing I would need to know is find out which ones can't be played. Can anyone help me with this? Has anyone found they faced a similar situation? I guess the main thing would be getting back my space. Thank you for your assistance.
CJ