How to re-sort files on external HD

[ijb89]

Hi all,

First post on here - hope someone can help

I use a Macbook Air 13 Inch Mid-2013 running 10.10.5 Yosemite. I also have a 1TB external harddrive that i've pretty much filled (1GB free).

I want to re-arrange the files contained on the harddrive to check for duplications and free up some space. The trouble is i've never worried about arranging my files before - i've just backed up when I've needed to free up space.

Now I'm in a position where I've not got the freedom to copy files onto the first 'layer' of the Harddrive to check alphabetically as i've got next to no space left on either my external or my internal Harddrives, and i'm stuck looking at what can only be described as a multi-layered mess!

For example, I've got a lot of pictures on my harddrive. I have them all in a folder called 'Images'. I somehow have multiple copies of the same image though. To be more specific, I have one image currently in Harddrive > Images > China 2015, as well as another copy of the same image in images>images_from_camera>2015>Trips

I am unable to simply copy the files contained in "China 2015" and paste them into "Images_from_camera" as the lack of space simply won't allow it.

Although I know it might sound implausible, I would ideally want to remove the 'sub-folders' "China 2015" and "Images_from_camera", "2015" and "Trips" so that I am looking at all the image files in one long list and can then re-sort them from there.

If someone could help shed some light on this, I'd appreciate it - really don't fancy going out and buying another hard-drive just to drag from one to the other!

Cheers,

Ian

 

[MacUser2525]

Hold down the I think it is command key while dragging and dropping the files and it will move the files. If they are named identically then it will overwrite or ask if you want to overwrite them not totally sure on which as I have not used finder in years. If you decline the overwriting simple way to find the duplicates if you accept then it will free up your space automatically when overwritten. Actually now I think about it a drag and drop on the same drive should do the move all on its own the hold key option is for between drives. In short make new directory on one of the drives drag files from that drive into it to move them there is no need for extra space.

 

[ijb89]

Hey - thanks for the advice

I've looked a little more and am beginning to think perhaps the HD is 'read only' as the first time it was used, the data came from a Windows machine.

Will play around some more this weekend and let you know how it goes

Thanks again

 

[Boyd01]

Are these files important to you? If so, I would get another external drive and copy the files you want to keep to it. A 1TB drive with only 1GB free is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[MacUser2525]

Hey - thanks for the advice

I've looked a little more and am beginning to think perhaps the HD is 'read only' as the first time it was used, the data came from a Windows machine.

Will play around some more this weekend and let you know how it goes

Thanks again

Lovely, should be able to right click on the icon for it do a getinfo to see the ownership/permissions then use it to change the ownership/permissions if necessary.