# Is there software that will compare directories on unconnected computers?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-software-that-will-compare-directories-on-unconnected-computers/395269>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 9, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-software-that-will-compare-directories-on-unconnected-computers/395269 "2007-03-09T16:43:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Emilio\_Lizardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Emilio\_Lizardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emilio_Lizardo)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-software-that-will-compare-directories-on-unconnected-computers/395269/1 "2007-03-09T16:43:30Z")

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A year or so ago when my laptop got recalled by my employer, I took my MP3 archive and transfered it to my computer at work. I have since got a new computer at home, and copied all my files back to my home machine. I haven’t kept both copies current though, and now I have some music on each one that is not on the other. Is there any way to do a comparisson between the file contents of two unconnected machines? I’m imagining something that will scan the folders I specify on one machine, make a note of all the file names, then scan the second machine and compare the two, giving me a report of the differences between them. Is this realistic?

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**Author:** ![Baraqiyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@Baraqiyal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baraqiyal)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-software-that-will-compare-directories-on-unconnected-computers/395269/2 "2007-03-09T19:51:02Z")

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If you’re comfortable using the command line, you could use a [cmp](http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/diffutils.htm) (comparison) tool on the directory output of the two machines. (You might be able to find a GUI cmp program).

In a nutshell:  
Open the Windows Command Prompt on the first machine  
CD to the directory with the MP3s (“cd c:\mymusic” or whatever)  
Type “dir /s \>a:\mymp3s.txt” to copy your directory listing to a floppy disk.  
Take your floppy to the other computer and repeat the process (using a different file name).  
Use your cmp program to see the difference between the two.

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-software-that-will-compare-directories-on-unconnected-computers/395269/3 "2007-03-10T09:34:40Z")

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Windows contains in the Accessories folder the Synchronization Manager, which is intended to keep a mobile laptop computer files sync’d with your main PC.

There is also the Microsoft ActiveSync 4.5 software. This is a free download ([http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/activesync/activesync45.mspx](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/activesync/activesync45.mspx)). It appears to be an updated product to do the same kind of syncing, but set to only work with recent Microsoft products.

Either of these might do what you want.