Windows XP:Folder properties.

[overhead]

I have just spent most of a day cross checking the size and folder/files count of every artist folder between my external hardrive and it's backup,because the main drive says it contains 160 TB of data,64,255 files and 5,526 folders,
while the backup contains 159 TB of data,64,241 files and 5,521 folders.
This leaves 14 files and 5 folders adrift.It's unlikely that those files belong in those folders,because I don't have many shows,or any,in fact with only two or three songs.
Are these folder properties accurate?
I ask because I noticed some odd things happening whilst looking for these mysterious bits of data.
Cross checking a Zappa show,the main drive said the folder contained 25 files,while the backup said it contained 24.Both copies contained 23 files.
Double checking afterwards,both said 25,so the backup changed to match the main drive,but both were out.
Similarly another show with the same amount of files read 30 on the main drive,and 31 on the backup.But counting them,there were 28.
Every so often,I'd check the main 'Archives' folder,as I named it,which contains all the individual artist folders,and found that on the main drive,the 'Archives' folder count,had gone down by one folder,and the files count by one file,so both drives seem to have a fluctuating count,adding or subtracting files and folders,apparently at random.
Any ideas?

[U2Lynne]

Could the count be including invisible files? Try turning that option on and seeing if some more files show up.

[overhead]

Thanks for the reply,that option is already checked.
What I do usually,is when I've finished seeding I cut the folder to paste onto the main drive and then copy it to the backup,they should be the same.
I thought maybe some of the files may be thumbs that might have shown up if I open any artwork files,on one drive and not the other,but that doesn't account for the folders.
Or the changing values.
Most odd.

[overhead]

Oops! That should read 1.60 TB and 1.59 TB above,otherwise,1TB consisting of 5 folders and 15 files should be easy to find.

[vht]

Look into a program called Allwaysync. It will automatically keep your drives synced up. There's no need to sit there all day trying to do it manually.

[Audioarchivist]

There could be a few extra hidden thumbs.db files that either haven't been copied, or have been created since the copy was made...
Extra folders? maybe some hidden system folder? Recycle folder?
Good luck happy hunting!

[overhead]

Thanks for the replies folks - I'm using a programme called FolderMatch,following vht's suggestion of getting the P.C to do the work for me,which is helping a great deal.
I've located a few thumbs and the odd text file or picture which for some reason don't exist in both copies.I haven't licked the folder situation yet,but it's narrowed down the number of mismatched artist folders from 358 to 76,and for most of those,the only difference is the date the folder was created,which I guess happened when I outgrew a hardrive and got a bigger one to contain everything.
We're getting there!Thanks all!

[paddington]

Buy a program called second copy, have it make an "exact" copy and all your reconciliation issues will go away.

[overhead]

Maybe in the new year,I'm currently waiting to see if this new job I'm in is going to last after the holidays,after I was made redundant at the end of August.If it's a go on that,I'll follow your suggestion.Until then,I'll go with the free trial period thing.

[mooncusser]

there are other syncing apps - I've used Microsoft's free SyncToy in the past

[LeifH12345]

Another option is to redo in smaller chunks you can easily monitor