Comparing file directories

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Does anyone have a suggestion for a program that can compare lists of files within directories? I saw an old post that mentioned a program called “Windiff” found on the Win 98 Resource Kit disk, but I can’t find that on my pc. Is that on a disk that comes with the pc?

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The Resource Kit is (was?) a “for fee” extra published by Microsoft. I don’t know if it’s still around or not. I can tell you that at work we used Windiff at one time and too many of the folks found serious fault or shortcomings with the program. We settled on a commercial program called Araxis Merge, which turns out to be a terrific piece of software. Unfortunately, it isn’t in what you’d call the low-price market ($124 USD). It will compare folders or files and in the case of folders, it will do the compare “quickly” (date and time only) or in depth (file content as well). I use it all the time for comparing documents or HTML files to discern differences between two files. As far as I know, it won’t compare binary files, unless maybe the latest version has had that added.

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I have used WiffDiff for about 5 years with NO problems. It certainly is not ideal, but it gets the job done. It came FREE on the CD of every copy of Win98.

You might find some useful information about it on Google. Presently, I use the “RunWinDiff” free program as the interface for WinDiff.

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Hi Rick:
I followed your link to Google & located RunWinDiff at “The Code Project”. I’m wondering if that’s where you got it from and whether you’ve gotten any spam that’s you think you might have gotten by giving them your email address?
Thanks in advance.

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I don’t believe so, but I use multiple email addresses and have a sophisticated spam system in place — so it is hard to be sure!

Yes, that is the “front end” that I use. Believe me, even with this WinDiff is no great piece of software. But for free, it does what I need it to!

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Thanks, Rick. I think I’ll download it, using a disposable address. That’s how I usually order things online now.

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You might want to try WMATCH created by PC Magazine. It’s freeware that dates to the DOS days but recently updated for Windows.

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