- 1). Click the Windows "Start" menu on your computer. A popup menu opens where you can type your file name. If you have Windows XP, you must choose "Run" first to choose the command text box.
- 2). Type the file name in the text box. You can also use the asterisk symbol to search for extended names. For instance, if you want to search for all files why the term "my" in the file name, type "my*.*" in the text box. This text searches all file names with "my" including all file extensions.
- 3). Press "Enter" to search for the files. A window opens that lists all files found. Any duplicates are shown, since each file is shown in alphabetical order. Look through the files for any duplicates on your hard drive.