Storeograph Frequently asked questions

How much is a subscription for the Explorer package? Show answer

The Explorer package is a one-time, single-purchase upgrade.

It is NOT a subscription.

The price is USD $14.99 in the US store. Price and currency in other countries will vary.

What’s “System Data” and why is it so large? Show answer

On modern computers, “System Data” is just another way to refer to “other data”. This is data that can’t be categorized as some other type of file, such as documents, mail, messages, or photos. “System Data” can include virtually anything and often encompasses relatively obscure items like local snapshots, caches, and deleted files. There is no single cause.

Storeograph’s Explorer package includes tools to help you locate this data.

Why don’t I get more free space after deleting files? Show answer

Years ago, the answer to this question would have been, “just empty the trash”. Deleting files is usually a two-step process. One must drag files to the trash, and once the trash is full, empty it. That’s no longer the full story. Today, there’s a third step, "just wait". The operating system preserves recently deleted files using local snapshots. These are hidden structures in the file system. They’re difficult to find and control. Usually these local snapshots will be automatically removed after a couple of days and any files that you’ve deleted will be converted into free storage. Sometimes 3rd party backup utilities can use local snapshots too.

Local snapshots can be useful in some situations. They can be automatically included in backups. Using local snapshots, you can restore the entire contents of your startup volume to an older version in seconds.

Local snapshots are usually not an opportunity to recover storage. They are created and deleted automatically. If you’re running out of free storage, you should probably look elsewhere.

In Storeograph’s Explorer package, local snapshots are included in the Other files category.

Why is my computer so slow? Show answer

Storage problems are often related to a slow computer. Older computers often used mechanical hard drives, whose speed is limited by moving parts. Newer computers use Solid State Drives (SSDs), which are much faster. But sometimes that speed is a problem. A modern SSD can consume hundreds of gigabytes in seconds. When free storage becomes very low, even a fast SSD will significantly slow down as the computer tries to manage “System Data” to keep the computer from crashing. External drives are particularly tricky, as they are often mechanical, or depend on a particular type of bus and cable for maximum performance.

Can Storeograph find duplicate files? Show answer

Of course! Storeograph even finds duplicate folders too! However, duplicates are tricky. Duplicate files are not a storage problem on a modern file system. The file system automatically copies files in a way that does not consume any additional storage for copies. It’s actually rather difficult to create an actual duplicate file. One of Storeograph’s major design goals is to help users focus their efforts where it matters most.

Therefore, Storeograph’s support for finding duplicates takes a more holistic approach. Storeograph isn’t going to waste your time scanning your data files. You probably aren’t going to recover much actual storage by deleting duplicate files anyway. But duplicate files and folders can be confusing. Which version is “current”? You know your data better than anyone else. Storeograph finds files and folders with similar sizes and similar names that appear to be duplicates. Storeograph can even identify if files are hard links or clones. This way, Storeograph gives you the information you need to make informed decisions about potentially duplicate data.