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Question

Files duplicating in downloads folder

May 29, 2011 6:38PM PDT

Every day I find up to about 10 of the files in my downloads folder are duplicated, sometimes 2 or 3 times. I delete all the duplicates and even some of the originals then next day there is another lot often accompanied by files named with a single letter or a long name of apparently random letters.

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Files duplicating in downloads folder
May 30, 2011 12:52PM PDT

It would help if you gave information about the files such as the name, file size and file type.

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Clarification: Files duplicating in downloads folder
Jun 4, 2011 12:52AM PDT

I also see this, and I don't think it has anything to do with the browser in use (I also don't see any indication that Skywoolf thinks these files are being downloaded from a website).

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Answer
Not an answer, but a clue
Jun 22, 2011 6:41AM PDT

As it happens, I saw this as it was happening this morning. As I watched, more than 20 unwanted copies appeared in my downloads folder.

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Answer
I think I have the answer...
Jul 9, 2011 4:32AM PDT

It would appear that the culprit is CNET's own TechTracker System Preference panel.

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Me too...
Sep 19, 2011 5:17AM PDT

I have been having this problem for some time, and if I don't visit my downloads folder frequently, I can end up as i did today, with over 1,000 of these duplicates, which would surely eventually fill up my hard drive and kill the system, if unchecked...
If it is CNET's Tech Tracker, then it seriously needs to be sorted. Fwiw, TechTracker crashes for me daily - I duly submit the crash report, but it still keeps happening and I'm beginning to think I'd be better off without it.
I'll try your suggestion about updates and report back if it works.

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That was it.
Sep 30, 2011 12:37AM PDT

I can report that disabling "Check for updates" has solved the problem of the duplicate files.
TechTracker still keeps crashing on that machine, though.
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