# Duplicates that are not Duplicates **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Tags:** server-windows\ **Created:** [August 18, 2019, 8:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071 "2019-08-18T08:21:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![whbyrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@whbyrd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/whbyrd)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2019, 8:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/1 "2019-08-18T08:21:47Z")
I have a lot of Mash episodes. I check for duplicates periodically. This morning I found a list of duplicates that are not duplicate. One of duplicate is from season 7 and the other is season 10. ---
**Author:** ![JasonNalley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jasonnalley/32/24210_2.png) [@JasonNalley](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JasonNalley)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2019, 8:25am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/2 "2019-08-18T08:25:17Z")
What are the file names? ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2019, 10:07am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/3 "2019-08-18T10:07:16Z")
Look at the [Get Info / Media Info](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201998867-investigate-media-information-and-formats/) for each problematic episode. It will show the files Plex is considering to be duplicates. Depending on what is shown, you can then take the appropriate action. ---
**Author:** ![whbyrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@whbyrd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/whbyrd)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2019, 10:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/4 "2019-08-18T10:24:28Z")
That’s where I am. It shows 2 different episodes. Mail]([Outlook](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986)) for Windows 10 ![Dup.PNG.jpg](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/5/9/59b65aa6ee1a8448eec4acea73647b4adc6d7143.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![whbyrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@whbyrd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/whbyrd)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2019, 10:25am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/5 "2019-08-18T10:25:23Z")
Here is an example. Mail]([Outlook](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986)) for Windows 10 ![Dup.PNG.jpg](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/5/9/59b65aa6ee1a8448eec4acea73647b4adc6d7143.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![whbyrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@whbyrd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/whbyrd)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2019, 10:53am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/6 "2019-08-18T10:53:26Z")
It appears that plex is seeing season 10 and 7 as the same season. The episodes are named with different seasons but same episode number. This was not a problem until today. Yesterday I updated server? ---
**Author:** ![JasonNalley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jasonnalley/32/24210_2.png) [@JasonNalley](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JasonNalley)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/7 "2019-08-18T16:52:44Z")
looking at the naming, you have one named simply MASH and the other named MASH (1972) If I was you, I would remove them from the library. Rescan the library. Name them all correctly (use FileBot if necessary, you can get the free portable version out there still, no need to pay). Place them back into the library and rescan. It should pick them up. This would be the best and most proper way of doing things. ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/8 "2019-08-18T17:06:07Z")
**Question:** Where does the library point for the series? To `E:\`? To `E:\MASH`? If `E:\`, what else is in the directory? Hopefully no movies. The usual structure would be `E:\TV Shows\MASH\.....`, with the library pointing at TV Shows. Basically, you cannot mix TV shows and movies in the same library. Also, the library must be the correct type, in this case, TV Show. **Suggestion:** You should be able to split the shows. Using Plex Web, from the pre-play page click on the three dots, then choose “Split Apart.” I doubt this will work long term. Plex will probably re-combine them at some point when it re-scans the library. **Suggestion:** Do a bit of cleanup on your directory names. For season 10, you put the year in the episode name. However, neither the show directory or other episode names contain the year. Either use the year or don’t. Plex likes consistency. `\MASH (1972)\Season 01\MASH (1972) - s01e01.mp4` or `\MASH\Season 01\MASH - s01e01.mp4` **Suggestion:** Verify and cleanup any embedded metadata in the files. Examine the files with [MediaInfo](https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo) or look at the Plex XML info (click on View XML). Make sure the show name, season, episode, etc are correct if present in the file. If the show name is present, make sure it is `M*A*S*H`, not `MASH`. Windows: [MP3TAG](https://www.mp3tag.de/en/) Mac: [Subler](https://subler.org/) **Suggestion:** If none of the above works, change the search agent for the library from TheTVDB to The Movie Database. To change, edit the library, choose Advanced, then change the agent. Reason: `M*A*S*H` might throw Plex for a curve. You cannot have `*` in a file or directory name, so you have to leave it out. However, if you search TheTVDB for 'MASH" it does not find the show. You have to search for `M*A*S*H`. On The Movie Database, you can search for ‘MASH’ and receive the correct information. That’s everything I can think of right now. I suppose you could fall back to a prior version. If you want to do that, see [this post](https://forums.plex.tv/t/how-do-i-roll-back-the-version-of-plex/447470/7). ---
**Author:** ![whbyrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@whbyrd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/whbyrd)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 7:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/9 "2019-08-20T19:58:47Z")
how do i remove from library and not remove from external hard drive? Bill ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/10 "2019-08-20T20:49:25Z")
> [@whbyrd](#): > > how do i remove from library and not remove from external hard drive? Move it to a location that is not scanned by Plex. ---
**Author:** ![whbyrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@whbyrd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/whbyrd)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 9:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/11 "2019-08-21T09:16:05Z")
Hey guys. Thanks for your help. Restructured folders. Got Filebot working. Got movies in separate folder. Bill ---
**Author:** ![whbyrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@whbyrd](https://forums.plex.tv/u/whbyrd)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/12 "2019-08-21T17:31:34Z")
Since I restructured my file system to separate movies, Quatro wants to record episodes already in my file system? Bill ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/13 "2019-08-22T01:41:25Z")
> [@whbyrd](#): > > Quatro wants to record episodes already in my file system? I don’t use the DVR capability in Plex, so can’t help you with that issue. Hopefully somebody else can assist. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 1:41am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/duplicates-that-are-not-duplicates/448071/14 "2019-11-20T01:41:25Z")
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