My backup's getting fat

[t3rockhall]

When I first started using SD, it was "evaluating" and backing up about 180,000 "files." That jumped to 290,000 (when I started to have some issues with my system). I was having some problems with a corrupt something-or-other in my system (10.3.9) so today I did an archive and reinstall. After I brought it up to date, I moved the archived system folder to a separate external disk partition and deleted it from my HD. then ran TT4, and finally defragged the HD to eliminate all traces of the old system folder (or so I thought). This took one full day -- 8:30 - 5:00. Whew!

But then, after all this work, when I used SD to make an erase and copy backup on the LaCie, it said it was copying 450,000 files. Where the heck are all these "files" coming from?? Should I care? Disk usage in GB is actually down a few, so I'm confused, to say the least.


Edit: I guessed (correctly) that there were some duplicate files. I had put stuff I don't use, like Garage Band, into a folder called "Unused Apps" to clean up the applications folder. Of course, all the apps that get installed with the system ALSO went back into the Applications folder, and I had a bunch of dupes. Now I'm down to 294K -- an improvement, but still fat. Oh well...

Comments would be appreciated.

Edit: The problem with the computer is NOT solved, after all that work. I'm bringing it into the Apple Store today. (If I put it to sleep at night, in the Morning, it's OFF).

Thanks.