PSE8 - Get Pics - 2,000

Question

I have downloaded pics to the computer(s).  Have more than 2,000 on this computer - from this one, old ones and different cameras. Not all are photos, some are census pages, courthouse or library shots, etc.  for genealogy.  Most are just loose on my computer (not in PSE).  If I now say Get Pics - how will that be handled?  Some of them will have the same names -such as defaults  DSC00001, -002, etc. and other cameras probably used the same numbering system, so in addition to duplicates, triplicates and more of the same pics, some will be different pics. Some have been renamed from the default.
I just searched for DSC00001 and got 26, 7 of them appear to be different based on file sz and a small icon lower left.  Is there a way to see larger thumbnails in a search without opening each file to compare? Maybe it isn't as bad as I thought, apparently a lot of them have been renamed.
With Get Pics, will PSE differentiate between same default numbered names with different dates the pics were taken, or different cameras? (Frequently I wanted the last few off the camera and just downloaded again)  I know; I'm trying to clean up my mess and do better - starting now! . 
Can I break them up in segments to make it smaller, therefore more manageable,  For example, can I tell PSE to Get Pics DSC00001 and it will be limited just to that number? 
?What to do?

Answer 1

Thanks.  Since it's going to be a humongous task I have a current big task I better finish before I start. It's reassuring that duplicates, and more, will be considered separate pictures.  Do you know if an upgrade to PSE10 before I start would ease the pain any? 
From: MichelBParis <[email protected]>
To: HenriLucy <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2011 1:02 PM
Subject: PSE8 - Get Pics - 2,000
Re: PSE8 - Get Pics - 2,000 created by MichelBParis in Photoshop Elements - View the full discussion
First, the Organizer will not consider files as duplicates only because they have the same file name. I cannot tell you exactly which criteria it uses for that, but as you have seen, it can rename them if necessary.
When you 'get files', the organizer registers the files in its catalog (database) with their properties stored in the exif of the files : date taken or digitized, camera make and model etc.
Once they are in the catalog, use the 'find' menu to retrieve them by camera, date or other metadata.
For instance, you can find them by file name like DSC00001 by camera X on a given month.
Have a look both at the 'find' menu and the properties dialog (Alt Enter), this will give you an idea.
If you have organized a folder structure which is meaningful for you, you can select folders and assign a custom keyword to their contents : genealogy, travel, family events... This will help you manage your files even with duplicate file names.
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