Duplicate content - old forum thread copies on new forum, too

[len backus]

I started a new forum and in doing so I moved copies of all threads from one of the sub-forums from my original forum.

I assume Google will give the higher page rank to the threads on the original forum. There is some advantage to keeping the threads on both the new and original forum. But it is more important to me that those threads be found by Google searchers on the new forums.

Should I delete them on the old forum? How much difference in effectiveness on the new forum will there be if I leave them on the old forum, too?

[briansol]

I would suggest deleting (hiding the forum from guests is probably best) them from the old forum. Duplicate content penalties will effect BOTH sites.

[len backus]

The duplicate threads on the old forum are, of course, already in Google's index. Whether I delete them or hide them, how long will it take Google to ignore them so that the threads in the new forum have 100% priority with Google.

Is there any effective timing difference in delete vs hide methods/

[briansol]

they should both 404 for guests/bots, so the timing is probably the same.

[len backus]

So, how long do you think it will take for the dupe problem to be resolved?
THanks

[briansol]

if it's 'off' on the old .com, there is no dupe problem. The old site will 404, and eventually drop from google's index, and the new .com will start picking up indexed pages

[len backus]

Will the "new" indexing start in days or more like weeks?

[briansol]

That's entirely at google's discretion...
could be instant.
could be a month.