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Copy files with original date/time
Name: Alex2002 Date: December 5, 2005 at 07:23:25 Pacific OS: XP Pro CPU/Ram: 3200,1GB
Comment:
Just wondering if anyone could let me know, is there a tool or program available that will copy files across to another drive without changing their date/time stamp? For example, if I copy an old file from Drive C, say from 2001, to my Drive E to back it up, then it will change the date to 5th December, todays date. Anyway to overcome this?
Name: Jennifer SUMN Date: December 5, 2005 at 09:46:31 Pacific
+1
Reply:
In a command window, run xcopy with the following switches:
/s/e/c/a/k/h
Soylent Green is PEOPLE!!!
Response Number 2
Name: Mechanix2Go Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:04:22 Pacific
+1
Reply:
Hi Jennifer,
That works great.
I wish I knew why.
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.
M2
Response Number 3
Name: XpUser Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:13:13 Pacific
+1
Reply:
I wonder if xcopy is limited to the 8.3 filename format ... in other words can it also long filename?
i_XpUser
Response Number 4
Name: Mechanix2Go Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:26:14 Pacific
+1
Reply:
xcopy in w2k/xp does LFNs.
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.
M2
Response Number 5
Name: XpUser Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:29:05 Pacific
+1
Reply:
Thanks - I've not tried it - I'm just too lazy today :-)
i_XpUser
Response Number 6
Name: Alex2002 Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:29:10 Pacific
+1
Reply:
Thanks for the tip, sadly it doesn't work for me in the way that I thought. As when doing a normal copy (in explorer, copy and pasting files) the "modified date" shows as an old date like 2002 for example. But the "created date" will show December 5th. Looks a bit silly having a file that was modified in 2002 reporting that it was created in 2005! Oh well, looks like i'll have to put up with it!..
..unless anyone here knows of a way around that :P
Thanks
Response Number 7
Name: XpUser Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:34:28 Pacific
+1
Reply:
Alex2002,
Is your file system NTFS?
i_XpUser
Response Number 8
Name: Alex2002 Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:40:22 Pacific
+1
Reply:
It is indeed
Response Number 9
Name: XpUser Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:47:40 Pacific
+1
Reply:
That's the problem with NTFS. NTFS timestamp is hard to beat.
I'll share with you what I have adopted 10 years ago. For every filename I created, I prefix it with YYMMDD. By following this practice, I can easily access a file either by date or by description.
i_XpUser
Response Number 10
Name: Mechanix2Go Date: December 5, 2005 at 10:54:37 Pacific
+1
Reply:
After I read the OP, I spent about an hour on a BAT but it was becomming too much of a kludge.
So I went scrabbling about for a better TOUCH than the Borland TC++.
But if you're stuck on using Explorer, I guess you're out of luck.
An inquiring mind might wonder what good creation, modified and accessed dates are if all you can do is gawk at them.
I hope Jennifer gets back and tells us why her trick works.
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.
M2
Response Number 11
Name: afbyorb Date: December 5, 2005 at 20:57:35 Pacific
Summary: We have discovered that it’s tough to retain original timestamps when your file system is NTFS. See if our past discussion below helps. December 05, 2005: Copy files with original date/time May 03...
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Comment: 
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