File explorer and date created/modified change when copying files/folders.

Anonymous
2024-02-17T14:09:45+00:00

Dear Microsoft Wizards,

I come to you with a tale of woe, a saga of time-displaced files and folders that have lost their way in the temporal vortex of Windows File Explorer. In an age where we can chat with AI, drive electric chariots, and binge-watch shows about dragons and spaceships, I find myself anchored to a mundane reality. In reality, copying files and folders in Windows File Explorer betrays their original timestamps, casting them adrift in the present, forgetting their noble past.

Imagine a world where one could copy a file or folder without the cruel hands of the present altering their date and time stamps. A world where digital artifacts remain untouched by the ravages of time, preserving their history as meticulously as a museum curator with a penchant for organization and accuracy.

"Why not use robocopy or other command prompt utilities?" I hear you ask, your voices echoing through the hallowed halls of Redmond. Ah, but here lies the rub! While these tools are mighty in their own right, they demand a saint's patience and a wizard's expertise. Delving into the command prompt is akin to stepping into an ancient crypt inscribed with arcane commands and cryptic parameters. It is a thrilling adventure for the occasional file or two, perhaps, but Herculean labor when faced with the task of preserving the timestamps of hundreds, nay, thousands of files and folders.

So, I pray that you, the noble scribes and engineers of Microsoft, bestow upon us, the humble users, a magical feature within the Windows File Explorer itself. A feature that allows us to copy our digital treasures while keeping their temporal essence intact – no spells, no incantations, and indeed no command line rituals required.

In this quest for temporal fidelity, I stand ready to champion this cause, armed with nothing but my wit and a profound desire for user-friendly file management. Together, let us forge a new path through the annals of digital file preservation, ensuring that our files and folders may travel through the vast expanse of directories without losing sight of their origins.

Yours in time-traveling solidarity,

Luis Martinez

******@outlook.com

P.S. If this feature comes to pass, future generations will look back on this moment as a turning point in history – the day we let our files journey through time, unaltered and proud, their timestamps shining like beacons of their actual age.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-05-23T03:23:06+00:00

    But date taken is not capture used for raw files - e.g Nikon .NEF files. Nikon's Date shot is captured into date taken for JPEG files and accessible via file property details. No such luxury for raw files.

    I would appreciate it is someone could verify my conclusions below.

    After many painful experiences when file tweaking timestamp data (due to operator error in camera) I have found it seems upon first import Nikon's Date Shot is used to populate date created and date modified value (as seen in NXStudio opening an external camera card formatted as ex-fat (what Nikon use)- which is fair given the above. When imported these into files into File Explorer the files date value is set to the imported date modified value (at this point the same as date taken/date shot value). Any future manipulation of the files like refining their name to help File Explorer to sort them faster (instead of what seems to occur opening each file to get date info and then sort) will update the file's date modified but note the date is still as it was when imported set at date created. Again I guess this is as it is designed and fair. If you however copy or move such a file however the date field inherits the date modified date and updates based on current date and/or the new date created date. etc etc

    What is desperately needed to massively simply large volume based file manipulations is a field with date shot i.e. the already used for JPEG but not for RAW date taken field. As it doesn't exist there can be no retrospective issues surely. I'd like a solution please that doesn't require me to use third party tools or hack how explorer works

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-02-13T17:34:29+00:00

    P.S. If this feature comes to pass, future generations will look back on this moment as a turning point in history – the day we let our files journey through time, unaltered and proud, their timestamps shining like beacons of their actual age.

    Is this small "Highlight", barely showing above the dark depths without nay a flourish, supposed to be the turning point in history?
    Aye, with an unannounced GRADUAL ROLLOUT so as to further confuse thee with a "penchant for organization and accuracy"?
    KB5050094

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/january-28-2025-kb5050094-os-build-26100-3037-preview-78fda0ea-79e9-468d-8a77-de7914ca1aefKB5051987 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/february-11-2025-kb5051987-os-build-26100-3194-63fb007d-3f52-4b47-85ea-28414a24be2d

    • Fixed: The date and time properties of a file might update after you copy it.

    I am wondering if this issue has caused a knock-on issue with OneDrive suddenly and massively modifying file systems.

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/onedrive-changed-file-names-on-it-s-own/9ae70303-76de-4713-9c5f-d28a94981f3e

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  3. Les Ferch 10,361 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-01-21T15:37:59+00:00

    Teracopy still has the 2-second granularity for modified times

    Makes sense. FAT and FAT32 have a 2 second date resolution. It's best solved by keeping the file systems the same (i.e. format your external drives NTFS). ExFAT has a 10ms date resolution, so that should also be fine if you need to exchange data with other systems, such as a Mac.

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-01-21T15:04:37+00:00

    Teracopy still has the 2-second granularity for modified times

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-01-21T00:19:58+00:00

    Bonjour,

    Je pense qu'il existe une solution très simple pour résoudre votre problème. Il suffit, sous l'explorateur de fichiers, dans la barre d'affichage des "Nom" "Modifié le" "Type" etc.. de faire un clic droit, puis de choisir l'option "Prise de vue" dans la liste qui s'affiche.

    Cette possibilité s'applique, bien sûr, pour les photos ou vidéos.

    La date d'origine de la prise de vue apparaît alors, et c'est tout simple de trier sur cette colonne !!!

    Bon, j'ai bien cherché quand même car j'avais le même souci.

    Une autre possibilité consiste à utiliser le logiciel "Q-DIR". Celui-ci permet de copier, ou de déplacer, les fichiers et les dates qui apparaissent après copie sont cependant modifiées avec la date de déplacement.

    Toutefois, très curieusement, si vous utilisez "Explorateur de fichiers" de Windows vous vous aperceverez que les dates qui apparaissent sont, en fait, les dates d'origine de la création des fichiers, ou de prise de vue des photos et vidéos.

    C'est, à mon avis, la solution la plus simple pour récupérer la date d'origine de vos documents, mais il y a des cas où cela ne marche pas, allez savoir pourquoi !!!

    Bonne journée.

    Francis

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