[GUIDE][HOW-TO]Keep timestamp and attributes correct

[[email protected]]

Has anyone found a solution using software-wise or by any other means to transfer a file (could be anything) to windows PC keeping/preserving date created, date modified, date accessed of that file/folder to the PC without any problems? Is this even possible? The emphasis is on *FILES & FOLDERS*

 

[tag68]

To be sure to restore these states, you should use an archiver. Example
tar cvf filename.tar *
For archive
tar xvf filename.tar
For extracting.
If you have the rights, this should always work fine, and I think date and time of folder is being restored also. But I'm not sure if nanoseconds are being restored, or if tar only stores seconds.

 

[[email protected]]

To be sure to restore these states, you should use an archiver. Example
tar cvf filename.tar *
For archive
tar xvf filename.tar
For extracting.
If you have the rights, this should always work fine, and I think date and time of folder is being restored also. But I'm not sure if nanoseconds are being restored, or if tar only stores seconds.

This seems to be a linux workaround but Im using windows 10

 

[tag68]

You may use tar on Android, Linux, Mac or Windows. As you like. The only difference is that Linux (and Mac) does deliver tar itself, for Android and Windows you may need a download.

If you don't like tar, you can try any other archiver that exists on all concerned OS, eg 7z or zip could be fine also.

The idea is that the archiver stores the date and restores it. This is a different, much more reliable approach than trying to copy timestamp. Especially for folders the file operations usually don't even try to restore the timestamp, the idea is that the folder is created when copying. Archivers mostly care about folder dates. Gnutar has quite some logic implemented to first copy all of the the files and afterwards set the timestamp for the folder, because adding a file to a folder sets a new timestamp.

This is the background why I recommended tar. It is the oldest tool, very reliable and exists nearly everywhere.

 

[[email protected]]

You may use tar on Android, Linux, Mac or Windows. As you like. The only difference is that Linux (and Mac) does deliver tar itself, for Android and Windows you may need a download.

If you don't like tar, you can try any other archiver that exists on all concerned OS, eg 7z or zip could be fine also.

The idea is that the archiver stores the date and restores it. This is a different, much more reliable approach than trying to copy timestamp. Especially for folders the file operations usually don't even try to restore the timestamp, the idea is that the folder is created when copying. Archivers mostly care about folder dates. Gnutar has quite some logic implemented to first copy all of the the files and afterwards set the timestamp for the folder, because adding a file to a folder sets a new timestamp.

This is the background why I recommended tar. It is the oldest tool, very reliable and exists nearly everywhere.

Is it native to windows 10 or is there a specific software that I need to download to use TAR ? What im trying to do is preserve all date and time fields of FOLDERS and FILES from android and transfer them to desktop PC for archiving and storage. So your saying TAR will allow this?

 

[tag68]

It is said that tar is included with Windows 10:

Windows: tar verwenden und ggf. nachrüsten – Andy's Blog

www.andysblog.de

tar does not transfer files. It is only an archiver. But you don't need to check if the transfer is being done timestamp-aware because you don't transfer the single files and folders, only an archive. If the archive does not keep timestamp when getting transferred, it does not harm. tar should be an easy helper for what you want to achieve.

On my Android device tar is directly available when called in a terminal.

If you want some GUI, so you don't need to use the command line, you will most probable need to download some archiver helper. Guess 7zip GUI will be fine for creating and extracting tar on Windows.

7-Zip » 7-zip.de

7-zip.de

 

[ThatGangsta39]

Has anyone found a solution using software-wise or by any other means to transfer a file (could be anything) to windows PC keeping/preserving date created, date modified, date accessed of that file/folder to the PC without any problems? Is this even possible? The emphasis is on *FILES & FOLDERS*

I've managed to copy my files with the tool "TotalCommander". It's a german file manager, similar to the Windows Explorer, but you can easily copy files over MTP and transfers the timestamps, if previously enabled in settings.
However, I noticed when copying the pictures to my new smartphone (Samsung), that it won't maintain these timestamps - unlike other smartphone brands, like LG or Xiaomi

 

[[email protected]]

I've managed to copy my files with the tool "TotalCommander". It's a german file manager, similar to the Windows Explorer, but you can easily copy files over MTP and transfers the timestamps, if previously enabled in settings.
However, I noticed when copying the pictures to my new smartphone (Samsung), that it won't maintain these timestamps - unlike other smartphone brands, like LG or Xiaomi

So your saying specific LG and Xiaomi phones do preserve the date created, date modified and date accessed of files and/or folders to PC or to another android device ? Which smartphone models like Xiaomi and LG preserves file and folder date and timestamps (without worrying about DST changes) ?

I've tested total commander and it only preserves the date modified, date created and date accessed doesn't get preserved. I know this and verified this after plugging my android phone to PC and using file explorer to see the video, photo or document such as pdf files etc..

I have not tried using TAR archives yet because if there is someone who can prove to me all 3 date and timestamps are preserved when copying or moving the archive to PC...then I would try it

 

[[email protected]]

I have simply starting zipping up all my files, copy the ZIP to my phone and then unzipping them.

 

[[email protected]]

I have simply starting zipping up all my files, copy the ZIP to my phone and then unzipping them.

Have you tried to see if the date created, date modified and date accessed of the files are preserved? Have you tested this on pictures, videos and documents or what other certain types of files have you tested?

 

[[email protected]]

Have you tried to see if the date created, date modified and date accessed of the files are preserved? Have you tested this on pictures, videos and documents or what other certain types of files have you tested?

Not all, but I believe the date modified is preserved and I then just sort via QuickPic using date modified and it serves my purpose well.

 

[[email protected]]

Not all, but I believe the date modified is preserved and I then just sort via QuickPic using date modified and it serves my purpose well.

I understand, but thats not obviously what im looking for. Thank you anyway

 

[[email protected]]

I understand, but thats not obviously what im looking for. Thank you anyway

I don't recall perfectly but I think another option would be to use Linux.

Boot Ubuntu orn another distro off a USB drive and try copying the files to your phone.

 

[[email protected]]

I don't recall perfectly but I think another option would be to use Linux.

Boot Ubuntu orn another distro off a USB drive and try copying the files to your phone.

I've tried to copy files from android to linux then transferred to windows 10, it seems like only date modified is retained but date accessed becomes the current date and time