Modification dates change when moving/copying between hard-drive and flash

T

teacher24_70

Guest
I use a flash drive to store most of my work-related documents on. That way, I have them when I'm at school (on a Windows XP computer) and at home on my Mac OS 10.3.9. I
try to occasionally back-up my flash drive by dragging it's contents to my Mac. Copying in this direction USUALLY retains the appropriate modification date.

However, if I move things from the Mac to the USB drive (I occasionally make changes to a file on the Mac when my flashdrive isn't handy), the modification date changes to the copy/move date. Is there a way around this? It alters the information about the file and sometimes makes a version look newer than another version of a document. When in reality, it’s older--it’s just been moved/copied and the date changed.

I often move things back and forth for backup purposes, but if it keeps changing the dates on it’s own, it’s impossible to tell which is REALLY the
most current copy/version.

Is there a fix so that copying and moving files between volumes does NOT change the modification date of the file?


Powerbook G4--12 in.--1.33 GHz Mac OS X (10.3.9)
 
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T

teacher24_70

Guest
Please try this!!

Okay, since no one can explain WHY this happens, could someone at least try it on your end to confirm that's it's repeatable on someone else's system?

If you have a flashdrive, try copying a file from the flashdrive to the Mac--on mine, the modification date remains in tact.

However, if I move/copy a file from my Mac TO the flashdrive, the modification date changes to whatever date/time I moved it over.

Is there anyone that would be willing to try this for me so that I can see if it's JUST happening to me.

Powerbook G4--12 in.--1.33 GHz Mac OS X (10.3.9)

teacher24_70 said:
I use a flash drive to store most of my work-related documents on. That way, I have them when I'm at school (on a Windows XP computer) and at home on my Mac OS 10.3.9. I
try to occasionally back-up my flash drive by dragging it's contents to my Mac. Copying in this direction USUALLY retains the appropriate modification date.

However, if I move things from the Mac to the USB drive (I occasionally make changes to a file on the Mac when my flashdrive isn't handy), the modification date changes to the copy/move date. Is there a way around this? It alters the information about the file and sometimes makes a version look newer than another version of a document. When in reality, it’s older--it’s just been moved/copied and the date changed.

I often move things back and forth for backup purposes, but if it keeps changing the dates on it’s own, it’s impossible to tell which is REALLY the
most current copy/version.

Is there a fix so that copying and moving files between volumes does NOT change the modification date of the file?


Powerbook G4--12 in.--1.33 GHz Mac OS X (10.3.9)
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MacManMark


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I Believe I have a solution to your problem

Teacher24_70 indicated:

"if I move things from the Mac to the USB drive . . . the modification date changes to the copy/move date."

This problem, you noted, does NOT occur when you move a file from the USB to the Mac.

I believe your problem would be remedied if you check the FORMAT of your USB drive. Place it in your Mac, then launch Disk Utility. Then select the USB drive in the Disk Utility window. You will probably find that it is formatted "MS DOS (Fat)". If you use Disk Utility's "Erase" feature to reformat the USB drive to "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)", you will no longer have a problem retaining the file's true modification date when moving the file to the USB drive.

Hope this helps. :) Mark
 

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