Migration Assistant did not transfer dates

[clivechafer]

I moved everything from a MacBook Air to another MacBook Air using Migration Assistant, but all the files lost the dates they were created/modified. They all now have the date of the migration under Date Modified. I went from Yosemite to High Sierra, but otherwise there was no obvious change from one system to the other. Can I retrieve dates, or do I have to redo the migration? And if I have to do it all again, what can I do to preserve the dates? Thanks!

 

[chscag]

When you say "all the files", which files are you referring to? I have used the Migration Assistant many times and the only dates on files that were changed were those of the system not other files such as documents, etc. In other words, data files were left with their original creation dates.

One thing I should mention... if when you used the Migration Assistant, you created a new account at the same time, that would change the file dates to the current date.

 

[Slydude]

One thing I should mention... if when you used the Migration Assistant, you created a new account at the same time, that would change the file dates to the current date.

Wow. I didn't realize that. Learn something new every day.

 

[MacInWin]

Sly, think about it--If you use MA before you create a new account on a new system, then MA creates the same account that was on the source drive, so when the files get copied over the creation dates are preserved as they are associated with that user. But when an account already exists (even with the same name), then MA migrates the files, but for THAT new user the files are being created new, so they get today's date. I can understand the logic there. So the lesson is that whenever you get a new system and boot for the first time, at the FIRST offer of migration, take it and everything will be migrated, including dates.

 

[Slydude]

That makes perfect sense I just never really thought about it. I've made the mistake of creating an account first and then run MA but didn't notice the change in creation/ modification dates. Once I realized the mistake I deleted the account and started from scratch.