Dates are incorrect when copying files from external drive to laptop

[hajime]

Hi, I noticed that when I copied some files from an external drive to a Windows laptop, the dates of those files became the dates I copied those files to the laptop. For example, if I made 10 files on May 1, 2018 and when I copied them from an external drive to a laptop on Nov 16, 2019, the dates of those files became Nov 16, 2019 rather than May 1, 2018. What is wrong here? How to prevent this from happening?

In the past, I used MacOS as my main OS but sometimes I used Windows for work. Over the year, I have been using Widows. If I go back to use Mac OS as the main OS, what should I do to prevent the above date change issue from happening? In the past, whenever I bought a new MacBook Pro, I just used migration to copy all the files from old MBP to the new one. Not sure if I should do it like that this time?

 

[SteveJUAE]

Have a look at robocopy command

How to Copy Files without Changing Date Stamp on Windows 10

Want to keep original taken date after coping photos to new destination? Learn how to copy files without changing date stamp in Windows 10.

www.jiho.com

 

[hajime]

Have a look at robocopy command

How to Copy Files without Changing Date Stamp on Windows 10

Want to keep original taken date after coping photos to new destination? Learn how to copy files without changing date stamp in Windows 10.

www.jiho.com

Thanks. Didn't know about this. Given that I am moving a lot of files, is there a GUI way or a utility with good GUI to do this? I just dragged and dropped but got into trouble with the dates.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I think if you use the correct syntax you can copy all directories and sub's in one go then once copied over you can drag and drop as required

 

[hajime]

Is there a software that can do a bunch of selective copying while keeping the original creation dates? Can Acronis True Image do that?

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

Hi, I noticed that when I copied some files from an external drive to a Windows laptop, the dates of those files became the dates I copied those files to the laptop. For example, if I made 10 files on May 1, 2018 and when I copied them from an external drive to a laptop on Nov 16, 2019, the dates of those files became Nov 16, 2019 rather than May 1, 2018. What is wrong here? How to prevent this from happening?

In the past, I used MacOS as my main OS but sometimes I used Windows for work. Over the year, I have been using Widows. If I go back to use Mac OS as the main OS, what should I do to prevent the above date change issue from happening? In the past, whenever I bought a new MacBook Pro, I just used migration to copy all the files from old MBP to the new one. Not sure if I should do it like that this time?

It (the date handling approach in Windows) is not necessarily incorrect. It is just another logic and for system administrators it actually makes more sense.

Since you don't want to use RoboCopy, another solution for your issue could be:

Move the files instead of copying them, in that case the original creation dates are preserved.

Steps to take:

1. Make a backup on your Mac computer of the files you want to copy.
2. Move those files to the Windows laptop. (In the windows file explorer, select the files. Right click and select 'cut' instead of copy. Then go to the target directory, rightclick and select 'paste'. The original creation date will be preserved).
3. Restore the backup files on your Mac.

Maybe this is not the most elegant solution, but since it is a one time only thing, it should be doable.

There are also lots of alternative programs for the standard Windows copy functionality. Most of them allow you also to preserve the creation date. Take a look at the following site:

10 Best TeraCopy Alternatives for Windows 2019

 

[maflynn]

I use a tool called Beyond Compare and can synchronize directories and should maintain date stamps. I use this for other purposes but I just did a quick and dirty test and it can sync a file (or files) and maintain the date stamp.

I don't know if you can set up to automatically sync files, you can select and copy files you want to be copied

 

[hajime]

Hi, it is time to retire my MBP 2010 17" and move on to a lighter Windows laptop.

Some of you showed me how to copy files and folders from Windows Bootcamp partition to Windows laptop while preserving the original creation/modification dates. Could you please let me know how to do that for files and folders from Mac OS to Windows 10? Thanks

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

Hi, it is time to retire my MBP 2010 17" and move on to a lighter Windows laptop.

Some of you showed me how to copy files and folders from Windows Bootcamp partition to Windows laptop while preserving the original creation/modification dates. Could you please let me know how to do that for files and folders from Mac OS to Windows 10? Thanks

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that exactly the same? Your original question was how to copy files from an external drive to Windows.

So the solution is: Attach an external drive to your Mac. Make sure the drive has a format both MacOS and Windows can recognize. Copy/move the files from your Mac to the external drive. Plug the drive in your Windows machine and follow the steps people already gave you in this thread.

Maybe I am completely missing your point here. If I do let me know.

 

[hajime]

I created another thread about this to avoid confusion but it was merged to this thread somehow.

My old Macbook Pro has both Mac and Windows partitions.

Answers from the previous question could be used to solve the question on how to maintain the original files and folders creation/modification dates when copying files/folders from Windows of the bootcamp partition to a new Windows laptop.

My new question is about how to maintain the original files and folders creation/modification dates when copying files and folders from MacOS to Windows 10 of the new laptop.

So the source OS is different. In previous question, the source OS is Windows while in the current question, the source OS is MacOS.

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

I created another thread about this to avoid confusion but it was merged to this thread somehow.

My old Macbook Pro has both Mac and Windows partitions.

Answers from the previous question could be used to solve the question on how to maintain the original files and folders creation/modification dates when copying files/folders from Windows of the bootcamp partition to a new Windows laptop.

My new question is about how to maintain the original files and folders creation/modification dates when copying files and folders from MacOS to Windows 10 of the new laptop.

So the source OS is different. In previous question, the source OS is Windows while in the current question, the source OS is MacOS.

I understand the source OS is different, but what difference does it make when you use an intermediate external drive?

Isn't the whole point that you want to copy files from your Mac to your PC with the creation dates intact? It seems that is answered already. I don't see a different problem in your new question .

Again, if I am missing something obvious here: correct me if I am wrong.

 

[hajime]

I understand the source OS is different, but what difference does it make when you use an intermediate external drive?

Isn't the whole point that you want to copy files from your Mac to your PC with the creation dates intact? It seems that is answered already. I don't see a different problem in your new question .

Again, if I am missing something obvious here: correct me if I am wrong.

In Windows.there are programs with nice graphical interface that does the job. In this case, I install the program in the bootcamp Windows 7 partition, do the copying and install the same program on the new laptop and do the recovery. Of course with the preservation of original creation/modification information option checked. I wonder if there is such programs for both Mac and Windows versions.