# how can I determine the TRUE creation date of a file?



## sfperry (May 14, 2009)

I need to find the exact creation date of a file that was copied onto a CD. The creation date displayed in "attributes" appears to be the date that the file was copied to CD. My operating system is Windows Vista.


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

Hi and welcome to TSG.

I don't believe that you can determine the dates for the files on the CD. The burning software that created the disc may have an option to allow the user to either keep the original dates or change the file date attributes to be the date that files are burned to the disc.I have also read that some versions of CD burning software may have bugs that change the date even if the option to use the original dates is chosen.


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## daniel_b2380 (Jan 31, 2003)

if a system or such file - maybe check the version number?
if this is a 'personal' file - was this info entered in the 'proper' fields?
[like with .doc, .xls, .pdf, and so on]


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## deazy86 (Jan 14, 2009)

My opinion is also as same as Chuck, the burning software may change the original dates with the date of burning CD.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

If the dates in the file directory entry are wrong, there is no way to determine the "true" creation date, think about it.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

If the burning software changed the set then I bet there is a option in the setting to use the dates already on the file or the date the CD was made.


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## gyrgrls (Nov 22, 2004)

Yeah, it depends on the burning software,
and the options you select.

I don't think CDFS has the same extended attributes 
as NTFS. You might check out UDF instead of ISO-9660 CDFS.
But if you do, watch out for compatibility issues, and also,
you must first format the empty CD, unlike CDFS,
which writes raw blocks and uses a simple TOC (Windows
makes the TOC look like a directory tree)

Hop on over to CD Freaks
All your questions can be answered there.


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## gyrgrls (Nov 22, 2004)

JohnWill said:


> If the dates in the file directory entry are wrong, there is no way to determine the "true" creation date, think about it.


Yes, and once the files are copied to another medium,
the old attributes are lost, unless copied.

But if the original files are still on the hard drive,
NT stores the extended attributes in the MFT. 
Just right-click on the toolbar - either Name, 
Size, Type... etc.
Select whatever you like from the pop-up menu. 

Then, you just drop to a DOS prompt, 
call up attrib with whatever switches you want,
redirect it to a text file, and burn that file to CD along with
your data, provided you have the Windows resource kit
installed.


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## gyrgrls (Nov 22, 2004)

gyrgrls said:


> Yes, and once the files are copied to another medium,
> the old attributes are lost, unless copied.
> 
> But if the original files are still on the hard drive,
> ...


Better yet:

Just erase Windows and install Linux!


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## daniel_b2380 (Jan 31, 2003)

from post #3
EXAMPLE: a word document
- open word
- on file menu, choose properties
- LOOK at the pic


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## gyrgrls (Nov 22, 2004)

If it's .docfile in msword format,
then you can just enter the information
when you create the document, and it will 
remain imbedded in the metadata.

But it will only be positively visible in
its native application, like Excel, Word, etc..
and not necessarily Windows Explorer,
because we are dealing with metadata, 
not attributes. Hope this makes sense to you.
It's hard for me to explain, without being clear 
as mud.


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