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MODIFIED date OLDER than created date

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by ronverge

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Dear Tech Person:

I am involved in trying to prove the picture file I have on my computes was actually take prior to a certain date in question. I submitted the picture along with a printout of the properties screen which showed the dates of when the file was created, Modified, and accessed.

My dilemma is to explain how and why the "MODIFIED" date is OLDER than the "created" date.

I know that I had changed Operating systems, and printed out the picture on a different computer which means that I had to install the picture on the other computer. The picture is actually a still from a mini video from a digital camera.

Could it be that I had modified the video prior to creating the still picture, causing the (older) modified date to carry over to the still picture. Then making the still picture gave the still the newer date.

If my hypothesis is correct would you confirm that for me and/or if there are other possible way this could happen would you please write as to how this happened.

I really will appreciate, very much, your assistance with the issue of the older modified date vs. the newer creation date.

Sincerely,

Ronald E. Verge
ronverge@mail.com or at r_verge@yahoo.com

6 replies

by jardinier

Have you checked that the system (BIOS) clocks on both computers are showing the correct (current) date?

by ronverge

Julian,
Thank you!
This problem was over a year ago and two computers ago, but I am trying to get an answer as to why this had happened.

Ron Verge

by ronverge

Is it that the modified date is mainly system depentant or can it be the mini digital video being used to create the still picture. So the newer creation date is for the still picture?

by thechas

Many times, (and XP is a bugger for this) the file dates don't mean what you think they should.

The Modified date, is the last time the file was edited, saved, or changed.
This is usually the 'most' accurate date for many files.

The created date should be the original date that the file was downloaded from the camera.

However, many times when you copy a file from one PC to another, the created date becomes the date that the file was written to that particular hard drive.

I have seen more file created date changes since I switched to XP then I saw under W98.

Chas

by ronverge

Thank you Charlie
Your reply seems to be right on and makes most sence.
Thanks again,

Ron

by hal 9000

When coping a file that contains a macro or template across a network from 98 to XP. XP always records the date stamp as the original date that the macro/template was writen. I don't know just why and I can't be bothered decompling the programing tofind out why as it will take too long but as some of my clients still use 98 and Office 97 I still run this on one of the computers on my network just so I can fault find any problems that they may run across as its always easier to sit down in front of a machine than to rely on your {or at least my} memory as with all the differences you can run into problems telling them to do something thats not supported with their current Software. Its also not confined to MS Office files but to Word Perfect Office Files and Lotus Office Files as well. This could be something for M$ to look into if they are willing to spend the time and effort rather than just saying to mirgrate over to something newer like XP or 2000. But really it dosn't present anyreal problems unless you are rlying on a specfied time stamp to open a file in a hyperlink or something similar.

From my limited observations this could present a very real problem for some projects where the date stamp is required, but as the companies who are still running 98 have programs that will only run on this platform it's something we just might have to look into eventually.

Actually from memory today a file that I altered returned to its original Date Stamp when saved in XP Pro. It was a very old file in Word 97 but its date stamp did change backwards when I saved the changes into a different file. It at least made for some interesting reading when I looked these up on my network by what is now yesterday from my prespective.

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