Can anyone explain what the Archive attribute is used for and can it be
removed?

"Deb H" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:9A5BF196-A8A3-44A2-BD40-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Can anyone explain what the Archive attribute is used for and can it be
> removed?

You cannot "remove" an attribute - it is part a file's properties.

The archive attribute is set each time you create or change
a file. It can be reset by direct action (attrib.exe), by
xcopy.exe, by ntbackup.exe and probably by a few
other programs.

It's used by backup programs to do incremental backups, it tells the
backup software that the file was changed since the last backup, so the
backup software will backup the file again then remove the attribute so
that it doesn't copy the file again on its next backup. Other copying
utilities, like xcopy, can also copy files based on the attribute when
the right switches are used when launching the utilities. You can
remove the attribute at the Command Prompt with the attrib command.

John

Deb H wrote:

> Can anyone explain what the Archive attribute is used for and can it be
> removed?

Deb H wrote:
> Can anyone explain what the Archive attribute is used for and can
> it be removed?

Used for backup software to know whether or not a file has been -
surprisingly enough - archived (or backed up lately.)

The command line "attrib" command can set/unset the Archive Attribute as
well.

C:\>attrib /?
Displays or changes file attributes.

ATTRIB [+R | -R] [+A | -A ] [+S | -S] [+H | -H] [drive:][path][filename]
[/S [/D]]

+ Sets an attribute.
- Clears an attribute.
R Read-only file attribute.
A Archive file attribute.
S System file attribute.
H Hidden file attribute.
[drive:][path][filename]
Specifies a file or files for attrib to process.
/S Processes matching files in the current folder
and all subfolders.
/D Processes folders as well.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

"Deb H" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Can anyone explain what the Archive attribute is used for

http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_te...i=43154,00.asp

> and can it be removed?

Sure. The old NT4 File Manager (Winfile.exe), for instance, allows to set
and reset that attribute manually - works under WinXP as well.

--
d-d