Copy folders - unable to preserve "created date"

[operaflute]

I'm moving data from my old XP Pro machine to my new Vista machine via a USB
external hard drive. When I copy folders from the XP machine to the USB HDD,
the "created date" of the folders is not preserved, and is changed to the
date of the copy. Then I am unable to organize the folders by their actual
"created date."
Help?

 

[Jim]

I'm moving data from my old XP Pro machine to my new Vista machine via a
USB
external hard drive. When I copy folders from the XP machine to the USB
HDD,
the "created date" of the folders is not preserved, and is changed to the
date of the copy. Then I am unable to organize the folders by their
actual
"created date."
Help?

This is the expected result. The creation date of a file is the date that
it was placed onto the disk where it resides.
Jim

 

[operaflute]

Grrr! Would it help if I took the hard drive out of my XP machine and just
hooked it up as a USB drive? SOMEHOW, last time I transferred date (to the
now old Dell) I was able to preserve the folder dates... I want to be able
to view my photo folders by date! (The REAL date, that is.)
Thanks!

 

[Bob I]

One possible method is to not create new folders, but to restore them
from a backup to the new home.

 

[operaflute]

The problem there is that my Norton Ghost 2003 which I had on my XP machine
won't work on Vista...

 

[Bob I]

What does Vista use for a Backup?

The problem there is that my Norton Ghost 2003 which I had on my XP machine
won't work on Vista...

:

 

[operaflute]

Nothing, yet, aside from the included recovery tool that allows me to get the
machine back to how it was when I bought it. My documents are on both
machines now , plus my external HDD, so that's a backup in itself (although
the create dates are wrong). But I'll be getting True Image for the Vista
machine once I get set up.

 

[Bob I]

When you get a backup program working within Vista, then you can Backup
and restore the folders. Having a "backup" copy of files is not the same
as the function of making backups for restoration purposes.

 

[operaflute]

Huh? You lost me there. So I've got docs on the old XP machine that I want
to move to new Vista machine, but preserve the original "created dates" on
the folders. So how will the new back up program on Vista help me do that?
For the record, the old XP machine is on it's way out. I can't shut it down,
or I probably won't be able to boot it up again (long story not germane to
this thread, but I'm told the motherboard is on it's way out). Thus the new
machine, which came with Vista.

 

[Bob I]

A "real" backup program is designed to store the info related to the
files folders etc, and put it back(restore it) without changes. Merely
copying something to a different location preserves none of that, and
since it is a NEW copy, a NEW creation date is applied. I suppose there
may be some utilitiy out there that would allow you to "hack" a new
date, but I leave that search to you.

 

[operaflute]

True, but unless I'm missing something, getting a back up program on my Vista
machine won't help me get my XP data...

 

[Bob I]

You can take the XP drive and backup from it, and then restore the
desired folders to the Vista drive.

 

[operaflute]

Do you mean, take the XP drive out of the Dell (old XP machine), hook it up
as external. Back up that new external drive using my Vista machine/new True
Image, and then restore that back up to the Vista machine?
Or do you mean install True Image on the old machine. (Probably not
possible, since I can't reboot it.)

I was trying to see if I could move the files via the network, but I have to
rename the workgroup on the Dell, and that requires a reboot! Doh! I also
thought I'd try it via MS "Easy Transfer" but I assume installing the program
would require a reboot (although not sure of that).

 

[Bob I]

Do you mean, take the XP drive out of the Dell (old XP machine), hook it up
as external. Back up that new external drive using my Vista machine/new True
Image, and then restore that back up to the Vista machine?

That would be the sure way.

Or do you mean install True Image on the old machine. (Probably not
possible, since I can't reboot it.)

If you can't reboot, that is out.

I was trying to see if I could move the files via the network, but I have to
rename the workgroup on the Dell, and that requires a reboot!

Why rename the workgroup on the Dell? Can't you see the folders from the
Vista box?

Doh! I also

 

[operaflute]

Nope, and I read somewhere they have to be on the same workgroup.