Change OS install file dates?

[pcbldrNinetyEight]

I built a WIN98 pc in November of last year. While installing the OS I
accidentally set the date to 11/11/13. I would like to change the dates
of all files dated 11/11/13 to 11/11/07. Is this possible? Is there a
freeware utility that might automate this task?

If I cannot find a reasonable method of changing the dates of these
files then I thought I might reinstalling the OS over the current
install and set the date to 11/11/07. Will this overwrite the registry
and all system files? Will I have to reinstall any currently installed
software? I don't have much software installed so reinstalling wouldn't
be difficult. Do you see any problems with this plan?

If I have to deltree the drive and reinstall the OS then so be it. I
just thought it might be a little easier to overwrite the existing
install. I thought this might save the hassle of reinstalling drivers
and everything else that needs to be done during a clean install. What
do you think?

 

[Sjouke Burry]

I built a WIN98 pc in November of last year. While installing the OS I
accidentally set the date to 11/11/13. I would like to change the dates
of all files dated 11/11/13 to 11/11/07. Is this possible? Is there a
freeware utility that might automate this task?

If I cannot find a reasonable method of changing the dates of these
files then I thought I might reinstalling the OS over the current
install and set the date to 11/11/07. Will this overwrite the registry
and all system files? Will I have to reinstall any currently installed
software? I don't have much software installed so reinstalling wouldn't
be difficult. Do you see any problems with this plan?

If I have to deltree the drive and reinstall the OS then so be it. I
just thought it might be a little easier to overwrite the existing
install. I thought this might save the hassle of reinstalling drivers
and everything else that needs to be done during a clean install. What
do you think?

Get a touch utility, set date and time to the required value,
then use the touch utility to set the date and time to the
current value on the files you want to.
Dont forget to set date and time back to the current value.

 

[pcbldrNinetyEight]

Get a touch utility, set date and time to the required value,
then use the touch utility to set the date and time to the
current value on the files you want to.
Dont forget to set date and time back to the current value.

Before I made this post I looked for such a utility but I came up empty
handed.

 

[Sjouke Burry]

Before I made this post I looked for such a utility but I came up empty
handed.

google for
"touch.exe xp"
(no quotes) and the first entry gives what you want(I think).
Have fun.

 

[Jim Macleod]

Jan 2008 06:08:52 in alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, Sjouke Burry

google for
"touch.exe xp"
(no quotes) and the first entry gives what you want(I think).
Have fun.

Alternatively the OP could use an enhanced file manager. Two that I
happen to have used:

1. V-Com PowerDesk - As well as allowing file date stamps to be changed,
this has many enhancements w.r.t. Windows Explorer e.g.: it recognises
file extensions; it allows filespecs to be sorted by extension or date
etc rather than by filename; it allows filespecs to be filtered e.g.
Molly*.* will display only files beginning Molly, *.exe will display
only .exe files etc. etc. See
http://www.v-com.com/product/PowerDesk_Pro_Home.html

2. ZTreeWin - more old fashioned, dating from the DOS days (although the
current version 1.61 is for Windows), but still useful for some
purposes. I use it frequently. It has a particularly user-friendly way
of changing date stamps. See
http://www.ztree.com/html/ztreewin.htm

 

[pcbldrNinetyEight]

google for
"touch.exe xp"
(no quotes) and the first entry gives what you want(I think).
Have fun.

Update:

I found a utility at PC Magazine that can change file dates:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,724953,00.asp

According to the article WIN98 folder dates cannot be changed so no joy
there.

I found ftouch2 from an irregular source but I haven't tried it yet:
http://home.ite.sfcc.edu/class/CGS2564/Utilities/

Thanks for replying.