How to Copy Files and retain Timestamp - Modified Date

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TheCaptain
Posts: 3
Joined: 05 Jun 2015, 23:59

How to Copy Files and retain Timestamp - Modified Date

#1 Post by TheCaptain »

New to Testdisk, and I've searched everywhere for this. Also not very familiar with Linux.

Problem is I am trying to recover files from a HDD (originally the boot disk on C: with a second D: partition, primarily for files.) This is not a problem of deleted files--the HDD is no longer accessible to Windows 7, but it turns out the files are for the most part fine. I'm using System Recovery CD, because though I can see the drive with Testdisk for Windows (whereas Windows usually can't) I cannot copy the files in the Windows version, without Windows freezing. I've made the HDD external, on eSATA. I can see the files fine now in TestDisk, and I figured out (with great difficulty) how to copy them to the Linux OS loaded in memory, and from there to a mounted SD card or internal HDD.

[NOTE: I had trouble getting Testdisk to see ANY drive to COPY to, other than something under the root, and since the OS is only loaded in memory, there is nowhere I can physically save the files to. I got around this by, with great difficulty, learning how to mount a drive and then use a File Manager (emelFM2) to copy the files from the OS in memory to physical media (which I couldn't make Testdisk do). This is a long, painstaking process that shouldn't be,...so I must be doing something wrong there.]

Now to my current dilemma. After all this, I find that although I am now able to find the files, and they look fine, I cannot copy them without the Filestamps changing, which makes it difficult to use them properly. Initially Testdisk leaves the Modified Date & time as they were, and changes the Accessed and Changed time. But next when I copy them from the OS "drive" in memory to actual media, ALL the dates shown in emelFM2 are changed to the Accessed date from the earlier copy to memory (the OS) in Testdisk.

Quite a saga--More than I need. What do I do?

Thanks,
Michael

TheCaptain
Posts: 3
Joined: 05 Jun 2015, 23:59

Re: How to Copy Files and retain Timestamp - Modified Date

#2 Post by TheCaptain »

Since nobody has responded to this post (perhaps I made it too complex or too many issues--my apologies), maybe someone could answer this one question. I wrote before...,

"... although I am now able to find the files, and they look fine, I cannot copy them without the Filestamps changing, which makes it difficult to use them properly. Initially Testdisk leaves the Modified Date & time as they were, and changes the Accessed and Changed time. But next when I copy them from the OS "drive" in memory to actual media, ALL the dates shown in emelFM2 are changed to the Accessed date from the earlier copy to memory (the OS) in Testdisk."

QUESTION IS: Is it typical of Testdisk to change the last "Modified Date" (as well as Accessed date) when it copies the files? Or is this something that occurred because I was running Testdisk on a System Rescue CD instead of an installed Linux system? (i.e, Do you think it is something that happened because of the OS being installed only in memory?) Or could this be because of the File Manager I used (emelFM2) to copy from the OS in memory to another drive?
Thanks,
Michael

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Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: How to Copy Files and retain Timestamp - Modified Date

#3 Post by Fiona »

I can only give you some hints to copy data using testdisk and knoppix.
If you boot from a Knoppix live cd, you can go to programs and knoppix.
Select the root terminal.
Get root through typing sudo -s
Info:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Damaged_ ... nux_LiveCD
Type testdisk and have another try.
If you're not satisfy with, I've also used an USB flash drive to copy data.
Even after a headcreash and the disk was still readable.
I've used a 64 GB USB thumb.
Knoppix offers an opportunity to create a bootable USB flash drive.
For knoppix you should use about 8 GB.
Knoppix will ask you to create an overlay, where you can copy data to.
I've used the whole remained space.
So I was able to copy approximateley 50 GB of files and folders each time on my thumb.
Select only as much files and folders as you have space available on your usb thumb.
After recovery, I've deleted current partitions and used add in testdisk to create a partition using the whole space and formatted it.
If you have any questions, please let me know.

Fiona

TheCaptain
Posts: 3
Joined: 05 Jun 2015, 23:59

Re: How to Copy Files and retain Timestamp - Modified Date

#4 Post by TheCaptain »

Thanks for your reply. Since you did not address directly the question of retaining the recorded timestamps when copying files, I am guessing that this is something that is not a familiar or common problem. It's kind of a mystery then, why the file dates were changed with the copy.

Thanks for the suggestion of using a USB stick to launch the program and copy the data right onto the memory card/device. That might work.

User avatar
Fiona
Posts: 2835
Joined: 18 Feb 2012, 17:19
Location: Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart - Germany

Re: How to Copy Files and retain Timestamp - Modified Date

#5 Post by Fiona »

Copying files using testdisk, created and last access would be changed.
But modified will be kept.
I've no solution to keep all three timestamps.
Under windows, robocopy can help to keep last modified and Linux something similar would be rsync?

Fiona

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