W10 changes timestamps on executables after running them. Normal?

eLPuSHeR · 01 Oct 2015

Hello.

I don't know where to post this. It's getting me crazy. Running w10 x64 and quite satisfied with it.

I usually do a "synchronize folders" within Total Commander for doing a differential copy of regular applications I download and use. Anyway, I have found out that TC insists on some files being "different" or "changed" after I have ran them. I have found out w10 "automagically sets" current date and time to the executable file after it has been run. Is this normal? Or is it Windows Defender who does it?

A little annoying in my opinion. Ideas?

Night Hawk · 01 Oct 2015

Generally the only time you should see the time stamp change for any file would be when editing it like resaving an archive once files are added or when copying files around. The copy will see the new time stamp automatic at the time it is created during the copy process. Apparently 10 is resaving the files it opens up as it goes along.

Normal? Not that I know of? Useful at all? Could be for troubleshooting purposes at some point to which files were accessed when. That wouldn't anything dealing with WDefender however since that simply detects malwares and doesn't have any other control but to quaranteen or delete not change properties. Upgrade to 10 type of install I presume! Upgrades can be "buggy" in various ways!

eLPuSHeR · 01 Oct 2015

Hello. Thank you for your reply. This is a clean w10 installation from scratch. I even bought a license for it.

It's not a big deal but it's puzzling me.

orlbuckeye · 01 Oct 2015

Typically .exe files creation dates only changes after they are compiled. That's the only way you can re-write an exe file.

eLPuSHeR · 01 Oct 2015

I am talking about date/time shown on File Explorer. Maybe that's different than compiled date. When binary comparing the two pair (altered and not altered) they are byte identical though.

PJLLB · 01 Oct 2015

eLPuSHeR said:

I am talking about date/time shown on File Explorer. Maybe that's different than compiled date. When binary comparing the two pair (altered and not altered) they are byte identical though.

I just checked several exe files that have been used today and the date/time is the original prior dates, not today. Could it be that Total Commander is doing something to them? Does is monitor the files in real-time somehow? If so, I would disable the process and see if that changes what you're seeing.

Berton · 01 Oct 2015

I use both Total Commander and PowerDesk [on different computers] and both do have a function to change the Attributes of files, one of which is the date and time, but both programs need to have that function manually selected to accomplish the task.

Night Hawk · 01 Oct 2015

The mention of you syncing files, folders seems to be the most likely reason. If the sync is online you are likely seeing the files refreshed each time you log into the game servers if no other local files are seeing this as well. The game apparently downloads temp files used during game play which are then replaced with each new gaming session. That would explain why you are seeing this type of time stamp alteration.

eLPuSHeR · 02 Oct 2015

The sync is offline between a folder in my hd and an usb device. And it isn't games. It's my collection of utils (AV progs, etc).

eLPuSHeR · 02 Oct 2015

To add some more weirdness. I have just run AdwCleaner from both Windows Explorer and TC and it didn't change anything. Maybe it's a bug in TC's sync feature. I will keep testing.