Enable or Disable NTFS Last Access Time Stamp Updates in Windows 10  

Hello @Brink ,

My Default setting is set as . . .

> NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate = 80000002 - System Managed, Last Access Time Updates Enabled

From the Tutorial, are you saying that the recommended [ set ] setting should be . . .

> NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate = 80000000 - User Managed, Last Access Time Updates Enabled

Thanks.

Paul Black said:

Hello @Brink ,

My Default setting is set as . . .

> NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate = 80000002 - System Managed, Last Access Time Updates Enabled

From the Tutorial, are you saying that the recommended [ set ] setting should be . . .

> NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate = 80000000 - User Managed, Last Access Time Updates Enabled

Thanks.

Hello Paul,

The tutorial does have 80000002 - System Managed, Last Access Time Updates Enabled as the default setting.

ambi said:

I have an issue in that the Accessed: (date and time) of all my files (MP3, JPG, WAV, PNG, TXT) has suddenly started to update, despite never having done so in the previous seven years. This happens when I double-click to play an MP3 / WAV or open a JPG / PNG. It even occurs if I only right-click and then click on Properties. I don't know if a Windows update has caused this or the installing of WinZip. Please can you tell me if the steps listed in this thread are what I need to resolve this? Thank you.

Hello ambi, and welcome to Ten Forums.

You could set it to 1 (user) or 3 (system) to disable.

ambi said:

Hi Brink, and thank you for the welcome.

Please can you tell me:

What those two options mean and what the difference is?

What exactly happens on restart and what it will do to my files?

In the System Managed mode, the NTFS driver can enable or disable the “Last Access” updates during the boot (in particular, when the system volume is mounted). The “Last Access” updates are enabled for NTFS volumes when the size of the system volume (which is usually mounted as the “C:” drive) is 128 GB or less. If the system volume is larger, then the “Last Access” updates are disabled.

In the User Managed mode, the status of the “Last Access” updates isn’t modified by the system during the boot. "Last Access" will stay enabled or disabled as you set.

Hello @Brink ,

I put a Batch Script together if you think it will be of use . . .

Code:

@echo off
:: ###############################################################################################################################
:: # Title     : Enable or Disable NTFS Last Access Time Stamp Updates                                                           #
:: # Created By: Paul Black at TenForums.com/members/paul-black.html                                                             #
:: # Created On: 30-May-2021                                                                                                     #
:: # Tutorial  : https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/139015-enable-disable-ntfs-last-access-time-stamp-updates-windows-10-a.html #
:: ###############################################################################################################################
title Enable or Disable NTFS Last Access Time Stamp Updates - Written by Paul Black.
mode con: cols=92 lines=29 & color 17

setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set "params=%*"
cd /d "%~dp0" && ( if exist "%Temp%\getadmin.vbs" del "%Temp%\getadmin.vbs") && fsutil dirty query %systemdrive% 1>nul 2>nul || ( echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) : UAC.ShellExecute "cmd.exe", "/k cd ""%~sdp0"" && %~s0 %params%", "", "runas", 1 >> "%Temp%\getadmin.vbs" && "%Temp%\getadmin.vbs" && Exit /b)
%windir%\system32\reg.exe query "HKU\S-1-5-19" 1>nul 2>nul || ( echo. & echo  ERROR: This Batch file MUST be run in an ELEVATED cmd prompt [ Administrator ] & echo. & echo         Right-click the Batch file and click ^<Run as Administrator^>. & echo. & echo ^>Press ANY key to EXIT . . . & pause >nul & Exit )

:Options
echo. & echo  ==========================================================================================
        echo  Enable or Disable NTFS Last Access Time Stamp Updates.
        echo  ==========================================================================================
echo. & echo  IMPORTANT: Restart the Computer AFTER for the changes to be FULLY implemented.
echo. & echo  Options:
echo. & echo  [0] EXIT this Program.
echo. & echo  [1] User Managed             - Last Access Time Updates Enabled.
        echo  [2] User Managed             - Last Access Time Updates Disabled.
        echo  [3] System Managed - Default - Last Access Time Updates Enabled.
        echo  [4] System Managed           - Last Access Time Updates Disabled.
echo. & echo  ==========================================================================================
echo. & echo The Current Status - Last Access Time Updates is . . .
fsutil behavior query disablelastaccess & echo.

CHOICE /N /C 01234 /M ">Enter an Option:"
if %errorlevel%==5 goto :System_Managed_Disabled
if %errorlevel%==4 goto :System_Managed_Enabled_Default
if %errorlevel%==3 goto :User_Managed_Disabled
if %errorlevel%==2 goto :User_Managed_Enabled
if %errorlevel%==1 goto :Exit
goto :Options

:User_Managed_Enabled
echo.
fsutil behavior set disablelastaccess 0
echo. & echo  Processing COMPLETE.
echo. & echo ^>Press ANY key to EXIT . . . & pause >nul & goto :Exit

:User_Managed_Disabled
echo.
fsutil behavior set disablelastaccess 1
echo. & echo  Processing COMPLETE.
echo. & echo ^>Press ANY key to EXIT . . . & pause >nul & goto :Exit

:System_Managed_Enabled_Default
echo.
fsutil behavior set disablelastaccess 2
echo. & echo  Processing COMPLETE.
echo. & echo ^>Press ANY key to EXIT . . . & pause >nul & goto :Exit

:System_Managed_Disabled
echo.
fsutil behavior set disablelastaccess 3
echo. & echo  Processing COMPLETE.
echo. & echo ^>Press ANY key to EXIT . . . & pause >nul & goto :Exit

:Exit

Paul Black said:

Hello @Brink ,

I put a Batch Script together if you think it will be of use . . .

Hey Paul,

Thank you. What do you think of having the .bat go ahead and show the current status, and then have the choices to enable or disable? This way the user already knows the current status without having to check first.

Hello @Brink ,

Brink said:

Thank you. What do you think of having the .bat go ahead and show the current status, and then have the choices to enable or disable? This way the user already knows the current status without having to check first.

Good idea. I have amended the code above accordingly.