File copy program that preserves timestamp

[SimDuck]

Hello,

I'm using FreeNas 8.04 with one ZFS mount split into many datasets.

In Windows 7, I mount a ZFS share as a drive using DirectNetDrive. This allows me to access the ZFS dataset as if it were a local drive in Windows. I do this so I can exploit the easy file copy (drag & drop) functionality on the fly.

When I copy files as per above, the copied file on the ZFS DS has its time metadata (created, modified, last accessed) changed to server date.

I can use filezilla to copy files and 'preserve the timestamp'.

I can use SyncToy to syncronise my Win drive to my ZFS DS and preserve the time metadata.

I haven't been able to find a program that will function like native Window file copy and preserve the timestamp.

TerraCopy is supposed to but through all of my tests, I haven't been able to get it to work properly.

Does any one know of a file copy application, that works like TerraCopy, that will preserve the timestamp?

I've lost hair trying to find one.

Thank you for your thoughts & time.
:)

 

[Hexland]

'robocopy' (Robust Copy) has been built into Windows since Vista...

robocopy S:\Source D:\Dest /mir

Will mirror Source to Dest exactly... be warned -- it also purges files which do not exist in the destination... i.e. It mirrors.

There are pages of options for robocopy, but thats the one I use most.

 

[whosmatt]

Try robocopy with option /COPY:DATSO /E

D=Data
A=Attributes
S=Security (NTFS ACL)
T=Timestamp
O=Owner

/E copies subdirectories, even if empty.

Hope this helps.

edit, not sure how to turn smileys off for a single post, so:

Code:

 robocopy source dest /COPY:DATSO /E 

 

[ProtoSD]

Hexland, thanks for that info about Robocopy, I didn't know that.

Rsync will also preserve date/time (-a), but that's only on Unix/Linux systems or if you have Cygwin installed on Windows (Free cygwin.com)

 

[whosmatt]

Hexland, thanks for that info about Robocopy, I didn't know that.

Rsync will also preserve date/time (-a), but that's only on Unix/Linux systems or if you have Cygwin installed on Windows (Free cygwin.com)

Not to hijack the thread, but will rsync also preserve acls when used between two (let's say freenas) systems w/ acls created by Windows? I'm asking because it's WAY faster than robocopy when copying lots of small files in my experience.

 

[ProtoSD]

I'm not sure how it handles acls, but you could create a test folder/files and give it a try.

Just noticed you're from San Diego! I'm out of town until October.

 

[ProtoSD]

This link might help explain how rsync handles acls, but it dated 2006 so it might not be accurate.

http://lists.samba.org/archive/rsync/2006-October/016532.html

 

[SimDuck]

Hi All and thank you for your responses.

I tried RoboCopy and also its GUI version and unless I'm mistaken, I need to provide a source & destination path each time I want to copy a file (or multiple).

I couldn't get it working like native Windows Right Click on source file> Copy then right click on destination directory> Paste.. - am I missing something?

I'm after something that is really quick and simple (similar usability to native Windows file copy) for family to use. They're not as tech sauvy as me.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you.