Wrong timestamp for files write in shared folders => Fixed in SVN

[disonance]

Scenario: Host: Ubuntu 9.10 Guest: XP pro

The problem: When copying (writing) a guest XP file into a mapped host shared directory (with write permission) it will change the copied file's time & date to the current one instead of maintaining the original one (as the file was not been modified (just copied).

The consequence: It prevents the use of file synchronization application between the shared host folder and other guest folders from within the XP-guest, as a metter of fact any application that depends on the file's timestamp in the shared folder (on the guest side) will seas to work well (i.e make utility, files synchronization ...)

[skosner]

This problem persists in vbox version 3.1.8

Host: Linux Opensuse 11.1

Guest: Windows XP pro sp3

Have set up probably over a half dozen similar systems and this problem persists.

It is more prevalent than this single bug report indicates, as it is also described in four other places:

1) ​http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/4864

2) ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28639&p=131508&hilit=date%2Ftime+shared+folder#p131508

3) ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=28288&p=125998&hilit=date%2Ftime+shared+folder#p125998

4) ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4989&p=17721&hilit=date%2Ftime+shared+folder#p17721

It really is quite a nuisance as it neuters file syncing functionality, and anything else that depends upon modified date. It occurs only when the copy destination is a shared folder (Vboxsharedfolderfs), regardless of the copy source (NTFS, FAT, Vboxsharedfolderfs, etc) So it seems to be a Vboxsharedfolderfs issue.

Hopefully it can be accorded a higher priority and be resolved.

[Frank Mehnert]

So far it looks like this is a problem of the Windows guest additions. The Linux guest additions behave quite well regarding the time stamps.

[skosner]

In case it matters, if the file being copied/moved to the shared folder is zero bytes, it retains its' original/correct modified date.

[Mechanical snail]

I also see this bug with VBox 3.2.8 r64453, Windows XP Professional guest, up-to-date Ubuntu Lucid host.

Interestingly, the touch program in gnuwin32's coreutils (​http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/coreutils.htm) is able to set timestamps. I'm not familiar with gnuwin32's code, but perhaps it is bypassing a broken high-level interface? That would be where this bug lies.

Possibly relevant: according to info touch (Linux coreutils documentation):

If changing both the access and modification times to the current
time, `touch' can change the timestamps for files that the user running
it does not own but has write permission for.  Otherwise, the user must
own the files.

Perhaps Windows Explorer sets only the modified time (which is silently ignored on the host). I do own the files.

[Roger Moser]

This happens only if the Windows program uses the CopyFile() function to copy a file to a shared folder.

The work-around in the FAR manager is to uncheck "Use system copy routine". And the sync / backup program should use SAMBA (\server\ or mapped network drive) instead of the shared folder. It is slower but it works.

[Frank Mehnert]

Fix in r40532. This fix will be part of the next maintenance release.

[Frank Mehnert]

Fix included in 4.1.12 (please also update the Guest Additions).