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How can the FILE SYSTEM - DATE MODIFIED change without the MS Word DATE LAST SAVED not changing?

There have been numerous occasions where a user states that they VIEWED a FILE then closed it without saving it. The DATE MODIFIED is changing. But the MS Word LAST SAVE DATE is NOT changing (supporting their claim). I can't reproduce the behavior, but I now have dozens of examples.

  • Windows 2012 R2 File Server
  • Windows 7 Pro Clients
  • Files are indexed by Sharepoint 2010 Search Server
  • Folders are replicated between sites using DFS
  • Files are accessed by clicking LINK from SEARCH website.
  • Word doc is then opened using UNC path.

I am unable to reproduce the behavior, but I am seeing a dozen examples. Any ideas, how the DATE MODIFIED can be changing without the DATE LAST SAVED changing?

I have MOVED, COPIED, RENAMED, and SAVED AS (word) and I can't reproduce the issue.

Thoughts?

File Properties IMAGE LINK

Word Meta Properties IMAGE LINK

R_D
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1 Answers1

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Date Last Saved is a file property handled by Microsoft Word itself. When you save the file with Microsoft Word, it will update that value.

Last Date Modified is handled based on the filesystem that you are using, probably NTFS. It is a property on every file in NTFS, and the NTFS filesystem determines what to set that value to and when to set it.

You can read about the rules of NTFS. In particular, this section may be what you are looking for:

the modified date and time of a file does not change unless a property of the file has changed

My guess is that SharePoint is somehow accessing the file, which is changing the Date Accessed property on the file, which, in turn, changes the Date Modified property on the file.

I wish I had read your question more carefully about the use of SharePoint. We don't use SharePoint, so I am unable to test your issue directly. But I really do believe some process is accessing the file along the way in such a way as to change the Date Access property (perhaps you can check that property), which will change the Date Modified property.

Bobort
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