Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions
Ask Klaus
Understanding and taming file timestamps.
Keeping Time
Hello, Klaus: A number of file manager apps such as Dolphin, PCManFM, and Thunar do not preserve a file's timestamp when copying it between filesystems. I'm trying to configure Debian 8.2.0 to do this and have found that if the filesystem I'm copying to is mounted on startup (i.e., specified in /etc/fstab), the timestamp is not preserved when copying; the current system time is substituted.
However, if I remove the line from fstab, reboot, have Dolphin mount it dynamically (putting it in /media/<myname>/<DiskUUID>), and then copy the file, the timestamp is preserved.
I assumed that it must be because of different timestamp-related mount options, such as atime, relatime, and so on, so I have tried several of these in the fstab line for that filesystem. The mount command shows that the option I tried is in effect, but the timestamp behavior does not change.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
RingReaper Malware Poses Danger to Linux Systems
A new kind of malware exploits modern Linux kernels for I/O operations.
-
Happy Birthday, Linux
On August 25, Linux officially turns 34.
-
VirtualBox 7.2 Has Arrived
With early support for Linux kernel 6.17 and other new additions, VirtualBox 7.2 is a must-update for users.
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.
-
A New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle, a Linux AI assistant, works with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.
-
FreeBSD Promises a Full Desktop Installer
FreeBSD has lacked an option to include a full desktop environment during installation.