KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q132627: ScanDisk Reports Invalid Date/Time for Many Files

Article: Q132627
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 01-JAN-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you run ScanDisk, you may receive the following information about one or
more files:

- This file or folder's last-modified date or time is invalid or is in the
  future. This may be because your computer's clock is set incorrectly.
  ScanDisk repairs future dates by changing them to your computer's current
  date setting. ScanDisk repairs out-of-range dates or times by changing them
  to the nearest setting within the valid range.

- This file or folder's last-accessed date is invalid or is in the future. This
  may be because your computer's clock is set incorrectly. ScanDisk repairs
  future dates by changing them to "unknown". ScanDisk repairs out-of-range
  dates by changing them to the nearest setting within the valid range.

CAUSE
=====

These messages can occur if the computer's date setting has been set back to a
date earlier than the actual date (causing the dates on the files in question to
appear to be in the future) and if you are using the "Check files for invalid
dates and times" option in ScanDisk.

RESOLUTION
==========

Use the Date/Time tool in Control Panel to set the computer's date to the actual
date.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The date "unknown" is 01-01-1980 (the MS-DOS epoch).

Files have three dates: date of last write, date of last access and the create
date. If the create date or last access date is "in the future" the preceding
information is correct and those dates will be reset to 01-01-1980. The date of
last write is fixed differently. If date of last write is "in the future" that
date is reset to the current date set in the system clock. This correction
applies to all versions back to the final release version of Windows 95.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : WINDOWS:95
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.