Windows NT NTFS Time Stamps Mismatch CD-ROM After Upgrading

Last reviewed: March 18, 1997
Article ID: Q152339

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5 and 3.51
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51

SYMPTOMS

After you perform a Windows NT installation or upgrade (using the three Windows NT setup diskettes) onto a pre-existing NTFS partition, you will find that the Windows NT system files' time stamps do not match the installation CD-ROM time stamps. The time stamps will differ by plus or minus the difference in your time zone and the Greenwich Mean Time(GMT) zone.

CAUSE

When you install Windows NT for the first time on a given computer, NT always installs to a FAT partition whose time stamps are local time, then converts the partition to NTFS on the final reboot. During the GUI portion of setup, you are prompted to indicate your time zone, but when NT converts the partition to NTFS, it changes the time stamps to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). However, after NT is installed, File Manager adds or subtracts the number of hours separating your time zone from GMT to arrive at your correct local time.

For example, if you were operating in U.S. eastern standard time (EST), which is five hours behind GMT time, File Manager would subtract five hours from the stored GMT time to equal your local time. If EST was 10:57 a.m., the following settings would be registered:

   CD-ROM time:               10:57 a.m.
   NTFS GMT time:              3:57 p.m.
   File Manager displays:     10:57 p.m. (3:57 p.m. - 5 hours)

This process does not work correctly when you install or upgrade Windows NT onto an existing NTFS partition. When you do this, the setup program copies all the files to the NTFS partition using only local time. As a result, it does not know what time zone you are in, and hence cannot add or subtract time to the files to be stored in GMT time. After NT is finished installing, the time stamps displayed by File Manager will be different from those shown by the CD-ROM. This is because the setup program is now adding or subtracting the time-zone offset to or from your local time rather than GMT time.

For the scenario described above, if the person had reinstalled or upgraded Windows NT onto an existing NTFS partition, the following settings would be registered:

   CD-ROM time:               10:57 a.m.
   NTFS EST (local) time:     10:57 a.m.
   File Manager displays:      5:57 a.m. (10:57 a.m. - 5 hours)

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, perform an upgrade using the Winnt32.exe program while under Windows NT.

In this case the files will be copied from the CD-ROM to the local NTFS partition, and Windows NT will know to store the files in GMT on the NTFS partition. After NT is installed or upgraded, all the time stamps will match those on the CD-ROM. For example:

   CD-ROM time:                  10:57 a.m.
   NTFS GMT time:                 3:57 p.m.
   File Manager displays:        10:57 a.m.  (3:57 p.m. - 5 hours)

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.50 and 3.51. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words:
Version : 3.1 3.5 3.51
Platform : WinNT

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.

Last reviewed: March 18, 1997
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.