Windows 7 - Modification Date

Usage and Config Platform
1

(imported topic written by YMC)

Hi,

With Windows 7 OS, the modification date/time would be updated even though there is no amendment to content of files.

So wonder how you guys out there overcome this?

2

(imported comment written by jgstew)

Do you mean just any file?

What is the issue you are having more specifically? There might be a way around it.

3

(imported comment written by YMC)

To simplify:

Action 1- Bigfix deploy an old 2012 application A if not found in client

Action 99- Bigfix update old application A config file if file is before 2013 Jan 01.

If new computer is setup today without application A installed.

Bigfix would install the application A, but the config file date modified date would be today date.

Thus Action 99 would not be executed.

4

(imported comment written by MattPeterson)

I would suggest looking at something besides the modification date of a file, as can be changed for a number of reasons. Is there an uninstall key created when this app is installed (HKLM\software\microsfot\windows\currentversion\uninstall)? If so you should be able to retrieve a version from it. If you really need to look at that configuration file you could look at the sha1 value of that file, if it’s different than what’s deployed with the updated application then your update task would be applicable.

5

(imported comment written by jgstew)

I would look at the contents of the config file if it is txt or xml to see that the settings are not in the desired state in relevance, then replace it if that is the case. I would not recommend using SHA1 since you may have multiple configurations and they may change over time.

Otherwise I agree, I would not look at modification date of the config file as helpful, though the creation date of the file might be more helpful… and even then I would validate the contents / settings in the file.

Here is an example of an Analysis that pulls back the config of Firefox:
http://bigfix.me/analysis/details/2994642

Here is a fixlet that changes the Firefox Config:
http://bigfix.me/fixlet/details/2572

6

(imported comment written by YMC)

The config file is in machine language, not simple readable text format

Wonder why MS changes the why file handled in Win 7 versus Win XP :frowning: