Files not syncing properly due to Andoid changing the modified dates

DerHof

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Oct 30, 2017
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Ok, so my PC is my main storage for everything.
Primary backup is my NAS.
I use FreeFileSync for this.

I don't stream so I have all my music on my phone.
I got the S22 when it came out and instead of conveniently inserting my SD card that I've used for years I had to copy 80 gig or MP3's to my phone.

Fast forward a few weeks to today.
I added many files and updated some tags so I needed to sync my PC to my phone.
So I hook up the phone to my PC and let FFS do its normal comparison which the main thing is the date of the files it wants to replace every file on the phone.
They are all different ... being the date I transferred them initially.

I have a cheap LG that I use at my gym as an MP3 player... it has an SD card and runs the same music app. When I did the update with it it only wanted to copy the new files and the ones that I changed the tags on.

Any idea what is going on with the Samsung? I actually recall this issue with my S9 as well ... even when using my SD card.

The only time I've ever had this problem is with Samsung phones....
I know on the pc there is a 'date created' and 'date modified' in Explorer... could this have something to do with the PC to phone issue?
But even if it is why is the problem with my Samsung and not my LG?
 
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DerHof

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Re: What do you use to sync data from your PC to your phone?

For pulling photos off the phone to my laptop I use My Phone Companion (works on PC not sure about an apple product). However, you can copy a photo from the phone to the computer, but to delete from the phone you have to literally delete if from the phone.
Otherwise, I just insert a cord into the laptop and the phone and then download from the phone or to the phone whatever I need.

I have used the DEx app with a cord, have not got around to setting up for wireless operation.

How does this pertain to what I'm doing?
 

DerHof

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Re: What do you use to sync data from your PC to your phone?

Ok so looking at the files on my PC vs my Samsung I'm noticing that the 'date created' field has no information on my Android.
Also the date modified field is incorrect as Android has changed it to the date that I copied the files to the phone. It should not do that. The date modified should be the last time and 'changes' were made to that file.

The SD card on my LG matches both of these fields exactly as it should.
I hope there is a way to fix this Android blunder....

You can see the issue in the attached picture. PC on the left and Android on the right.
android music.jpg
 

DerHof

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So I can switch to compare by 'file content' instead of 'file time and size' which I assume will work but I don't have time right this second... as unfortunately this particular comparison will take about 75 minutes... compared to about 30 seconds using file size and date.
This is definitely a phone issue as I use this software with my NAS, SD cards, external hard drives, etc. and it's works perfect. So if possible I need to figure out how to make the phone save the files properly when copied over.

content.PNG
 

DerHof

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So I just made a test folder with a small amount of files on my PC.
Created an empty folder on the phone.
Had FreeFileSync compare them.
Since the folder was empty it wanted to copy every file of course.
I let it do that and got this error for every file

Cannot write modification time of "mtp:\S22\Internal storage\TTT\3 Doors Down\The Greatest Hits\01 - Kryptonite~0120.ffs_tmp".
Setting the modification time (2/3/2017 6:14:22 AM) was silently ignored by the device (3/30/2022 8:42:08 PM).

WHY wont this phone write the modification time to the files?
From what I can see this is the whole problem.
 

dracul91

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May 15, 2023
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Problem solved. Learned how to adjust setting in FFS for handle this situation.

I made an account just to post this reply, I'm facing the EXACT same problem with a Samsung A54, I also use FreeFileSync and never had this problem in the past with other phones like an Xperia XA2 Ultra (although that one sometimes changed the modified dates of the files in it and I'd have to update/mirror them again)

Please! How did you solve the problem?? It’s driving me crazy!

The only workaround I have is to physically remove the MicroSD and use an USB adapter to insert it like a regular flash-drive to my PC, mirror/copy/update my files and then manage them in the phone with a file manager app, but of course this is very tedious