Can't access properties of shortuct

[redsanders]

We have encountered situations in which a shortcut is in the recently used documents list (in the Start menu) from an improper activity of some student. In an attempt to establish when the shortcut was created, and thus
possibly linking that activity to a specific student, we have examined the Properties (General tab) of the shortcut. However, frequently the shortcut is to a file or program on a CD, and the CD has been removed. When we attempt to look at the General tab of the Properties of a shortcut to such a source, a popup message states that that information is only available if the source is available.

Is there any way of determining the date without the source (CD) being available??

Most appreciative of your help.

 

[bcastner]

The Properties list would only be read if the source was still available, it is not (other than with Third-Party tools) preserved.

I suspect what you need is a tool to audit all file creation, deletion and copy.

Again, you would have to go to Third-Party Tools to preserve this level of detail.

The issue is that the underlying Property information for a file is preserved with the file and not in the shortcut. The latter preserves a very limited range of information as to how a file can be accessed by the Operating System, and not its particular details as to last access, etc. The Operating System views the latter information as the responsibilitie of the filestore to preserve. It reads it as Operating System when necessary.

 

[redsanders]

Thanks for such a quick reply. Will investigate third party utilities as you suggested. Please suggest any, if you have the liberty to do so here.

Lingering question...given that the shortcuts are to files that commonly originate from a CD, and given that the files on a CD are read only, how can the date accessed information be stored with the file?

 

[bcastner]

It is read again on the Directory for the file on CD. That information is read freshly with each insertion of a CD (or any other removable media). There is a great deal more information in the properties of a file that is read in Explorer and not during a simple insertion of removable media.

Please advise if your concern is to block CD access in some form. It is quite a different issue.