您是否曾经需要知道NTFS 分区(NTFS partition)何时创建或Windows何时首次初始化驱动器并使其可供使用？虽然没有简单、用户友好的方法来查找，但我们知道您可以通过两种不同的方法自行查找此信息。如果您有兴趣学习，请继续阅读：
1.使用System Volume Information 文件夹(Information folder)找出在Windows中创建分区的时间(Windows)
找出何时创建分区的最简单方法是查看System Volume Information文件夹。此文件夹位于Windows有权访问的所有分区上。它在检测到新分区时由Windows自动创建，并存储重要的内容，例如：
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(System Restore)Windows为该分区创建的系统还原点（如果设置为创建它们）。
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分布式链接跟踪服务(Distributed Link Tracking Service)数据库用于保存有关跨NTFS分区的链接文件的创建和移动的信息。(creation and movement)
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(Indexing Service)用于进行快速文件搜索的索引服务数据库。
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(Shadow Copies)卷快照服务(Volume Snapshot Service)创建的卷影副本，用于备份系统还原(System Restore)或 Windows 备份指定的文件。
该文件夹默认是隐藏的，您需要将(set)文件资源管理器设置为显示隐藏的操作系统文件和文件夹(to show hidden operating system files and folders)。如果您不知道如何操作，请阅读如何查看Windows 10中的所有隐藏文件和文件夹。您必须打开文件资源管理器(File Explorer)，访问其文件夹(Folder)选项，然后取消选中“隐藏受保护的操作系统文件（推荐）”的设置。("Hide protected operating system files (Recommended).")
接下来，使用文件资源管理器(File Explorer)浏览和访问您要查看其创建日期的(creation date)驱动器或分区。(drive or partition)例如，如果您想知道C:分区的创建时间，请使用文件资源管理器(File Explorer)打开它。在分区的根目录中，查找名为System Volume Information的文件夹。
右键单击或点击并按住(tap and hold)它，然后在上下文菜单中选择Properties。或者，您也可以选择文件夹并按(folder and press)键盘上的Alt + Enter键。
上一个操作会打开一个名为System Volume Information Properties的窗口。在其常规(General)选项卡中，您可以找到一个名为Created的字段。右侧的日期和时间应该与创建分区的日期接近（在许多情况下相同）。(date and time)
然而，虽然这种方法是获得分区创建日期的最佳近似值的最简单方法，但在某些情况下它也可能显示错误数据：
- 如果您没有直接从Windows创建分区，则不会自动创建此文件夹。该文件夹是在Windows(Windows)首次识别新分区时创建的。如果您在分区创建几天后打开Windows ，则(Windows)系统卷信息(System Volume Information)文件夹列出的创建日期(creation date)将与实际创建日期(creation date)不同。
- 如果您只有一个分区，用于安装/删除/重新安装不同的操作系统，Windows会显示创建文件夹的日期，而不是分区第一次存在的日期。
- 如果创建分区时系统时钟设置不正确，(system clock)系统卷信息(System Volume Information)显示的日期也会不正确。
如果您想要一种更准确的方法来找出在Windows中创建分区的时间，请检查下一个方法：
2. 使用名为“ NTFS 卷(NTFS volume)创建时间戳(creation timestamp)”的免费工具和命令提示符(Command Prompt)，找出在Windows中创建分区的时间(Windows)
我们发现的第二种方法是基于使用Mantas Mikulėnas 开发的工具，即 grawity(Mantas Mikulėnas, aka grawity)。它称为“NTFS 卷创建时间戳”("NTFS volume creation timestamp,")，您可以从 GitHub 获取。
使用(Use)您喜欢的任何网络浏览器(web browser)访问此网页(webpage)，然后单击或点击页面右上角的下载 ZIP(Download ZIP)按钮。
ZIP 文件(ZIP file)的名称很长，由随机数组成，大小仅为 9.57 KB。当您的浏览器询问您要做什么时，请选择将ZIP 文件(ZIP file)保存在您的 Windows 10 PC 上的某个位置。例如，在您的桌面(Desktop)上。
使用文件资源管理器(File Explorer)转到您保存ZIP 文件(ZIP file)的位置，然后提取其内容。如果您不知道如何操作，请阅读：如何在Windows中解压缩文件（使用内置工具）。
我们建议您为ZIP 文件(ZIP file)提取到的文件夹选择一个更直接的名称。默认值(default one)与文件名相同，只是一长串数字。为简单起见，我们选择将其命名为VolumeInfo。
如果您打开带有解压缩的ZIP 文件(ZIP file)的文件夹，您应该会找到四个文件，其中包括一个名为volumeinfo.exe的可执行文件。不要试图打开它，因为没有任何反应。您需要从命令提示符(Command Prompt)运行它才能使用它。
以管理员身份打开命令提示符(Command Prompt)并使用CD 命令(CD command)导航到包含volumeinfo.exe文件的文件夹的位置。如果您不知道如何使用CD 命令(CD command)，请阅读命令提示符(Command Prompt)：您应该知道的 11 个基本命令（cd、dir、mkdir 等）。
就我而言，因为我选择在我的Desktop上名为VolumeInfo的文件夹中提取(VolumeInfo)ZIP 文件(ZIP file)，所以我必须输入命令 cd(command cd) C: UsersCodrut NeaguDesktopVolumeInfo。
在命令提示符(Command Prompt)窗口中，键入命令 volumeinfo(command volumeinfo) ? 其次是您感兴趣的驱动器或分区(drive or partition)。例如，如果您想知道 C: 分区的创建时间，您应该键入 volumeinfo ?C:，然后按键盘上的Enter 。
volumeinfo命令为您提供(volumeinfo)了一个名为卷创建时间(volume creation time)的结果，类似于下面的屏幕截图中的结果。它有两个值：一个称为nt ，一个称为unix。我们感兴趣的是nt。它告诉我们分区创建的日期和时间，但不是人类可理解的形式，因此我们必须将其转换为可读的(date and time)日期和时间格式(date and time format)。
尽管如此，在命令提示符(Command Prompt)窗口中，键入命令w32tm.exe /ntte ，然后键入您在上一个命令中获得的卷创建时间 nt(volume creation time nt) 值(value)。例如，就我而言，我必须输入w32tm.exe /ntte 0x01d52b411cf8eb0a。然后，按键盘上的Enter 。
命令提示符(Command Prompt)中显示的最终结果会告诉您创建分区的日期和时间：(date and time)
而已！您可以将此方法用于Windows 计算机或设备(Windows computer or device)上的任何分区或驱动(partition or drive)器。
您知道其他更简单或更可靠的方法来找出分区的创建时间吗？
我们承认，我们展示的所有方法都不是很好。第一个很简单，但并不可靠，只能作为一个近似值。第二种方法是可靠的，但要做到这一点并不容易。您知道在Windows(Windows)中找出何时创建分区的其他方法吗？如果你这样做，请在下面的评论中分享。
2 ways to find out when a partition was created in Windows
Have you ever nеeded to know when an NTFS partition was created or when Windows fіrst initialized a drive and made it available for υse? Although thеre are no easy, user-friendly ways to find out, we knоw two different methods by which yоu cаn find this information, by yourself. If you are curious to leаrn, read on:
1. Find out when a partition was created in Windows, using the System Volume Information folder
The easiest way to find out when a partition was created is to look at the System Volume Information folder. This folder is found on all the partitions where Windows has access. It is automatically created by Windows when it detects a new partition, and it stores essential things such as:
The folder is hidden by default, and you need to set File Explorer to show hidden operating system files and folders. If you do not know how to do it, read How to view all hidden files and folders in Windows 10. You must open File Explorer, access its Folder Options, and then uncheck the setting that says "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)."
Next, use File Explorer to browse and access the drive or partition whose creation date you want to see. For example, if you want to know when the C: partition was created, use File Explorer to open it. In the partition's root, look for the folder called System Volume Information.
Right-click or tap and hold on it, and, in the contextual menu, choose Properties. Alternatively, you can also select the folder and press the Alt + Enter keys on your keyboard.
The previous action opens a window called System Volume Information Properties. In its General tab, you can find a field called Created. The date and time on its right side should be close (in many cases identical) to the date when the partition was created.
However, although this method is the easiest way to get a good approximation of the date when a partition was created, it can also show false data in some situations:
- If you did not create the partition directly from Windows, this folder was not created with it, automatically. The folder is created the first time Windows identifies the new partition. If you open Windows a few days after the partition was created, the creation date listed for the System Volume Information folder is going to be different from the real creation date.
- If you have only one partition, which you used to install/remove/reinstall different operating systems, Windows shows the date when it created the folder, not when the partition first existed.
- If the system clock was not set correctly when you created the partition, the date shown by the System Volume Information is going to be incorrect also.
If you want a more accurate method of finding out when a partition was created in Windows, check the next method:
2. Find out when a partition was created in Windows, using a free tool called "NTFS volume creation timestamp" and the Command Prompt
The second method we found is based on using a tool developed by Mantas Mikulėnas, aka grawity. It is called "NTFS volume creation timestamp," and you can get it from GitHub.
Use any web browser you prefer to visit this webpage and click or tap the Download ZIP button from the top-right corner of the page.
The ZIP file has a long name made of random numbers and a size of only 9.57 KB. When your browser asks you what to do, choose to save the ZIP file somewhere on your Windows 10 PC. For example, on your Desktop.
Use File Explorer to go to where you saved the ZIP file, and extract its contents. If you do not know how, read: How to unzip a file in Windows (with built-in tools).
We recommend that you choose a more straightforward name for the folder to which the ZIP file is extracted. The default one is the same as the name of the file and it is just a long string of numbers. For simplicity, we chose to name it VolumeInfo.
If you open the folder with the extracted ZIP file, you should find four files, including an executable called volumeinfo.exe. Do not try to open it because nothing happens. You need to run it from the Command Prompt to be able to use it.
Open Command Prompt as administrator and use the CD command to navigate to the location of the folder that contains the volumeinfo.exe file. If you do not know how to use the CD command, read Command Prompt: 11 basic commands you should know (cd, dir, mkdir, etc.).
In my case, because I chose to extract the ZIP file in the folder called VolumeInfo on my Desktop, to get there, I have to type the command cd C:UsersCodrut NeaguDesktopVolumeInfo.
In the Command Prompt window, type the command volumeinfo \? followed by the drive or partition that interests you. For example, if you want to know when the C: partition was created, you should type volumeinfo \?C: and then press Enter on your keyboard.
The volumeinfo command gives you a result called volume creation time similar to the one in the screenshot below. It has two values: one called nt, and one called unix. The one that interests us is the one called nt. It tells us the date and time when the partition was created, but not in a human-intelligible form, so we must convert it to a readable date and time format.
Still, in the Command Prompt window, type the command w32tm.exe /ntte followed by the volume creation time nt value that you got on the previous command. For example, in my case, I have to type w32tm.exe /ntte 0x01d52b411cf8eb0a. Then, press Enter on your keyboard.
The final result shown in the Command Prompt tells you the date and time when the partition was created:
That's it! You can use this method for any partition or drive on your Windows computer or device.
Do you know other easier or more reliable ways to find out when a partition was created?
We admit that none of the methods that we have shown is great. The first one is easy, but it is not reliable, and it can be used only as an approximation. The second method is reliable, but it is not easy to get it done. Do you know other ways of finding out when was a partition created, in Windows? If you do, please share in the comments below.
