Windows Explorer dates not as expected.

I apologise if this seems a foolish question, but I'm getting vexed with a simple issue in Windows Explorer. I do manual backups by newest dates but find that while the files themselves are dated correctly, the root folders don't e.g. if I have a folder say General, & then 10 subfolders, and I know that various files have been saved in any number of those subfolders so figure I'd rather just save the General folder - the date will show something in 2012 rather than recently. Means I invariably have to drill my way down to determine which subfolders have got updated files.

While I appreciate that I'm backing up regardless, I'm just more curious about why the root folder never updates itself date wise? And is it something I can somehow change maybe?

Thanks.

When a new file or folder is created the date of the immediate parent folder will be updated. The date of higher level folders will not be effected. Updating an existing file will not change the parent folders date. I am quite certain this cannot be changed.

The modified date on a folder refers to when the folder itself was modified, not the files it contains.

Thanks so much guys - all your info is hugely helpful. I wasn't aware that folder dates wouldn't change if the content changes within them - makes it rather hard to see what's new when I sort by date for backups, without then having to drill down to the files.

Course it could be that perhaps I need to think again how I manage my hundreds of folders/subfolders etc, & see if I can find some better means of managing my files.

Alternatively - any suggestions for a good FREE backup program that would negate all this hassle for me ??