How to Create and Manipulate NTFS Junction Points

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

SUMMARY

With NTFS junction points you can surpass the 26 drive letter limitation. By using junction points, you can graft a target folder onto another NTFS folder or "mount" a volume onto an NTFS junction point. Junction points are transparent to programs.

Preview Tools for NTFS Junction Points

Linkd.exe

• Grafts any target folder onto a Windows 2000 version of NTFS folder



• Displays the target of an NTFS junction point



• Deletes NTFS junction points created with Linkd.exe



• Location: Microsoft Windows 2000 Resource Kit

Mountvol.exe

• Grafts the root folder of a local volume onto a Windows 2000 version of NTFS folder (or "mounts" the volume)



• Displays the target of an NTFS junction point used for mounting a volume



• Lists local file system volumes available for use



• Deletes volume mount points created with mountvol.exe



• Location: Windows 2000 CD-ROM in the I386 folder

Delrp.exe

• This tool deletes NTFS junction points. It also deletes other types of reparse points, which are the entities underlying junction points



• Delrp.exe is aimed primarily at developers creating reparse points



• Location: Microsoft Windows 2000 Resource Kit

MORE INFORMATION

Sample Usage

• To create a junction point to your desktop:
  
  
  1. At a command prompt, type linkd mydesktop <user profile>\desktop, where <user profile> is the name of the appropriate user profile.
  
  
  
  2. Type dir mydesktop to display the contents of your desktop.
  
  
  



• To list the available volumes on your system, at a command prompt, type mountvol.

  
  \\?\Volume{e2464851-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ C:\ 
  
  \\?\Volume{e2464852-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ D:\ 
  
  \\?\Volume{e2464850-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ R:\  

  NOTE: The string after "Volume" is the Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) used to identify a unique volume even if the drive letter changes.



• To mount your CD-ROM onto an NTFS junction point:
  
  
  1. At a command prompt, type md cd.
  
  
  
  2. Type mountvol cd \\?\Volume{e2464850-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\.
  
  
  
  3. Type dir cd to display the contents of your CD-ROM.
  
  
  



• To mount another volume onto an NTFS junction point on your system drive:
  
  
  1. At a command prompt, type md ddrive.
  
  
  
  2. Type mountvol ddrive \\?\Volume{e2464852-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\
  
  
  
  3. Type dir ddrive to displays the contents of drive D.
  
  
  
  
  
  NOTE: When you display the contents of a folder by using the "dir" command, NTFS junction points are denoted by {Junction}.



• To Remove Junction Points:
  
  
  1. To delete a normal junction point, at a command prompt type linkd mydesktop
  
  
  .
  2. Type mountvol \\?\Volume{e2464850-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ /d
  
  
  
  3. Type mountvol \\?\Volume{e2464852-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ /d
  
  
  

Usage Recommendations

• Use NTFS ACLs to protect junction points from inadvertent deletion.



• Use NTFS ACLs to protect files and directories targeted by junction points from inadvertent deletion or other file system operations.



• Never delete a junction point using Explorer, a del /s command, or other file system utilities that walk recursively into directory trees. These utilities will affect the target directory and all subdirectories. Instead, use the utilities described below to delete junction points.



• Use caution when applying ACLs or changing file compression in a directory tree that includes NTFS junction points.



• Do not create namespace cycles with NTFS or DFS junction points.



• Place all your junction points at a secure location in a namespace where you can test them out in safety, and other users will not mistakenly delete them or walk through them.

Feature Comparison to DFS:

Additional query words: 5.00

Keywords : kbtool winnt
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto