Straightforward, easy way to create symbolic links on Windows?

Question

Any help much appreciated. Something at least supported on XP and not requiring any new user downloads hopefully.

Thank you Misha

Answer 1

I don't think the version of NTFS that comes with XP supports symbolic links. NTFS6, which ships in Vista and Windows 7, supports symbolic links with the mklink command. The XP version of NTFS does support hardlinks, but these cannot span volumes.

Answer 2

There is a tool called Link Shell Extension which makes it easy to create symlinks to files, as well as an older type of link called a "Junction" (basically, a symlink to a folder) as well as many more exotic types of links.

Basic usage is simple: Navigate to the source folder, right click on the file or folder you want to link to, and choose the new "Pick Link Source" option from the context menu. Then go to the folder where you want to drop the link, right-click, and select "Drop As" and then either "Symbolic Link" for files or "Junction" for folders.

but

BEWARE: One reason Microsoft makes it hard to do this is that junctions and symlinks can make it very easy to accidentally DELETE CRITICAL FILES!

In some versions prior to Windows 7, deleting a junction or symlink in Explorer would automatically DELETE THE ORIGINAL DIRECTORY as well!

I believe that this problem has now been solved... but of course I make no promises... be particularly careful with third party file browsers (if you're to the point of needing symlinks, I'm sure you're painfully aware of how hard the Windows 7 Explorer blows.)

But I digress. My point is: be careful, do your homework and read the LSE documentation to find out how junctions and symlinks really work, and for gawd's sake BACK EVERYTHING UP before you start messing with junctions and symlinks!

Answer 3

I used and recommend Junction tool from Microsoft SysInternals: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896768.aspx

Example using cmd.exe:

junction c:\Program-Files "c:\Program Files"