Microsoft KB Archive/205524

= How to create and manipulate NTFS junction points =

Article ID: 205524

Article Last Modified on 2/20/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

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This article was previously published under Q205524



SUMMARY
You can surpass the 26 drive letter limitation by using NTFS junction points. 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
Microsoft offers three utilities for creating and manipulating 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 that are 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 that is used to mount a volume
 * Lists the local file system volumes that are available for use
 * Deletes the volume mount points that are created with mountvol.exe
 * Location: Windows 2000 CD-ROM in the I386 folder

Delrp.exe

 * Deletes NTFS junction points
 * Also deletes other types of reparse points, which are the entities that underlie junction points
 * Aimed primarily at developers who create reparse points
 * Location: Microsoft Windows 2000 Resource Kit



Sample Usage
 To create a junction point to your desktop:  At a command prompt, type linkd mydesktop \desktop (where   is the name of the user profile). 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 GUID that is used to identify a unique volume even if the drive letter changes.

 To mount your CD-ROM onto an NTFS junction point:  At a command prompt, type md cd .</li> Type mountvol cd \\?\Volume{e2464850-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ .</li> Type dir cd to display the contents of your CD-ROM.</li></ol> </li> To mount another volume onto an NTFS junction point on your system drive:  At a command prompt, type md ddrive .</li> Type mountvol ddrive \\?\Volume{e2464852-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ </li> Type dir ddrive to displays the contents of drive D.</li></ol>

NOTE: When you display the contents of a folder by using the "dir" command, NTFS junction points are indicated by {Junction}.

</li> To delete junction points: <ul> To delete the mydesktop junction point, at a command prompt, type linkd mydesktop /d or Delrp mydesktop .</li> To delete the CD mount point, at a command prompt, type mountvol \\?\Volume{e2464850-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ /d .</li> To delete the ddrive mount point, at a command prompt, type mountvol \\?\Volume{e2464852-8089-11d2-8803-806d6172696f}\ /d .</li></ul> </li></ul>

Usage Recommendations
NOTE: Microsoft recommends that you follow these recommendations closely when you use junction points:
 * Use NTFS ACLs to protect junction points from inadvertent deletion.
 * Use NTFS ACLs to protect files and directories that are targeted by junction points from inadvertent deletion or other file system operations.
 * Never delete a junction point by using Explorer, a del /s command, or other file system utilities that walk recursively into directory trees. These utilities affect the target directory and all subdirectories.
 * Use caution when you apply ACLs or change file compression in a directory tree that includes NTFS junction points.
 * Do not create namespace cycles with NTFS or DFS junction points.
 * Put all your junction points in a secure location in a namespace where you can test them out in safety, and where other users will not mistakenly delete them or walk through them.

Feature Comparison to DFS
NTFS junction points are similar to the junction points in DFS because both are tools that are used to graft storage namespaces together. However, DFS junction points typically have more features than NTFS junction points. The following table lists some of the differences between DFS and NTFS junction points.

For additional information about the support of NTFS junction points on a cluster, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

262797 Reparse point support in Windows 2000-based clusters

Additional query words: 5.00, ReparsePoint, ReparsePoints, Fsutil.exe, JunctionPoint, MountPoints

Keywords: kbhowto KB205524

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