C
Cormy1
Reference posts:
This seems to be a truly neglected topic across the net.
How does one properly replicate a directory that contains a symbolic link?
For example, within C:\Users\User\ there should be an Application Data symbolic link pointing towards the AppData folder for backwards compatibility.
Similarly, in the AppData\Local directory there is an Application Data symbolic link which points back to AppData\Local
I believe these to actually be junctions rather than symbolic links. In any case, the result is that one can continuously and transparently enter the Application Data junction until you reach the URL character limit, as it is always treated as though you are navigating to a new directory, whose contents are the same as the original directory.
For the purpose of backing up a user on a Windows system, it's necessary that these symbolic links, junctions and likely hardlinks get copied and remain functional, without your program following the links themselves.
I believe /SL is SUPPOSED to do this with ROBOCOPY from an administrative cmd (because elevated permissions are required to make junctions/symlinks)
Unfortunately the generated links don't seem to properly work
Why do I want to do this? Context:
I have a very filthy Windows installation. On the same partition is all of my user data.
I want to offload my data so that I can partition the drive and keep my system/program files separate from my user data.
How can I go about doing this? 99% of the backup solutions I come across involve backing up the entire drive/creating images, or they only backup standard media/files but don't really cover the job of correctly rebuilding all the directories, including symbolic links and things like librairies.
My assumption is that a lot of that stuff is managed at the level of the registry, or perhaps even the file table of the filesystem...? In any case, it's a huge hassle and I'm trying to figure out how to go about doing this properly.
I DON'T want to include my user directory in the system image backup, as it includes AppData, one of the largest directories on my computer. I want to be able to backup my operating system alone, without the user folder.
I'm getting the impression that I'll only be able to backup my files though, and that I should simply create new user profiles, and then migrate my data to them. Unfortunately I can't figure out how to make new user profiles on another partition than the one Windows is installed on. You can do it with libraries, but the most important thing to me is to isolate the AppData folder, containing all my program customizations and program data (browser/gamefile saves)
I imagine I can use a symbolic link to point to a User folder in another location, but first I need to ensure that user folder is "legit" by being able to properly back it up/move it including these symbolic links!
So again, I have a single partition, on which ALL of my data exists. I want to separate my base system files (so that I could also create an image of them for backup and more easily modify them without dealing with fragmentation) and program files from my user files (for the sake of accessibility and fragment management/ability to image/back THOSE up aswell)
And in the very end, I'd likely restore the system image onto an SSD as I have currently always worked with an HDD.
Why go through all this trouble? The point is transparent migration, proper compartmentalization and partition/image/backup size management.
Continue reading...
How does Windows 7 Backup treat symbolic links?
My PC running Windows 7 has a single hard disk with two main partitions: a C: partition, which contains all my installed software including Windows 7, and a D: partition, which contains only personal
answers.microsoft.com
How to move User folders to 2nd drive in Windows 10
My C drive's an SSD and my user account used to be on my F drive. F drive died and I lost all data so I bought a new one to replace it... Now I need to relink my user account to the new F drive.
answers.microsoft.com
This seems to be a truly neglected topic across the net.
How does one properly replicate a directory that contains a symbolic link?
For example, within C:\Users\User\ there should be an Application Data symbolic link pointing towards the AppData folder for backwards compatibility.
Similarly, in the AppData\Local directory there is an Application Data symbolic link which points back to AppData\Local
I believe these to actually be junctions rather than symbolic links. In any case, the result is that one can continuously and transparently enter the Application Data junction until you reach the URL character limit, as it is always treated as though you are navigating to a new directory, whose contents are the same as the original directory.
For the purpose of backing up a user on a Windows system, it's necessary that these symbolic links, junctions and likely hardlinks get copied and remain functional, without your program following the links themselves.
I believe /SL is SUPPOSED to do this with ROBOCOPY from an administrative cmd (because elevated permissions are required to make junctions/symlinks)
Unfortunately the generated links don't seem to properly work
Why do I want to do this? Context:
I have a very filthy Windows installation. On the same partition is all of my user data.
I want to offload my data so that I can partition the drive and keep my system/program files separate from my user data.
How can I go about doing this? 99% of the backup solutions I come across involve backing up the entire drive/creating images, or they only backup standard media/files but don't really cover the job of correctly rebuilding all the directories, including symbolic links and things like librairies.
My assumption is that a lot of that stuff is managed at the level of the registry, or perhaps even the file table of the filesystem...? In any case, it's a huge hassle and I'm trying to figure out how to go about doing this properly.
I DON'T want to include my user directory in the system image backup, as it includes AppData, one of the largest directories on my computer. I want to be able to backup my operating system alone, without the user folder.
I'm getting the impression that I'll only be able to backup my files though, and that I should simply create new user profiles, and then migrate my data to them. Unfortunately I can't figure out how to make new user profiles on another partition than the one Windows is installed on. You can do it with libraries, but the most important thing to me is to isolate the AppData folder, containing all my program customizations and program data (browser/gamefile saves)
I imagine I can use a symbolic link to point to a User folder in another location, but first I need to ensure that user folder is "legit" by being able to properly back it up/move it including these symbolic links!
So again, I have a single partition, on which ALL of my data exists. I want to separate my base system files (so that I could also create an image of them for backup and more easily modify them without dealing with fragmentation) and program files from my user files (for the sake of accessibility and fragment management/ability to image/back THOSE up aswell)
And in the very end, I'd likely restore the system image onto an SSD as I have currently always worked with an HDD.
Why go through all this trouble? The point is transparent migration, proper compartmentalization and partition/image/backup size management.
Continue reading...