The problem arises when someone else later sees backup.txt , assumes it's a copy, and deletes it—wiping the only remaining link to that data.
echo Hello > original.txt mklink /H link.txt original.txt type link.txt # Output: Hello echo World >> original.txt type link.txt # Output: Hello World /H is the crucial flag—without it, mklink creates a symbolic link by default. New-Item -ItemType HardLink -Path "C:\links\link.txt" -Target "C:\data\original.txt" Or with the shorter alias: windows hard link
Workaround: Use directory junctions or symlinks with mklink /D or mklink /J . Hard links cannot span drives (C:\ to D:). Each volume maintains its own file reference table. For cross-volume needs, use symbolic links. ❌ The Deletion Trap This is the most common hard link mistake: The problem arises when someone else later sees backup
fsutil hardlink list "link.txt" Or in PowerShell: Hard links cannot span drives (C:\ to D:)