Backuping directory junctions

Hello,

I have Paragon B&R 10.1 Free Edition and WindowsXP Pro SP3 installed on a NTFS partition.

The Windows installation contains many junction points, for instance I have "C:\Programs" pointing onto "C:\Program Files". I have created a backup of my system into a file. Then I tried to restore (into a different location) both "C:\Program Files" and "C:\Programs". But the junction point was not restored, "C:\Programs" remained an ordinary (empty) directory. I experimented with other junction points, with he same result.

So, my question is: Does B&R support junction points? Moreover, I have also junction points pointing between different partitions - will B&R backup and restore them? And what about hard links (I didn't try)?

Thank you,
Martin.

 

For now Paragon backup doesn't support junction points. They will appear as empty folders.

You can backup the source partition\folder to which Program Files is linked.

 

Thank you for your answer. But that's funny, because here at Paragons' various features of NTFS are very well sumarized and explained - but the final word is to be: "but we don't support it". :-(

Martin.

 

I'd like to open this question again. I've got a notebook with Windows7 installed, and Win7 uses junction points and symbolic links a lot. Paragon B&R is (they say) able to backup (and restore) Win7 system partition. How would this be possible, if it didn't backup those junctions and symlinks?

Nevertheless, I can confirm that in WinXP the directory junctions are not backed up (or cannot be restored). Is there a difference in behaviour of B&R under Win7 and WinXP?

Thank you,
Martin.

 

Do you mean moved and renamed Documents and settings folder?
If yes, all Windows 7 folders and files are stored in C:/ partition and backup will keep junctions points workable.

By the way, for Windows 7 file-level backup correctly backups My Documents from C:/Users/[user name]/ folder. It is special replacement of the direct link made for Windows 7.

 

Not only that. On my installation, e.g. the following folders are not regular folders (and many more):

Code:

"C:\Documents and Settings" (junction)
C:\Programs (junction)
"C:\Users\All Users" (symlink)
"C:\Users\Default User" (junction)
"C:\Users\All Users\Application Data" (junction)
"C:\Users\All Users\Desktop" (junction)
"C:\Users\All Users\Documents" (junction)
etc.
"C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Application Data" (junction)
C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\History (junction)

...and many many more

I cannot imagine how a restored system partition image could work if these junctions and symlinks are not restored as well.

Martin.

 

They are restored.

If you restore утешку partition, physical data which is linked to symbol links & junction points will be also restored.

IF all linked physical folders are on C:\ (as it is by default) there will be no issues.

 

Well, then back to my original question. If junctions ARE restored in Windows 7, why they are NOT restored in Windows XP? I checked that by making an XP system partition backup, and then tried to restore a part of it into a folder on another disk. (Both junction sources and targets were restored - at least I hope when thinking about it now. It was already several weeks ago.) Or are they restored only when restoring the whole partition?

Thank you,
Martin.

 

Yes, only when entire partition is restored. Otherwise junction points will be linked to nothing.

It is correct for Win7 too.