Windows 10: Windows Accessories - Using Xcopy breaks folder symbolic link

Hi Guys

I'm using XCOPY to move some icons into the 'Windows Accessories' folder.
The 'Windows Accessories' folder true file location is:
C:\Users\UserXYZ\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories
AND
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories

When this folder is viewed in the Start Menu and Windows Explorer, the title of the folder is 'Windows Accessories'. When I use XCOPY to move some icons to the true location, it somehow breaks the folder symbolic link. It then displays as 'Accessories' on the Start Menu & Windows Explorer which is its true location.

The problem this then causes is that while you can see 'Accessories' on the start menu, because the way in which the Windows 10 start menu works, it also sees the ProgramData Windows Accessories folder and puts the start menu into a tail spin and the 'Accessories' folder does not work.

My advice is that you try to do this yourself on a test system to see its effects to better understand what's going on.

How could I use XCOPY to not break the symbolic link, or do I just recreate the symbolic link after doing an XCOPY?
Or is there an alternate to XCOPY I can use that doesn't break symbolic links?

Here is my XCOPY command as a basic example:
Code: XCOPY "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories" "C:\Users\UserXYZ\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\" /e /h /v /f /Y[/quote] Thanks

:)

 

Exclude folder form Symbolic link ?


Can I use Xcopy / Robocopy to create not only a symbolic link but exclude a folder from the symbolic link creation ?

 

Exclude folder form Symbolic link ?

Xcopy and Robocopy are not third party apps - they are Windows 10 command line utilities, presumably being used here to make backup copies of user files. I wrote my own .bat file using Robocopy that does full or incremental backups of my user folder to an external or network drive of my choice. I very soon learned the perils of Robocopy and symbolic links...
The dangers of robocopy and symbolic links

The switch I had to use for Robocopy is:
/XJD :: eXclude Junction points for Directories.

This one may be of use to @JerometheGiraff:
/SL :: copy symbolic links versus the target.

You could try combining that with...
/XD dirs [dirs]... :: eXclude Directories matching given names/paths.
...but I'm not sure if that applies to symbolic links.

Get to Know Robocopy for More Powerful File Management
Robocopy and a Few Examples
Type Robocopy /? in a command prompt for the full list of options or see:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/...mands/robocopy

Xcopy is far older than Robocopy and dates back to DOS 3.2. It supports the options:

/EXCLUDE:file1[+file2][+file3]...
Specifies a list of files containing strings. Each string should be in a separate line in the files. When any of the
strings match any part of the absolute path of the file to be copied, that file will be excluded from being copied. For example, specifying a string like \obj\ or .obj will exclude all files underneath the directory obj or all files with the .obj extension respectively.
....
/B Copies the Symbolic Link itself versus the target of the link.

Type Xcopy /? for the full list.

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.