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c++windows-7hardlink

How can I programmatically distinguish hard links from real files in Windows 7?

I have a difference between files size and used disk space (total file size is even more than disk size). I suppose because there are many hard links exist (to WinSxS components) in Windows 7/Vista. But how can I programmatically distinguish hard links from real files in Windows 7?

Solution

  • You can't, because all files are hard links. No. Really. A file is just a hard link to a data chunk -- a listing in a directory. (Perhaps you mean symlinks? You can distinguish those...)

    Use the builtin methods Windows provides for calculating used space instead.

    EDIT: Reference (emphasis mine)

    The link itself is only a directory entry, and does not have a security descriptor. Therefore, when you change the security descriptor of a hard link, you a change the security descriptor of the underlying file, and all hard links that point to the file allow the newly specified access.