In the previous post I described the use of reparse points to create junctions. Reparse points can also be used to map a volume to a directory within an existing file structure. A reparse point that points to a volume is called a volume mount point.

Volume mount points can be used to break Window’s 26 drive letter limit by allowing different partitions, e.g. D:, E:, F:, to appear as one logical volume or to consolodate access to devices with removable storage media.

To create a volume mount point, open the Disk Management console, start > Run… > Open: diskmgmt.msc, select Action > All Tasks > Change Drive Letter and Paths…, select Add, and specify an empty NTFS folder.

After a new path has been created the original drive letter can be removed. Note that removing the drive letter of a removable storage device will delete its icon from the Devices with Removable Storage list and prevent the Autorun dialog from opening when it is inserted.

If several several drives were mounted onto a single volume they could then be accessed and administered, e.g. folder sharing, from a common location.

Win2K’s and XP’s version of NTFS, NTFS 5, supports linking between files and directories. This can remove a lot of clutter since many Windows applications do not support relocation of their data and executables from their installation directory.

Directories are linked via Junction Points. In the figure below the directory C:\windows\Driver Cache\I386\ has specified E:\I386 as its target. An application reading or writing C:\windows\Driver Cache\I386\ would actually be accessing E:\I386.

Junction Points can be created with several utilities. Microsoft provides the Linkd program in the Win2K Resource Kit. Sysinternals provides the free command utility: Junction. I’ve been using Junction Link Magic, a graphical freeware utility that allows you to add, modify or remove junction points and list existing junction points. It’s based on the work of Mike Nordell who figured out how to use undocumented Windows API access to junction points. More information on his solution is available at The Code Project. Winbolic Link is a another graphical junction utility that provides similar functionality.

The following screen capture shows the creation of a junction point between the I386 host folder on the C: drive and its target on the E: drive.

Note that support for junctions in Explorer can be problematic. Deleting junction points behaves oddly, as well as attempting to delete folders within a directory accessed through a junction point.

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I’ve replaced my disk use utility, SequioaView, with a more effective alternative. Like SequoiaView, WinDirStat uses squarified cushon treemaps to provide a graphical representation of file and directory size. Its utility is enhanced by a directory list that is coupled to the treemap display, exposing the relationship between a file or folder’s attributes and its disk space. Additional features include support for network drives, UNC paths, and NTFS junction points. The current version lacks filters, one of SequoiaView’s advantages, however they are being considered for an upcoming release.

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Refactoring is the process of rewriting a computer program or other written material to improve its readability or structure with the explicit purpose of retaining its meaning or behavior. A cold december has provided enough time for me to refactor most of this site after an extended period of inactivity.

Many changes will be obvious: the discussion section has been retired in favor of a more active home page log, Windows 98 content is being depreciated and a number of stubs have been completed.

The majority of changes are transparent: the site is fully xhtml compliant, makes more extensive use of css layout, and has a new blog engine.