mklink /H "ProjectA\windows.iso" "MasterISOs\windows.iso" mklink /H "ProjectB\windows.iso" "MasterISOs\windows.iso" mklink /H "ProjectC\windows.iso" "MasterISOs\windows.iso" Total disk usage: size of one ISO. Want to keep a "snapshot" of a file before making changes, but don't want to double disk space?
fsutil hardlink list "link.txt" Or in PowerShell:
ni link.txt -ItemType HardLink -Target original.txt To confirm you've created a hard link (and not a copy or symlink), check the link count : windows hard link
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.
Every normal file you create is actually a hard link already—it's just that there's only one link to that data. When you create a second hard link, you're telling Windows: "This data should also appear at this other path." mklink /H "ProjectA\windows
fsutil hardlink list "file.txt" Or with PowerShell:
You can view the link count using:
But Windows has a secret: the . With a hard link, a single file can appear in multiple folders simultaneously, without duplicating any data. Change one, and the others update instantly. Delete one, and the others remain untouched.