NTFS reparse point

An NTFS reparse point is a type of NTFS file system object. It is available with the NTFS v3.0 found in Windows 2000 or later versions. Reparse points provide a way to extend the NTFS filesystem. A reparse point contains a reparse tag and data that are interpreted by a filesystem filter driver identified by the tag. Microsoft includes several default tags including NTFS symbolic links, directory junction points, volume mount points and Unix domain sockets. Also, reparse points are used as placeholders for files moved by Windows 2000's Remote Storage Hierarchical Storage System. They also can act as hard links[citation needed], but are not limited to pointing to files on the same volume: they can point to directories on any local volume. The feature[which?] is inherited to ReFS.[1]

The open source NTFS-3G driver implements built-in support for the link-type reparse points, namely symbolic links and junction points. A plugin filter system is available to handle additional types of reparse points, allowing for chunk-deduplicated files, system-compressed files, and OneDrive files to be read.[2]

  1. ^ "Microsoft Windows Vista Client Configuration Study Guide" Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2007 p.285
  2. ^ André, Jean-Pierre (March 1, 2019). "NTFS-3G: Junction Points, Symbolic Links and Reparse Points". jp-andre.pagesperso-orange.fr.