How to synchronize without synchronizing?

edsager · 13 Jan 2019

Hello All,

I have a folder on a network drive and I want to have that folder and contents accessible on a local drive via a folder, but I do not want to synchronize the files.

Rather, I want to have a "faux folder" in the local drive which, when opened, shows all of the files and new files can be saved to it as though said files were actually on the local drive...but the files are actually saved to and maintained on the network drive only.

I did this with a previous version of Windows, but forgot how.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
edsager

bro67 · 13 Jan 2019

A network share is not going to create a folder on a workstation on a LAN.

NavyLCDR · 13 Jan 2019

@edsager

It is the mklink /d command. For example, I have a server called Server2 with a folder called Movies on it. If I wanted C:\Movies to actually point to \\Sever2\Movies the command would be:
mklink /d C:\Movies \\Server2\Movies

Note: C:\Movies cannot previously exist. The mklink /d command will create a virtual C:\Movies folder.

Try3 · 13 Jan 2019

Ed,

I agree with @NavyLCDR above but you might also consider these solutions as they achieve the same end result albeit in a different way:-

1 Create a shortcut to the network drive, or
2 Map the network drive to a drive letter [to map a network drive, go to it in File explorer possibly by typing its address into the address bar, select it, right click, Map network drive …]

In both cases, your users would have the same convenience that they would have if they were working with a local drive.

Denis

edsager · 14 Jan 2019

NavyLCDR~That is exactly what I was trying to remember. Thank you.

Try3~I have done that and it seems a fine way to accomplish what I want, but, for some reason, I want to use the symbolic link. I may end up using the method you suggested.

Thank you all for your comments! The week has started off well!

Thanks,
edsager