Create Soft and Hard Symbolic Links in Windows  

RBCC said:

Does the recieving directory need to be there?
Say you have mklink /j C:\program files\nch files\WordPad a:\applications \nch programs\[does this directory need to exist?]
I have read yes and no. Will it create it on the a drive without it?

John

Hello John,

The "link" directory is what will be created, and cannot already exist.

The "source target" is the current existing location.

RBCC said:

If you want to store things at a:\applications\nch program\ wpadpro then would your mklink be
Mklink "a:\applications\nch programs\wpadpro" " c:\program files(x86)\nch programs\nch programs\wpadpro."
Am I right?
Thank you. John

That would be correct.

Just to note, items are still actually saved to the "C" drive location. This will only link the two folders like a shortcut.

RBCC said:

Both folders have to be made in order for a link to exist.

Only the "source target" has to already exist. The "link" folder will get created by the command, and can't already exist or you'll get an error.

Think of it being the same as creating a shortcut (link) of a folder (source target).

WolfieGamer37 said:

Okay, I'm trying to do option four but I keep getting this message "The system can not find the specified path". This is what I'm trying to put in. Is there something wrong with the line below?

MKLINK /J “%Shawna Thoni%\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4” “D:\The Sims 4”

Hello,

The first path should be the "link" for where you want to have the shortcut created at.

The second path is for the original "source" where everything is actually saved at.

Since you wanted to move your Documents folder from your post in the other thread, you might see if you can move the Documents folder without selecting to copy everything over to the new location first, then see if you are able to manually copy the files to the new location after it has been moved.

Brink said:

Hello,

The first path should be the "link" for where you want to have the shortcut created at.

The second path is for the original "source" where everything is actually saved at.

Since you wanted to move your Documents folder from your post in the other thread, you might see if you can move the Documents folder without selecting to copy everything over to the new location first, then see if you are able to manually copy the files to the new location after it has been moved.

Oh, so the new location needs to come first instead? You mean I should just make a folder for the documents section and then make the shortcut, right? After the shortcut is in place I need to copy everything over afterward too? Sorry for the confusion, I'm new to this whole part.

WolfieGamer37 said:

Oh, so the new location needs to come first instead? You mean I should just make a folder for the documents section and then make the shortcut, right? After the shortcut is in place I need to copy everything over afterward too? Sorry for the confusion, I'm new to this whole part.

I'd try moving the Documents folder again using the other tutorial below, but without letting it move all the files from the old to new location. Afterwards, you could try copying the files to the new location if it successfully moved it.

Move Location of Documents Folder in Windows 10