WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) Error message

[horak...@gmail.com]

I am getting many of these messages when trying to copy an older hard (NTSF) drive to a backup hard drive, Both hard drives are on USB ports. Using Windows 7. Writing to a blank directory. I have reset ownership to me and all permissions to everyone on source directory. The great majority of these errors seem to be associated with sub-directories of the Users directory, though I did see this a couple other times, such as for the ProgramData directory.

WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Default\PrintHood
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Default\Recent
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Default\SendTo
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Default\Start Menu
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Default\Templates
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Default User
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\DefaultAppPool\AppData\Local\Application Data

This is a sample. I have 50-100 of these.

[horak...@gmail.com]

More info on the topic above:
I should also mention this affects more than the Default user. e.g., some more examples:
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Mike Horak\My Documents
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Mike Horak\NetHood
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Mike Horak\PrintHood
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Users\Mike Horak\Recent

WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\ProgramData\Application Data
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\ProgramData\Desktop
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\ProgramData\Documents
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\ProgramData\Start Menu
WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\ProgramData\Templates

WriteReparsePoint(dir)(Incorrect function.1) : E:\WD 1TB Antec\Windows\AppPatch\nbin

Also, the copy of the affected directories failed. If I go to the target directory (E:\WD 1TB Antec\...) the directories are not there.

[Hiroaki SHIROUZU]

In some environment, WriteReparsePoint(symlink) is required Admin Privilege.

But I don't know why error code is not "access denied".

[horak...@gmail.com]

I think I figured it out. The directories involved are pointers (shortcuts) to other directories and are not true directories. I am basically copying an entire hard drive out of an old failed desktop computer to a new backup hard drive in case I someday want to find some data from the old computer. The drive I am copying has a full Win7 operating system on it, and in Win7, there are various directories that are pointers to other directories. It appears this happens most for User accounts. It appears FastCopy gives the messages I mention when you copy them. The concept of copying a directory breaks down when what appears to be a directory is just a pointer.

[Hiroaki SHIROUZU]

You can select to copy ReparsePoint(symlink/junction or etc) as ReparsePoint or Directory(and its childs)

Settings -> Copy/Move options -> "Copy Junction/Symlink as Junction/Symlink (not target)"

But if you check-off it, you have to know that deep copy mode (== copy as directory) has infinite recursive copy risk.

For example, "C:\Users\(user)\AppData\Local\Application Data" (this is a hidden file) points "C:\Users\(user)\AppData\Local", so deep copy mode will try to copy C:\Users\(user)\AppData\Local\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data..."

By the way, all Junctions and some symlinks contain/describe absolute path.

FastCopy makes target Junction/symlink that contain original  absolute path. (in shallow copy mode)

Also UNIX/Linux tar command is same behavior, so it is recommended to use relative path symlink in UNIX.

And I recommend to use relative path symlink in Windows.

(I know Windows uses many absoulte path symlink. but I think it is bad design)

[horak...@gmail.com]

Thank you. This answer helps a lot. I was in the dark on what the feature "Copy Junction/Symlink as..." was referring to. That infinite recursive copy really could be bad. I am otherwise copying almost the entire old drive, so enabling the deep copy would just give me duplicates of data, and cost lots of disk space and time. I am not trying to duplicate/clone the old drive; just save the majority of it in case I want to find some data from it someday.

[horak...@gmail.com]

BTW, I suspect the lack of "access denied" messages was due something "less intelligent" I did. I was getting lots of access denied messages when I tried to copy the files on the old drive, so instead of being smart and running FastCopy as an admin, I went into the rood directory made my new computer the owner of the entire old drive, including all subdirectories, and rewrote myself to have full permissions..... Brute force and ignorance.....