Should I create a junction and symlink to a directory at the same time?

Question

OS: Windows 10 Home.

After reading the difference between a directory junction and a symlink, it is clear, that these two things are different.

What is not clear after reading How do I create junctions or directory symbolic links in Windows 10?, is whether I should create both the junction and the symlink, here I am confused.

Situation:

We have a local computer, into which we are adding a second HDD and want to store one directory symlink and / or junction in it.

The original directory is:

C:\Records

The destination directory is:

E:\Records

But the application mustn't know it is actually writing to drive E:.

Therefore I came up with an idea of creating symlink / junction.

Disclaimer: I am Linux user, please don't ruin me for this question.

Several cautions: 1. It's easy to forget exactly what you set, sometimes years later or if someone new is working on that PC, so leave a TEXT file in the root with notes. 2. Deleting the "wrong way" CAN destroy the source or target in W-10. (Forgot WHICH combination, but in W-10: deleting target or source of junction or symlink, deletes both, depending on IF using CMD vs Explorer.) 3. MKLinks are GONE when logged in as a different current user, (or when one of the major recent W-10 "Upgrades" were done for the current user.) These are powerful and very useful, but misunderstood tools. — DaaBoss, Commented Jun 2, 2018 at 16:34

DavidPostill · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-02 16:02:06Z

2

No. You only need to create one of them, and in your particular usage case it doesn't matter which one.

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