Junction Points)

Compared with XP and win2003, the default folder location of user data and system data in win7 and win2008 (including win2008r2) systems changes. For example, the file that stores user data in XP is% Systemdrive % \ Documents and Settings; % systemdriver % \ User in win7. Such changes undoubtedly apply to previous applicationsProgramIs it possible to bring compatibility issues smoothly in win7.To maximize compatibility with previous XP running programs, junction points (connection point) technology is adopted in win7. Through this technology, the original program running in XP can automatically change the data access operations under the % systemdrive % \ Documents and Settings folder to the % systemdriver % \ user folder.

We can regard Junction Point as a shortcut, which has the following features:

• It has the attributes file_attribute_reparse_point, file_attribute_hidden, and file_attribute_system.
• Access control lists (ACLs) is used to deny read operations on everyone.

In this way, in win7, only the system has the access permission, the old program will call the old path through junction point, and then access the user data files or system data folders under win7.

For example, if win7 creates a connection point for each user, the old c: \ Users \Username\ My Documents points to c: \ Users \ under win7 \Username\ Documents. The following table shows

Path in XP and Windows2003	Paths in win7 and windows2008
\ Documents ents and settings	\ Users
\ Documents and Settings \ Default User or % Logonserver % \ netlogon \ Default User	\ Users \ default or % Logonserver % \ netlogon \ default
\ Documents ents and Settings \ <user> \ My Documents ents	\ Users \ <user> \ Documents
\ Documents ents and Settings \ <user> \ My Documents ents \ my pictures	\ Users \ <user> \ pictures
\ Documents ents and Settings \ <user> \ My Documents ents \ my music	\ Users \ <user> \ music
\ Documents and Settings \ <user> \ favorites	\ Users \ <user> \ favorites
N/	\ Users \ <user> \ contacts
N/	\ Users \ <user> \ downloads
N/	\ Users \ <user> \ savedgames
\ Documents and Settings \ <user> \ Application Data	\ Users \ <user> \ appdata \ roaming
\ Documents and Settings \ <user> \ Local Settings \ Application Data	\ Users \ <user> \ appdata \ Local
\ Documents and Settings \ <user> \ Start Menu	\ Users \ <user> \ appdata \ roaming \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Start Menu
\ Documents and Settings \ All Users	\ Users \ public
\ Documents and Settings \ All Users \ Start Menu	\ Programdata \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Start Menu
\ Documents and Settings \ All Users \ Desktop	\ Users \ public \ Desktop

Refer:

1. Junction Point in Vista

2. Managing roaming user data delployment Guide