If you are a Windows user, changes are you have had run out of space in C drive, at one point or another. This tutorial will help you clean-up C drive using directory links aka NTFS junction point.

This lets Windows and all other programs believe that the specified directory exists but actually it’s just a pointer to the new path, which can also be on another drive.

It’s like a shortcut but better.

Steps

Without further ado, let’s see the code.

1. Cut the folder which is taking up space. e.g.

   C:\Satish\Some Folder
   

2. Paste it in another drive. e.g.

   D:\Can be another Folder
   

3. Run following command in Command Prompt

   mklink /J "C:\Satish\Some Folder" "D:\Can be another Folder"
   

This will create a directory junction which points to the new path.

Now when you navigate to C:\Satish\Some Folder, it will actually show contents of D:\Can be another Folder, but Windows and other programs will be oblivious about that.

Limitations

Neither the Windows NT startup process nor the Windows Vista startup process support Junction points, so it’s impossible to redirect certain system folders:

• folder containing hiberfil.sys (if it’s configured to be outside root directory)
• \Windows
• \Windows\System32
• \Windows\Config

However it is possible to redirect non-critical folders:

• \Users
• \Documents and Settings
• \Program Files
• \Program Files (x86)

Warning

• Creating junctions for \Users and \ProgramData pointing to another drive is not recommended as it breaks updates and Windows Store Apps.[1]

• Creating junctions for \Users, \ProgramData, "\Program Files" or "\Program Files (x86)" pointing to other locations breaks installation resp. upgrade of Windows.[2]

• Creating junctions for "\Program Files" or "\Program Files (x86)" pointing to another drive breaks Windows’ Component Based Servicing which hardlinks files from its repository \Windows\SxS to their installation directory.