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I have a bunch of files that I download at some point and then customize. I want to keep the originals, but also allow modifications, and I want to do this using hard links.

I figure I first download the batch of files into some sort of repository, then create hard links into my work location. I want to let the user delete his files (e.g. delete the hard link), which doesn't pose problems.

However I also want to let him write to them, in which case I want my original file to be left untouched in the repository, so I can revert later. How can I do this transparently, without actually locking the file and forcing him to delete it and recreate it?

Any ideas greatly appreciated, thanks.

Cosmin

CosminB
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    You can't do this with hard links. However, Windows does include Single Instance Storage and Shadow Copies, either of which might be able to serve your purposes. – Harry Johnston Jun 11 '12 at 23:50

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In windows you have no such option as NTFS/FAT doesn't support snapshots. Hard links are just links anyway, both point to a single file and if link A is changed link B is changed also.

You can partially achive the same result with Windows File History however I don't know any way to set it up exaclty as you described.

kworr
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