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Is there a way to link multiple folders virtually to one main folder?

OK, I have two hard drives. They have the following structure:

C:\Data\Folder1
C:\Data\Folder2
D:\Data\Folder-A
D:\Data\Folder-B

I want to be able to make them appear as subdirs of a main folder, like C:\CompanyData. So when you do a dir of c:\CompanyData, you see:

C:\CompanyData\Folder1
C:\CompanyData\Folder2
C:\CompanyData\Folder-A
C:\CompanyData\Folder-B

I used to do this with DFS, I had setup a DFS root on my server then a script would create links for each folder. Problem is, I have a friend who wants to do this and he does not have a server, just one workstation with Vista.

Is there a way to do this? Doesn't have to be a built in way, third party software would be fine but I'd prefer an in-Vista solution to avoid having to buy extra stuff.

Thanks!

zoofan

That I am aware of dfs is the only way to do this, as anything that is a link/shortcut must also be pointing to a shared folder.

If its local and for his use only, you could create links using the admin shares

ex:

share \\server1\data

links in \\server1\data
Documents <-- points to \\server1\C$\Path to Documents
Apps <-- points to \\server1\D$\Path to Apps

That would be the only way I could think of, as the link has to point to somewhere that is netowrk accessiable by the remote.

zf

zoofan

But realize using this method of pointing to the admins shares requires admin rights for the accessing remote account!! hence the 'for local and his use'

Or method two

Share \\server1\data
share \\server1\doc$
share \\server1\app$

In \\server1\data
links
Documents <--points to \\server1\doc$
Apps <---points to \\server1\app$

zf

zoofan

To create the links, From within the data share right click 'create new shortcut' target \\server1\app$ etc...

zf

McKnife

Using shares is one possibility. Using the command subst is another. Please open a command prompt and type subst /? to see the syntax. A third possibility would be to convert the disks to dynamic disks (in diskmanagement) and map the second disk into a folder of the first disk.

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Paolo Santiangeli

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zoofan

Thats slick McKnife 'subst' nice bit of info to have.

thank you,
zf

MOITExperts

ASKER

Thanks all. Subst is a pretty handy tool, but that creates drive letters from paths, which is sorta backwards for my needs. The share idea is interesting too.

However, the junction points is exactly what I needed, it works great! I don't have Vista myself, but I read the shell-shocked article and downloaded Sysinternal's junction.exe and tested it on my XP box and it was superb, perfect for my needs.

Thanks alot!