Cannot copy symbolic links in Windows XP

[dittocopy]

Although it is generally believed that symbolic links (as opposed to
hardlinks) cannot be created in Windows XP, it is possible by installing
filter drivers available from Masatoshi Kimura. See Symbolic links forWindows XP.

Unfortunately, when using "Direct" symbolic link handling and "Automatic"
synchronization, FreeFileSync 5.3 cannot copy symlinks created in Windows XP.
An attempt to do so results in a "Cannot find system function
'CreateSymbolicLinkW' error message.

The symlinks were created in Windows XP MCE 2005 SP3 using Link Shell
Extension v3.7.1.7.

Is there any way to solve this problem?

If "Follow" symbolic link handling is used, FreeFileSync 5.3 copies a 0-size
version of the original file instead of the symlink to that file at the
destination (right folder). The file copied to the destination does not
contain the contents of the original file. However, my goal is to copy the
symlink, not a copy of the original file with its contents, to the
destination.

[Zenju]

FFS creates symlinks via "CreateSymbolicLinkW" which is a Windows Api
available only for Vista and later.

> FreeFileSync 5.3 copies a 0-size version of the original file instead
This is quite bad. FFS should error out and do nothing. This seems to be a bug
in Windows API CopyFileEx.

[dittocopy]

Thank you for your reply.

I'm disappointed but not surprised that it would be a unsolvable problem in
XP.