Vista - Using links in a dual boot config where drive letters change

In an earlier thread:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/com...=en-us&m=1&p=1
it was discussed the impact of drive letter swapping when using a dual boot
configuration. I tried the following With RC1:
1) In XP create a link on drive e: to a file folder on drive c:
2) Change to Vista (which is on drive d: in the XP reference system)
3) Click on the link. This works fine and the folder on the drive now called
d: opens properly
4) Look at the link properties which in Vista still shows c:\Test_C and
causes an error message saying illegal link when trying to move between the
tabs.
5) Change the link to d:\Test_C in Vista and Vista is happy
6) Go back to XP and click on the link, works fine
7) Check the link which still shows c:\Test_C
8) Back to Vista and the link still works but is back to c:\Test C and the
error message appears again.

Obviously there is more than just the drive letter info in the link but it
seems that XP has priority in naming the drive letter. Maybe it could be a
good idea to try to do the same but creating the link in Vista to see if
Vista has priority

"th" wrote:

> In an earlier thread:
> http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/com...=en-us&m=1&p=1
> it was discussed the impact of drive letter swapping when using a dual boot
> configuration. I tried the following With RC1:
> 1) In XP create a link on drive e: to a file folder on drive c:
> 2) Change to Vista (which is on drive d: in the XP reference system)
> 3) Click on the link. This works fine and the folder on the drive now called
> d: opens properly
> 4) Look at the link properties which in Vista still shows c:\Test_C and
> causes an error message saying illegal link when trying to move between the
> tabs.
> 5) Change the link to d:\Test_C in Vista and Vista is happy
> 6) Go back to XP and click on the link, works fine
> 7) Check the link which still shows c:\Test_C
> 8) Back to Vista and the link still works but is back to c:\Test C and the
> error message appears again.
>
> Obviously there is more than just the drive letter info in the link but it
> seems that XP has priority in naming the drive letter. Maybe it could be a
> good idea to try to do the same but creating the link in Vista to see if
> Vista has priority
>
After a more systematic test I have found out the following:

A) A link created in XP (by drag and drop in Explorer) works correctly in
Vista but Vista does not change the displayed link path but gives an error
message that "the name specified in the Target box is not valid". Even after
using the link Vista does not change the displayed link path.

B) When being in Vista and manually changing the displayed link path of an
XP-created link and returning to XP, XP displays the same path text (which is
now invalid in XP). However when you use the link by double-clicking XP
auomatically corrects the displayed path to the now correct path seen from XP.

C) A link created in Vista (also by drag and drop) works correctly in XP.
Here I have found that XP automatically changes the displayed path to the XP
reference _before_ the link is used, i.e. some time before it is displayed
for the first time.

D) When being in XP and having automatically changed the displayed link path
of a Vista-created link and returning to Vista, Vista displays the same path
text (which is now invalid in Vista). However when you use the link by
double-clicking Vista auomatically corrects the displayed path to the now
correct path seen from Vista.

As you can see B) and D) shows some symmetric behaviour although it is not
really what a user would like to see. C) is the behaviour a user would like
to see while A) seems to be a real bug in Vista.

My conclusion is that XP seems to be forward compatible to Vista but Vista
does not seem to be backwards compatible to XP!!!

Another conclusion could be that XP links and Vista links are not identical
in behaviour and that XP links create problems for both XP and Vista while
Vista links creates problems only for Vista itself!!!

th