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ERROR_FILE_SYSTEM_VIRTUALIZATION_METADATA_CORRUPT
Virtualization metadata cannot be trusted for the projected object
A projected namespace keeps metadata that links local placeholders and cache state to objects in the provider backing store. If that metadata is damaged or internally inconsistent, Windows cannot safely decide whether an item is a placeholder, partial file, hydrated file, or locally modified object. The problem is therefore different from missing file content in the backing store.
Preserve the affected virtualization root and provider logs before attempting repair. Query the on-disk state through the ProjFS APIs and compare it with the provider database or content identifiers. Recreating the placeholder may be safe only when local modifications have been ruled out. Avoid manually editing alternate streams or internal metadata because the provider and ProjFS must agree on the cached state.
What to inspect
- Identify whether the item is placeholder, partial, full, or dirty.
- Compare provider identity/version data with the local cached object.
- Protect locally modified content before rebuilding metadata.
References
- Microsoft: ProjFS programming guide
- Microsoft: virtualization instance lifecycle
- Microsoft: ProjFS directory enumeration
- Microsoft: ProjFS view and cache changes
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