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ERROR_STOPPED_ON_SYMLINK
What ERROR_STOPPED_ON_SYMLINK means
The operation intentionally did not follow the reparse point. This commonly appears when a caller asks to inspect the link itself, enforces a no-follow policy, or must continue resolution in user mode.
Where it appears
- secure path validation and sandbox boundaries
- file APIs using open-reparse-point semantics
- backup, indexing, deployment, and package tools
Likely causes
- a component is a symbolic link or junction
- the API was configured not to traverse reparse points
- resolution crossed a policy boundary requiring explicit handling
What to collect
- the original path and the component at which traversal stopped
- reparse tag and link target
- flags passed to the create/open operation
- whether the target escapes the expected root
How to respond
Decide explicitly whether following the link is permitted. To inspect it, open the reparse point itself; to continue, resolve the target under a policy that prevents traversal outside trusted roots. Never remove no-follow behavior merely to make the error disappear.
Example
A package extractor validates destination paths beneath a staging directory. Resolution stops on a junction inserted inside that tree. The safe response is to inspect the reparse target and reject extraction if it escapes staging, not to reopen the path with unrestricted following.
References
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