UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

hard links
1) why isnt it possible to link across file system boundaries

2) when we removed one link , how will the other link be affected?


symbolic links
1) why is it possible to create symbolic links but not hard links across file system boundaries?

thanks

yls177,

Please describe the UNIX system you are working on in the context of your job responsibilities. Thanks, Neo.

I know in AIX 4.3.3
1)When you create a link in the same file-system (Hard link)

both the parent-file and linked file use the same i-node

You can think of a file as some space occupier on the Hard-disk

Now you have two links to that space.When you remove either

one of them one link is gone,The other is not affected

2) Since hard link uses same inode ,it's not possible across file-systems.that's why soft link

when you remove parent file all the linked files are of no use

They just show in ls

Hope this clears some doubts you are having

Cheers