LNK File with both local and network paths

Is the first part of the "Network path" the same as the "NetBios name"? ?

jaclaz

Yes, they are the same name.

So, ultimately, BOTH paths would resolve to the same file on the same machine, right?

Could this depend on whether at the time of the creation of the link the C\ drive was a shared drive on the network?

Which OS is that?

jaclaz

Most LNK files I've observed have one of two path fields populated Local or Network Path. This tells us where the file is located that the LNK file is pointing to.

The LNK file format is documented – see https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd871305.aspx for additional info and document links.

My question is, what about LNK files with both fields populated?

Then it depends on how the information you mention translates to the official terminology – as far as I can see, it doesn't look as if quite the same terms are used.

If the LinkFlags field had been provided, it might have been possible to make a reasonable guess but without it … I suspect more knowledge about the actual network environment is needed.

A hypothesis might be that the network path is what any system on that network would use to access the link target – the resolution depends on the host name/netbios name. But on that host itself, the presence of a local path containing the local host name would indicate that no UNC resolution is necessary, and that the local volume could be used immediately.

However, for that case LinkFlag AA should probably be set … and I can't verify that it is. (See the description of Flag AA 'KeepLocalIDListForUNCTarget' on page 13 in the specification.)