If I understand your explanation, you have a folder that is a meshed folder, shared with your own devices in the ring. Within that folder, you have a folder that you have defined as a Junction on the server for the subfolder you wish to further share with someone else. You've added this Junction folder to the Mesh on a single PC (the server?) and it syncs with the Live Desktop and has been shared with another Live Mesh user.
I have never used Junction points, and had only limited knowledge of what they are and how they are used. However, researching this now I can be pretty certain that this is an unsupported scenario. The Junction point "looks" like a physical copy of the folder, but it is not. It is smoke and mirrors, mounting the folder as a volume in addition to the physical location. So, you are creating a situation where the exact same files are being synchronized within the same Mesh twice, which is totally unsupported as it can cause data loss.
There are some caveats regarding the use of Junctions here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/205524
The ones that jump out at me:
- Use NTFS ACLs to protect files and directories that are targeted by junction points from inadvertent deletion or other file system operations.
- Never delete a junction point by using Explorer, a del /s command, or other file system utilities that walk recursively into directory trees. These utilities affect the target directory and all subdirectories.
Live Mesh manipulates the files within a Mesh folder, copying, deleting, etc. Taking these actions on the Junction point would be the same as the second point above.
Your best bet is to abandon this strategy and to move the sub-folder, which you wish to share out with the other Mesh user, outside of your already meshed Documents folder. Create a unique Mesh folder for it and let is replicate with your devices and share it with the other user.
-steve
Microsoft MVP Windows Live / Windows Live OneCare & Live Mesh Forum Moderator
