Windows hard links disk usage inconsistency

Question

I'm using Windows 8.1.

There appears to be an inconsistency. Windows states adding hardlinks to a file doesn't use much disk space, and this makes sense since you're only creating a pointer.

However, the file system doesn't reflect this. If I create a hardlink, it lists the disk space usage for that file as doubled.

If doing this only adds a pointer but the FS thinks it's doubled, then it doesn't matter how much space the file is actually using when calculating remaining disk space if what the FS thinks is only taken in consideration.

So what gives? Which is it? Which is being considered when calculating remaining disk space? Appreciated!

Answer 1

According to Harry Johnston:

"Explorer isn't the file system. The fact that Explorer doesn't take hard links into account when calculating the total size of a group of files doesn't affect the amount of disk space available. (If you look at the properties of the drive rather than of a particular set of files, Explorer asks the file system for the actual amount of space used and available on the volume. Those figures are correct.)"

This was the answer I was looking for. Thanks!