LykosAI/StabilityMatrix · error · IOException

Path is not a junction point.

Error message

Path is not a junction point.

What it means

Junction.Delete throws IOException("Path is not a junction point.") when the given path exists but is a regular file, not a directory/junction. A junction delete only makes sense for a directory reparse point, so the library refuses to act on a file path. If the path doesn't exist at all, Delete silently returns.

Solutions

1. Check the path type first and only call Junction.Delete on directories/junctions; delete plain files with File.Delete.
2. Verify you are passing the junction (link) path, not the target directory path.
3. If a file erroneously occupies the junction path, delete the file and re-create the junction.
4. Use Junction.Exists or reparse-point inspection to confirm the path is a junction before deleting.

Example fix

// before
Junction.Delete(path); // throws if path is a file
// after
if (Directory.Exists(path)) {
    Junction.Delete(path);
} else if (File.Exists(path)) {
    File.Delete(path);
}

if (!Directory.Exists(junctionPoint)) return; // nothing to delete (or file handled separately)

static bool IsDirectoryPath(string p) => Directory.Exists(p);

try { Junction.Delete(path); }
catch (IOException ex) when (ex.Message.Contains("not a junction")) { File.Delete(path); }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling Junction.Delete(junctionPoint) where the path is an existing regular file (File.Exists true, Directory.Exists false) — e.g. the junction was replaced by a file, or the wrong path was passed to cleanup code.

Common situations: Cleanup logic that assumed everything at the path was a junction; a tool replaced the junction with a hardlink/file; path confusion between link path and target path; leftover files from partial uninstalls.

Related errors

• Failed to delete junction point
• Target path does not exist or is not a directory
• Directory already exists and overwrite parameter is false.
• Unable to delete junction point.
• Failed to delete junction point

AI-assisted analysis of LykosAI/StabilityMatrix@af93d6ef57 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a278e5f524d89fc9. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at StabilityMatrix.Core/ReparsePoints/Junction.cs:116

            }
        }
        finally
        {
            Marshal.FreeHGlobal(inBuffer);
        }
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Deletes a junction point at the specified source directory along with the directory itself.
    /// Does nothing if the junction point does not exist.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="junctionPoint">The junction point path</param>
    public static void Delete(string junctionPoint)
    {
        if (!Directory.Exists(junctionPoint))
        {
            if (File.Exists(junctionPoint))
                throw new IOException("Path is not a junction point.");

            return;
        }

        using var fileHandle = OpenReparsePoint(junctionPoint, Win32FileAccess.GenericWrite);
        
        var reparseDataBuffer = new ReparseDataBuffer
        {
            ReparseTag = (uint) DeviceIoControlCode.ReparseTagMountPoint,
            ReparseDataLength = 0,
            PathBuffer = new byte[0x3ff0]
        };

        var inBufferSize = Marshal.SizeOf(reparseDataBuffer);
        var inBuffer = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(inBufferSize);
        try
        {
            Marshal.StructureToPtr(reparseDataBuffer, inBuffer, false);

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