Fsutil Command in Windows: Tips and Examples

Applies to : Windows Server (Semi-Annual Channel), Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012. Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7.

The Fsutil command performs tasks related to File Allocation Table (FAT) and NTFS file systems, such as managing reparse points, managing sparse files, or canceling a drive mount. If it is used without parameters, the Fsutil command will display a list of supported sub-commands.

Note when using the Fsutil command

You must log in with admin rights or admin group members to use the Fsutil command . The Fsutil command is quite powerful and is only used by advanced users who have extensive knowledge of Windows operating systems.

You must enable Windows Subsystem for Linux before you can run the Fsutil command . Run the following command as Admin in PowerShell to enable this optional feature:

 Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux 

You will be prompted to restart your computer after it is installed. After restarting the computer, you will be able to run the Fsutil command with admin rights.

Fsutil command parameter

Subcommand DescriptionFsutil 8dot3name Query or change settings for short name behavior on the system. As an example,, create a file name of 8.3 characters in length. Remove the short name for all files in a directory. Scanning a directory and determining the registry keys may be affected if the short name is removed from the files in the directory. Fsutil behavior Query or set the behavior for the drive. Fsutil dirty The dirty bit query of the drive is set to active or passive. If the dirty bit of a drive is set dynamically, the autochk command will automatically check that drive to find the error the next time the computer restarts. Fsutil file Find files by user name (if Disk Quotas is enabled), query allocate scope to a file, set short name to file, set valid data length for file, set zero data for file, create The new file has the specified size, find the file ID if specified, or find the file link name if the file ID is specified. Fsutil fsinfo List all drives and query the drive type, information about the drive, drive with specific NTFS or file system statistics. Fsutil hardlink List hard links for a file or create a hard link (a directory entry for a file). Each file can be considered to have at least one hard link. On NTFS drives, each file can have multiple hard links, so a single file can appear in multiple folders (or even in the same directory, with different names). Because all links refer to the same file, programs can open any link and modify the file. A file is deleted from the file system only after all links to it are deleted. After you create a hard link, programs can use it like any other file name. Fsutil objectid Manage object identifiers, used by Windows operating systems, to track objects such as files and folders. Fsutil quota Manage quotas (quotas) on NTFS drives to provide more precise control of network memory. Drive quotas are applied on each drive and allow both hard and soft storage limits to be deployed on a per user basis. Fsutil repair Query or set the drive self-recovery status. Self-recovery NTFS attempts to fix the NTFS file system online without running Chkdsk.exe. Fsutil repair includes starting verification on the drive and waiting to complete the repair process. Fsutil reparsepoint Query or delete the reparse point (NTFS file system object has a definable attribute, containing user-controlled data). Reparse points help extend functionality in the input / output subsystem (I / O). They are used for directory communication points and drive mount points. They are also used by the file system filter driver to mark some special files for that driver. Fsutil resource Create a Transaction Transactional Resource Manager, start or stop a Transactional Resource Manager, display information about Transactional Resource Manager or modify its behavior. Fsutil sparse Manage sparse files. A sparse file is a file in which one or more unallocated data areas are available. A program will find these unallocated areas. They contain bytes of zero value, but no disk space helps represent these 0 values. All data is meaningful or carries a value of 0, while all data is not meaningful (large data series of 0s) are not allocated. When a sparse file is read, the allocated data is returned when the data is stored, and the unallocated data returns 0 (by default in accordance with C2 security requirements specification). Sparse file support allows data to be released from anywhere in the file. Fsutil tiering Allows you to manage storage layer functions, such as installing and disabling flags, and listing stories. Fsutil transaction Commits a specified processing, restores the specified processing, or displays processing information. Fsutil usn Managing log changes of the Update Sequence Number (USN), provides a continuous log of all changes made to files on the drive. Fsutil volume Manage drives. Unmount a drive, query to see the available disk space or find the file using the specified cluster. Fsutil wim Provides functions to discover and manage files supported by WIM.

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