Windows Server 2008 Create Symbolic Link, updated Security Policy still gives privilege error

Posted by Matt on Super User See other posts from Super User or by Matt
Published on 2010-06-04T19:57:04Z Indexed on 2012/09/24 21:41 UTC
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Windows Server 2008, RC2. I am trying to create a symbolic/soft link using the mklink command:

mklink /D LinkName TargetDir
e.g. c:\temp\>mklink /D foo bar

This works fine if I run the command line as Administrator. However, I need it to work for regular users as well, because ultimately I need another program (executing as a user) to be able to do this.

So, I updated the Local Security Policy via secpol.msc. Under "Local Policies" > "User Rights Management" > "Create symbolic links", I added "Users" to the security setting.

I rebooted the machine. It still didn't work. So I added "Everyone" to the policy. Rebooted. And STILL it didn't work.

What on earth am I doing wrong here? I think my user is even an Administrator on this box, and running plain command line even with this updated policy in place still gives me:

You do not have sufficient privilege to perform this operation.

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