Symptoms

1. You create a backup.
2. Backup completes with warning:
   Error code: 17
   Module: 4
   LineInfo: ce542e14da203b75
   Fields: Path : C:/Folder1/Folder2, $module : disk_bundle_vs_38350
   Message: Link target was not backed up.
    
   or
    
   File {1} pointed by symlink {0} will not be backed up because the file is out of backup scope.

See German error message (Siehe deutsche Fehlermeldung): Verknüpfungsziel wurde nicht gesichert.

Fehlercode: 17
Module: 4
LineInfo: ce542e14da203b75
Felder: Path : C:/Ordner1/Ordner2, $module : disk_bundle_vs_37975
Nachricht: Verknüpfungsziel wurde nicht gesichert.

Cause

Backup source contains symbolic links or junction points. This is expected behaviour designed to warn about backup result.

Solution

If you want to backup the target files/folders of the symbolic link or junction point, include them into the backup source. Warning can be ignored then.

In order to avoid warnings, exclude symbolic links and/or junction points from the backup scope:

1. Open Command prompt.
2. Issue:
   dir <item to back up> /s /al
   where <item to back up> is the disk or folder you want to back up
3. The output contains all symbolic links and junctions in the specified location and all its subfolders.
4. Exclude these items from the backup scope.

For example, you back up folder Folder on disk C:\

1. Open Command prompt and issue:
   dir C:\Folder /s /al
2. Review the output:
   
   As you see, this folder contains a folder named Screens, which is a symbolic link. The actual content of what seems to be in the Screens folder is located in C:\Folder2\Folder21. But this folder is outside of your backup scope.
3. Exclude C:\Folder\Screens from the backup scope. See documentation for instructions on how to exclude files and folders from backup in Acronis Cyber Backup 12.5