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# Hardlinks and Instant Moves (Atomic-Moves)
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## Description
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!!! info
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If you’re wondering why hardlinks aren’t working or why a simple move is taking far longer than it should.
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Here we will try to explain it.
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This guide consists of 4 sections.
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1. This page with a short description.
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1. [How to set up for](/Hardlinks/How-to-setup-for/) your installation method.
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1. [Examples](/Hardlinks/Examples/) What you should use for your path settings in your used applications.
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1. [Check if hardlinks are working](/Hardlinks/Check-if-hardlinks-are-working/)
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So you want one of the following?
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- Instant moves (Atomic-Moves) during import of the Starr Apps (useful when using Usenet)?
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- You don't want to use twice the storage when using torrents. (hardlinks)?
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- You want to perma-seed?
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Then Continue to [How to set up for](/Hardlinks/How-to-setup-for/) your installation method.
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## FAQ
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### Hardlinks Limitations
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!!! danger "- You <u>CAN'T</u> create hardlinks for directories :bangbang:<br>- You <u>CAN'T</u> hardlink across separate file systems, partitions, volumes or mounts :bangbang:<br>- Some file systems, such as exFAT, are known not to support hardlinks and should be avoided (double-check if you are unsure!)"
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### What are Hardlinks
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??? question "**What are hardlinks?** - [Click to show/hide]"
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- [**Short answer**] Having a file in multiple locations without using double your storage space.
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- [**Long answer**] Hardlinks are a way for a copy operation to be instant and not consume space for those additional copies.
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Every file is a hardlink: some metadata that points at blocks on the file system, **which is why they're restricted to the same file system**. There can be as many metadata files pointing at those blocks as needed and the blocks know how many links point to them. Once the blocks have 0 links, they're considered deleted.
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This means:
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- You can delete any "copy" without impacting other instances (hardlinks) of it.
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Your download client can remove its "copy" without impacting the library "copy". The library "copy" can also be removed by Plex, Sonarr/Radarr, or manually without impacting your download client's "copy".
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- Space is only reclaimed once all "copies" of data that are hardlinked are deleted.
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- Modifying any copy of a hardlinked file will impact all "copies".
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For example, modifying the id3 tags of a .mp3 download after import would modify the download client "copy", resulting in breaking the torrent.
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[More info from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_link){:target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"}
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!!! warning "Don't forget to read the [Hardlinks limitations](/Hardlinks/Hardlinks-and-Instant-Moves/#hardlinks-limitations)"
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### What are Instant Moves (Atomic Moves)
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??? question "**What are Instant Moves (Atomic Moves)?** - [Click to show/hide]"
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A real move and not a copy file from the download folder to the media folder and then deleting the file from the download folder.
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### What are the Starr Apps
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??? question "**What are the `Starr Apps`?** - [Click to show/hide]"
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Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, etc.
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