Soft links on the other hand are more flexible (thus the implementation), but do not retain data of a file and simply point to the file name.
Hard link or hard-linked files (and directories) are entries that directly present an associative reference between a name and the actual item (file, directory). Making the distinction between a hard link and a soft link, we can understand that the latter (as implied by its name) is used for a more weak reference.
With (Portable) WizTree, you can scan non-NTFS and network drives.
Moreover, you can go more in-depth in your research and submit for scanning MFT (Master File Table) instances, one or more directories, or multiple- and different-partition folders. WizTree automatically identifies all the storage hard drives and lets you pick the source you are attempting to scan. Portable WizTree is a system scanner utility with blazing-fast and accurate reporting, for NTFS hard drives, network drives, USB drives, and individual directories.