If I try to run this:
#include <Windows.h>
int main()
{
CreateFile(
TEXT("X:\\$MFT\\Folder"),
FILE_READ_ATTRIBUTES,
FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE | FILE_SHARE_DELETE,
NULL,
OPEN_EXISTING,
0,
NULL);
return 0;
}
the system deadlocks (and on Windows 8, subsequently BSODs) on any further attempt to access X:
.
(Update: X:
was just a placeholder; you can replace it with any valid drive.)
It took me a while to track it down, and now I have -- but I'm baffled: what is the cause?
This is an NTFS bug.
Since it is now finally publicly known, I'm undeleting this question and posting this as an answer.