Windows programs can't open Linux symlinks but mysteriously only ones involving particular directories

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.26100.4349]

WSL Version

2.5.9.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

6.6.87.2

Distro Version

Ubuntu 24.04

Other Software

No response

Repro Steps

wsl --install
sudo mkdir -p /nix/store/xvlkn1ad6xxwflb0rw591vxkjck00rnw-rust-std-1.88.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/lib/rustlib/x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/lib
sudo touch /nix/store/xvlkn1ad6xxwflb0rw591vxkjck00rnw-rust-std-1.88.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/lib/rustlib/x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/lib/test.txt
sudo mkdir -p /nix/store/5x29r6bf14i5j8l2nb7w56imifm39p3j-rust-minimal-1.88.0/lib/rustlib/x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/lib
sudo ln -s /nix/store/xvlkn1ad6xxwflb0rw591vxkjck00rnw-rust-std-1.88.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/lib/rustlib/x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/lib/test.txt /nix/store/5x29r6bf14i5j8l2nb7w56imifm39p3j-rust-minimal-1.88.0/lib/rustlib/x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/lib/test.txt
notepad.exe '\\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\nix\store\5x29r6bf14i5j8l2nb7w56imifm39p3j-rust-minimal-1.88.0\lib\rustlib\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\lib\test.txt'

Expected Behavior

A Windows program should be able to open the symlink no matter what path it is at or what path it is linking to.

Actual Behavior

"The system cannot find the path specified."

Diagnostic Logs

WslLogs-2025-07-08_12-07-02.zip includes only me running notepad.exe with the problematic path.

Reproduce the failure with the supplied WSL 2 setup, symlink commands, and notepad.exe path, then review the attached WslLogs archive. Compare Windows access to symlinks under the shown directory paths; done means a Windows program can open the linked file regardless of its location or target path.