### Please describe the problem. Two direct mode repos both on crippled filesystem (NTFS), although no file is modified, each "git annex sync" command will generate a new commit on master branch, which makes "git log" grow fast. ### What steps will reproduce the problem? Run the script below on NTFS filesystem ### What version of git-annex are you using? On what operating system? I tried multiple combination: git version from 2.7.4 to 2.11.0; git-annex version from 5.20150812 to 6.20161211; OS includes ubuntu xenial&yakkety and Windows 10; As long as the script is run on NTFS filesystem it reproudces the problem. However, on non crippled file system the script works without problem. ### Please provide any additional information below. [[!format sh """ # If you can, paste a complete transcript of the problem occurring here. # If the problem is with the git-annex assistant, paste in .git/annex/daemon.log mkdir a cd a git init git annex init first git annex direct echo foo > 1.txt git annex add . git annex sync cd .. git clone a b cd b git annex init second git annex direct git annex sync cd ../a git remote add second ../b git annex sync echo bar > 2.txt git annex add 2.txt git annex sync cd ../b git annex sync cd ../a git annex sync cd ../b git annex sync cd ../a git annex sync cd ../b git annex sync cd ../a git annex sync cd ../b git annex sync cd ../a git annex sync cd ../b git annex sync cd ../a git annex sync cd ../b git annex sync cd ../a git annex sync cd ../b git annex sync git log | grep refs/heads/synced/master | wc # End of transcript or log. """]] ### Have you had any luck using git-annex before? (Sometimes we get tired of reading bug reports all day and a lil' positive end note does wonders) I'm new to git-annex and immediately astonished by its unique strength. I fit the Archivist use case, and this could be the solution I wanted for so long. I'm planning to deploy it on 2 Windows boxes and several USB disks, all of them on NTFS. I learnt the idea that v6 repo is not yet good for Win/NTFS (double disk space), so I guess direct mode is the way to go? I have already got some test repos running and practicing, indeed this sync loop problem is the only remaining case I'm not confident with. Is it a bug or some safety measure feature? Am I good to go? Thanks and oh, Merry X'mas!