The game directory is invalid or inaccessible

(v2.0.760 - missing in list)

the minecraft launcher fails to find the .minecraft directory even though this directory exists.

Error details: The system cannot find the file specified
Filename on disk: .minecraft
Path: C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft
Exists: directory

this directory exists and is writable:

C:\>dir C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\ Volume in drive C is Boot
Volume Serial Number is 1234-5678

Directory of C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft

02/04/2017 04:10 PM <DIR> .
02/04/2017 04:10 PM <DIR> ..
12/23/2016 05:09 PM <DIR> 1.9
06/03/2016 07:13 AM <DIR> assets
....

{{C:\Users\Me\AppData}} is a juntion to {{Z:\Me\AppData}}

here's procmon trace:

4:05:27.1534950 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\launcher_profiles.json REPARSE Desired Access: Generic Write, Read Attributes, Disposition: OverwriteIf, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: 0, OpenResult: <unknown>
4:05:27.1537610 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile Z:\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\launcher_profiles.json SUCCESS Desired Access: Generic Write, Read Attributes, Disposition: OverwriteIf, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: 0, OpenResult: Overwritten
4:05:27.1539926 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 WriteFile Z:\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\launcher_profiles.json SUCCESS Offset: 0, Length: 1,684, Priority: Normal
4:05:27.1540976 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile Z:\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\launcher_profiles.json SUCCESS
4:05:27.1631387 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 WriteFile Z:\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft\launcher_log.txt SUCCESS Offset: -1, Length: 74
4:05:27.1789796 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft REPARSE Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: <unknown>
4:05:27.1790977 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryOpen Z:\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft SUCCESS CreationTime: 4/19/2016 9:12:43 AM, LastAccessTime: 2/4/2017 4:00:28 PM, LastWriteTime: 2/4/2017 4:00:28 PM, ChangeTime: 2/4/2017 4:00:28 PM, AllocationSize: 8,192, EndOfFile: 8,192, FileAttributes: DNCI
4:05:27.1791740 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\ SUCCESS Desired Access: Synchronize, Disposition: Open, Options: Directory, Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1792284 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\ SUCCESS
4:05:27.1793169 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\ SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1793599 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\ SUCCESS CreationTime: 8/22/2013 5:31:02 AM, LastAccessTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, LastWriteTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, ChangeTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, FileAttributes: HSD
4:05:27.1793917 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\ SUCCESS
4:05:27.1794910 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\ SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1795343 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\ SUCCESS CreationTime: 8/22/2013 5:31:02 AM, LastAccessTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, LastWriteTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, ChangeTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, FileAttributes: HSD
4:05:27.1795661 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\ SUCCESS
4:05:27.1798111 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1798582 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\Users SUCCESS CreationTime: 10/29/2015 10:28:30 PM, LastAccessTime: 6/3/2016 8:04:47 AM, LastWriteTime: 6/3/2016 8:04:47 AM, ChangeTime: 6/3/2016 8:04:47 AM, FileAttributes: RD
4:05:27.1798916 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\Users SUCCESS
4:05:27.1801450 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1801959 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\Users\Me SUCCESS CreationTime: 6/3/2016 6:52:30 AM, LastAccessTime: 2/3/2017 8:32:11 PM, LastWriteTime: 2/3/2017 8:32:11 PM, ChangeTime: 2/3/2017 8:32:11 PM, FileAttributes: D
4:05:27.1802278 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\Users\Me SUCCESS
4:05:27.1805502 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1806130 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS CreationTime: 6/3/2016 9:06:59 PM, LastAccessTime: 6/3/2016 9:06:59 PM, LastWriteTime: 6/3/2016 9:06:59 PM, ChangeTime: 6/3/2016 9:29:25 PM, FileAttributes: DRP
4:05:27.1806448 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS
4:05:27.1808292 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS Desired Access: Read EA, Read Attributes, Synchronize, Disposition: Open, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1809017 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 FileSystemControl C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS Control: FSCTL_GET_REPARSE_POINT
4:05:27.1809396 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS
4:05:27.1811206 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS Desired Access: Generic Read, Disposition: Open, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: None, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1812041 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 FileSystemControl C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS Control: FSCTL_GET_REPARSE_POINT
4:05:27.1812405 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\Users\Me\AppData SUCCESS
4:05:27.1813218 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\ SUCCESS Desired Access: Synchronize, Disposition: Open, Options: Directory, Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1813743 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\ SUCCESS
4:05:27.1815258 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\ SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1815829 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\ SUCCESS CreationTime: 8/22/2013 5:31:02 AM, LastAccessTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, LastWriteTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, ChangeTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, FileAttributes: HSD
4:05:27.1816158 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\ SUCCESS
4:05:27.1817232 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\ SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1817676 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\ SUCCESS CreationTime: 8/22/2013 5:31:02 AM, LastAccessTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, LastWriteTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, ChangeTime: 1/23/2017 10:57:59 PM, FileAttributes: HSD
4:05:27.1817991 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\ SUCCESS
4:05:27.1821115 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1821602 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\Users SUCCESS CreationTime: 10/29/2015 10:28:30 PM, LastAccessTime: 6/3/2016 8:04:47 AM, LastWriteTime: 6/3/2016 8:04:47 AM, ChangeTime: 6/3/2016 8:04:47 AM, FileAttributes: RD
4:05:27.1821939 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\Users SUCCESS
4:05:27.1824814 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
4:05:27.1825424 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryBasicInformationFile C:\Users\Me SUCCESS CreationTime: 6/3/2016 6:52:30 AM, LastAccessTime: 2/3/2017 8:32:11 PM, LastWriteTime: 2/3/2017 8:32:11 PM, ChangeTime: 2/3/2017 8:32:11 PM, FileAttributes: D
4:05:27.1825773 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CloseFile C:\Users\Me SUCCESS
4:05:27.1828333 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me\Me NAME NOT FOUND Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a
4:05:27.1831887 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 CreateFile C:\Users\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft REPARSE Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: <unknown>
4:05:27.1832926 PM Minecraft.exe 1132 QueryOpen Z:\Me\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft SUCCESS CreationTime: 4/19/2016 9:12:43 AM, LastAccessTime: 2/4/2017 4:00:28 PM, LastWriteTime: 2/4/2017 4:00:28 PM, ChangeTime: 2/4/2017 4:00:28 PM, AllocationSize: 8,192, EndOfFile: 8,192, FileAttributes: DNCI