I have tried everything in books to mount NTFS hard disk in Fedora but it doen't work at all pls help.
mount -t ntfs /dev/hdb1 /mnt/drive

I typed the above command.
Is it necessary to update the kernel ?

Hi.

The mount sentence you typed is ok, but you don't have ntfs support actually.

You can try one of these solutions:
a) install NTFS-support RPM's (Go here)

OR

b) Compile your kernel with ntfs support added.

I don't know why the ntfs support is not compiled like a module in the standard kernel.

Bye.

if this is done and the ntfs partition is able to be mounted will it compromise the security of linux?

buffed:
You can specify root to be the only user who will be able to mount that partition, so linux security is not going to be compromised (...not more than let mount another partition type).

once the ntfs is mounted will the security flaws of windows effect linux?

To mount a ntfs partition in a linux system will not affect to the system security, or at least it will not affect more than mount other files system. They are files and directories after all (usually no program will reside into a ntfs partition), and probably you will only use this file system like a data swap partition between some Win32 S.O. installed in your pc and your linux

Another matter would be the opposed case. If Windows had access to linux partitions then you would be in a serious problem...

A files system type in not more dangerous than other files system type, it can be more or less secure but all the danger resides in the operating system not the files system.

what lines would i have to add into /etc/fstab to mount the NTFS volume for all users on boot?

hi jasarien

Edit and add this line to your /etc/fstab:
/dev/hd?? /mnt/ntfs_part ntfs ro,auto,user,noexec 0 0

where:
/dev/hd?? is your ntfs partition.
/mnt/ntfs_part is the directory where you want to mount your ntfs partition.
ro = readonly
auto = mounted automatically at boot.
user = all users can mount this partition
noexec = you can't run any program in this partition.
The last columns are for dump and fsck options (not aplicable to ntfs partitions).

If you want more info you can visit this page.

Bye.

Okay, I installed the NTFS support, but how do I compile the kernel ?


Hehe

I don't know why the ntfs support is not compiled like a module in the standard kernel.

^
It's against the American judgement :S

But my question: How du I compile the kernel ?

I used the rpm's. They do everything for you - no compiling. Get them here.

Once the rpm's have been installed, just use "mount /dev/hd? /mnt/??? -t ntfs" as root.

I think Goala already covered editing /etc/fstab.

vxc

Hi Marchsteiner!

vxc69 is right! if you have installed NTFS-support package you don´t need to compile the kernel. In my solution you have to choose only a step, you don't have to follow both steps. Sorry if it was not clear. I'll edit the original post to correct that possible confusion.

Anyway, it's very difficult to explain in a few words how to compile a new kernel, you will find a lot of docs about it. I suggest you read that docs and don't take seriously my answer!! But VERY shortly: if you want to compile a kernel you have to follow ALL these steps:
1) install kernel sources in /usr/src/linux or /usr/src/linux-(version) and make the symbolic link /usr/src/linux pointing to /usr/src/linux-(version).
2) Open a terminal and enter in /usr/src/linux directory and type:
make menuconfig
or
make xconfig (if you are in X).
3) Browse all the menus and submenus and select all the stuff you want to be supported in your kernel. You can compile that support into the own kernel o like a module (that is loaded when necessary). Try to keep your kernel as small as possible, so use modules as far as possible.
4) Once you have finished, save the config and exit.
5) Again in your terminal, do:
make clean && make dep && make bzlilo && make modules && make modules_install
This command can vary depending on the kernel version, it's a typical command of a 2.4 version. 2.6 is slightly different.
And if you use grub instead of lilo change make bzlilo to make bzImage and then you will have to do a few steps more to get the new kernel working (I don't use grub so don't ask me )

Once you boot you will have a new entry with the new kernel in the lilo menu. You will have the possibility to boot with the old kernel too (if the new one doesn't boot).

AGAIN, I SUGGEST YOU TO READ COMPILE KERNEL HOWTO's !!

Bye.

This is all good and I can mount the ntfs drive as a user, but I cannot cd into that
filesystem as user; have to be root. Here are the cmds:
wahoo:markg% ls -la win
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Aug 29 23:03 win
wahoo:markg% mount /mnt/win
dr-x------ 1 root root 8192 Aug 29 20:22 win

and this is in my fstab
/dev/hdb1 /mnt/win ntfs ro,noauto,user,noexec 0 0

I'd have expected that the permissions change to "markg".


Any suggestions?

hey themarkg,
i have exactly the same problem . i see the ntfs partition but to gain access to it i have to be root, like open the file manager su mode instead of the home under user.
when i do it as root i see all the files but when im trying from the user it give me an error saying
could not enter folder /mnt/ntfs_part . the fstab seems to be ok
like
dev/hdb3 /mnt/ntfs_part ntfs ro,auto,users,noexec 0 0
and as i said before under root its fine and i have access.
what is the solution for that please.