Well, the wrinkles just keep on coming.....

I had an anomaly the other day on the computer. I had to do the last known configuration thingy to get it to work again. I noticed the 37GB (formatted) WD drive was set up as a NTFS configuration.

Years ago when I had to hard format the drive, I was told by someone to set both the "C" (WIN) drive and the "D"(hda2) drive up as NTFS's as they would work better. NOW, I hear that if you want to swap data or work on it in Linux, then save it to WIN, you have to have both drives set-up as FAT32's. Now, I'm confused, which IS it?

At present, the WIN "C" drive is 37GB, but only 6.4GB is being used. I've decided to leave it as it is. There's a LINUX boot loaded (700KB) that's on there as well. I've also decided to set the 78GB Maxtor HD up as a Ubuntu 9.1 drive, with a 2 GB swap drive along with the rest of Ubuntu on the drive.

I do have GParted, so I think I could change the "C" drive to a FAT32 if needed.

What say you, Gentlemen?

I'm sorry for being a pest and know-nothing, but I have no local help.

GOD BLESS,
Warmest Regard,

Buck/KA5LQJ

Leave it as NTFS - Ubuntu will have the ability to write to it just fine.

"I'm sorry for being a pest and know-nothing, but I have no local help."

Don't be sorry using this forum for what it is intended...

1 members found this post helpful.

The best way to share data between Linux and Windows is with a separate data partition that can be mounted to either system. FAT32 is fine for this, but I use ext3. To access from Windows, I use the ext2fsd driver (in Windows).

If you have a data partition that is either FAT32 or ext3 (or something else), you don't have to change your OS partition in order to be able to read it.....Example:
1st partition: Windows, NTFS
2nd partition: Linux, ext3
3rd partition: Shared data, FAT32, NTFS, or ext3 (See above for ext3)

1 members found this post helpful.

Assuming you are dual booting (as opposed to running two computers of which one may be virtual), if you want to have a file system that can be used on both Linux-based systems and on Windows then the easiest is FAT-32 which is supported by both types of OS out-of-the-box but NTFS is a better file system than FAT-32 for several reasons and you can install ntfs-3g on Linux-based systems (if they do not have it out-of-the-box).

If you have two computers (maybe one virtual) you can use Samba on Linux to share part of the Linux file system tree as a Windows share.

Hi,

I want to Thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm real at this. I am taking the time to do on-line lessons to learn about linux from scratch. However, I'm in a rush for time, because of my health, to Git-R-Done!, LOL! Once I can get the computer set-up with Ubuntu on the 80 GB drive and leave WIN 2000 Pro on the 40 GB "C" drive, then all should "well" and I shouldn't have to ask so many questions.

It's too bad that a distro of Linux, out-of-the-box, would set-up by asking a few simple questions: Do you want to be able to dual-boot to Windows as well? How large a drive do you wish to format for the linux partition? Then start the partitioning and formatting process. Next it would ask for the ./root password, user name(s) and their passwords then "install". After that look up, on-line, an "changes or updates" to the linux packages and download them. Simple, no? Maybe they already have a disto like this that I haven't heard about.

Oh, BTW, I'm a very old, M$DOS person, so I like a command line as well as a GUI, LOL!

Well, It's pert near 6:45am (1145 hrs Zulu), so I need some breakfast, yogurt and granola with a cut-up banana (type II diabetic) and another cup of my WORLD'S FAMOUS, Cajun Cowboy SOCK kawphy, to start my day. Oh, for those of you who are ham radio op's. I'll be on 28.365 MHz. lower sideband, calling "CQ-10".

Respectfully submitted,
Best Regard (73),

Don (Buck)/KA5LQJ
Grid Square: EM-32