write ntfs? updates?

scales · 08-05-2006, 02:15 PM

i have read that there are some ways to write ntfs in linux. for example, the newest version of puppy linux allows one to. do any other distros, allow this yet? will they ever, or is there not much motivation? ubuntu or fedora?

Brian1 · 08-05-2006, 02:53 PM

For Fedora one can get help for it from here. http://stanton-finley.net/fedora_cor...ion_notes.html .
Just requires the ntfs rpm to match the current kernel installed version. That is the basics for all distros. The ntfs support must be compiled with the kernel in use. There is a second option called captive-ntfs. Never tried it so not familiar with it.

Google around I am sure there is ways to get support in Ubuntu as well. Last resort is to rebuild the kernel and add ntfs write support and build the kernel. Easy thing to do. Lots of post on building kernels.

Please note the NTFS write support is not perfect. You may have no issues but there is a chance it can destroy an ntfs partition in milliseconds. It is best to mount as read-only and if have to write to then remount it in read-write mode and then change back to read-only when done. Or better yet write to a fat32 partition. Both Windows and Linux can read and write with no issues.

Brian1

kirkpuppy · 08-07-2006, 09:08 PM

Good R/W support just became available with the ntfs-3g driver that came out last month. I'm sure others will follow. Here's a quote from the developer:

Quote:

As part of the Linux-NTFS project, I'm happy to announce my contribution
to ntfsmount and libntfs which resulted ntfs-3g, a read-write ntfs driver,
capable for unlimited file creation and deletion.

The driver was successfully tested very exhaustively for a longer period of
time by many ways and methods, creating and destroying millions of files and
directories on newly created images, and on over 40 real, very diverse NTFS
images collected over the last four years.

The README file is copied below which includes more general, performance and
quality information with answers and future plans.

Please make a backup of your NTFS volume by ntfsclone and try to reproducible
break ntfs-3g, if you can. If you are able to do so then please let us know,
preferable providing your NTFS metadata image, if it couln't be reproduced by
other ways.