how can I read an ext3 drive from Windows?
 

Hi, simple problem.

Got ISO's on a partition from an old Mandrake install, and then messed up my new installation (FC3) and need the ISOs again. Mandrake is gone and I can't install Fedora without the ISOs.

Just wondered if there was a way I could get to the ISOs on an ext3 partition from windows, rather than downloading them again.

Thanks in advance.

p.s. Sorry if this has been asked before, but i just spent twenty minutes looking throught 'How to mount WinDoze drives in Linux'. Complete oposite of what I need.

there's a program called explore2fs for windows, but i really wouldn't recommend trying to in general. it's always going to be a bit of a gamble.

Thanks for the quick response. I'll try it anyway, worse that can happen? download the ISOs again!

Re: how can I read an ext3 drive from Windows?
 

EXT2IFS is even better than expore2fs, here is a link for it:
http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/ext2ifs.htm

It's a FS driver for Windows, it lets you see your Linux partition just like your C: or CD-ROM drive! I haven't had any problems with it.

Of course, I call my slack partition the L:\ drive :D

:) you can try out R-Linux that is what I use,...
otherwise anyone knows some way to do the inverse? i.e. avoid any reading from windows?

I'm using explore2fs

there's no risk involved.

It works like a charm when i need it to

it's very lite, so it's able to be there when you need it, copy files, and then sit on your Hard Drive as an executable when necessary. If you're looking for a simple file-copy tool to use occationally, I highly recommend this program.

Hi, thanks for all your responses. I booted windows to try some of these suggestions and found two viruses (I've only used XP for about one hour in total since I installed it, this has to be a new record.(Yes, I do have anti-virus and a firewall!!!)) So I just downloaded the ISOs again. But thanks anyway, I'll know what to do if i'm ever in the same situation.