How do I mount a Windows partition?
 

Hi, I am using RedHat 8.0...Is it possible for me to explore my files in my first hard disk (in which the Windows OS resides)? I think I need to "mount" the disk, but I don't know where to start. Can someone help me on this? Thanks.

Lim

mount -t vfat /dev/hda /mnt/whatever


This will all depend on how your set up is.

mount is the command

-t vfat is what tells it to use a windows-based partition (presuming you aren't running NTFS)

/dev/hda is your first hard drive. hdb would be the second, hdc the third, and so on.

/mnt/whatever would be where you want the files to be "mounted" or to be accessed from.


Does that help?

Can tell you how to have it mounted automatically, if you are interested...

add this to /etc/fstab:
/dev/hda1 /mnt/windows vfat defaults 0 0

replace /dev/hda1 and /mnt/windows with the correct values

Thanks, I got some idea now....but I think I need to ask you about the /mnt/whatever

My hda has 5 partitions (C, D, E, F, G), I want to access drive F, so I type there .../mnt/F. Well, it said there is no such mount point, so I tried .../mnt/hda5...I suppose my guessing doesn't work.

So what should I type for that /mnt? And for automatic mounting, certainly I am interested. That would save my effort. Thanks!

sorry to come down like a proverbial ton of bricks, but NO NO NO NO NO. all this drive letter crap is just a poorly thought through and worked out bit of DOS that's stuck to windows shoe like something a dog left behind... drive letters mean absolutly nothing outside of Windows. you need to mount partitions by their device block under unix, /dev/hda5 for example. the /mnt entry is simply a reference to an empty directory that already exists. nothing more than that. run "fdisk -l /dev/hda" for a list of partitions on the primary master drive.

Now I got it, thanks a lot!

I sure you know how to do it now, but at least search the forum before you ask this question. I can find that same question at least 20 times. Hopefully in the future you at least search before you ask. just remember when you're mounting you'll have to do it ever time you log into Red Hat 8.0 which I have. again here is the script mount -t vfat /dev/hda(number of your windows partition) /mnt/(folder you want to place window partition)