Migrating files to linux partitions ..

barc0de · 12-28-2003, 05:51 AM

I have used linux and am deciding to move, after reading the disturbing faq about microsofts palladium .. ( cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html ) ...

I have at least 200 GB's of material that is on a NTFS partition... I am looking to completely move to linux, but I have no way to save this, how do I migrate this to linux, and it's partition ?? (EXT2?) I've been using linux for over a year now, but I don't see how I will transfer all these files ...

Ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

XavierP · 12-28-2003, 05:56 AM

Explore2fs is a program for Windows. It allows you to see your Linux partition through Explorer. Hope it helps.

Scruff · 12-28-2003, 10:00 AM

Thats a tough situation. This 200+gb's is all data? I see your issue. You would need a blank 200gb's to create a linux filesystem and move your data. I take it you don't have a cdwr? I know, it's a pain in the ass but if thats the only hardware you have there's not much choice. I have like 40gb's of mp3's right now but they are also all backed up on cd. If all this data you have is basically read-only like mp3's, you could just leave them on NTFS. Linux can read NTFS it just can't write to it.

If you need to have both read/write support there is another solution, though maybe not the ideal way to go about it. You can use Partition Magic to convert your NTFS partitions to FAT32. Linux can read/write to fat32 but you don't get the security advantages of a true linux filesystem. Obviously a conversion like this can be dangerous so back up anything important if at all possible.

barc0de · 12-28-2003, 04:27 PM

All 200 gigs are movies, and many are over a gig in size .. I think I missed something, can Windows copy to a linux partition using that program? Or just see it? if thats the case (seeing it) whats the point?

XavierP · 12-28-2003, 04:30 PM

From the website (first page)

Quote:

Reading ex2fs filesystems under NT 4.0 (and Windows 95).

Have you ever downloaded a whole lot of files under Linux, but when you boot back into NT you remember that you forgot to copy them onto your NT Drive? Well I did, so I wrote an explorer like program that will allow you to save files from any ex2fs partition.

Quote:

Supported Operating Systems

Although Explore2fs was originally written for Windows NT 4.0, it now works on the following Win32 operating systems:

* Windows 95
* Windows 98
* Windows ME
* Windows NT 4.0
* Windows 2000
* Windows XP

Quote:

Features of the latest version

I have added many features, some of which include:

* ext2 and ext3 support
* Drag and drop
* Support for all block sizes
* Support for floppy disks 1.44meg and 120meg
* Supports Zip and Jaz
* Supports Windows 98 extended partition scheme
* Export file(s)
* Export file as text
* Export directory
* View / Execute file
* View Symbolic links
* Make directory
* Large disk support
* Large file support

barc0de · 12-28-2003, 04:36 PM

thanks .. I'll give this a try

XavierP · 12-28-2003, 04:49 PM

No problem