Which one is the best partition that Windows and Linux can share?

melopll · 04-19-2006, 05:18 PM

Hello, just got a big hardrive that is going to have installed several OSs including windows and some Linux distros.
Since windows is not even able to read EXT2 partitions I was thinking about a NTFS partition where to store all my data, but I am not sure if I will have read/write capibility with the Linux distros I want to install.
Between the Linux distros I'll have PCLinuxOS, CentOS, Gentoo, SimplyMepis and probably Linspire.

Should I still use a FAT32 partition or I can go with NTFS?

Thank you.

priller · 04-19-2006, 05:27 PM

I use fat32 to share data between linux & xp, I dont think linux can safley write to NTFS yet.

demented_are_go · 04-19-2006, 05:27 PM

What I'd do is that I'd create a small fat32 partition to share data, if you can afford it space wise, ntfs support is shaky in linux.

Linux.tar.gz · 04-19-2006, 05:27 PM

Fat32. Linux can't write natively on ntfs.

towy71 · 04-19-2006, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melopll

Since windows is not even able to read EXT2 partitions

this is a canard, there is a utility that will read ext2 and ext3 filesystems ex2fs
n.b.DO NOT use this to try to write to either of them!

Quote:

Originally Posted by melopll

Should I still use a FAT32 partition or I can go with NTFS?

Thank you.

Yes you should use fat32 so that both windows and Linux can write to it.
HTH

masonm · 04-19-2006, 05:37 PM

I'd also say fat32

melopll · 04-19-2006, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by towy71

this is a canard, there is a utility that will read ext2 and ext3 filesystems ex2fs
n.b.DO NOT use this to try to write to either of them!
Yes you should use fat32 so that both windows and Linux can write to it.
HTH

If I have a file into a ext2 partition, will I be able to burn it on a CD from Win running this utility?

Thanks

Nylex · 04-20-2006, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melopll

If I have a file into a ext2 partition, will I be able to burn it on a CD from Win running this utility?

Yes, as there's an option to export the file to your Windows partition. Do that and then you'll be able to burn as normal.

pixellany · 04-20-2006, 01:06 AM

Just a tweak to the consensus so far...

Ideal: One drive for OSes and apps, 2nd (BIG) drive for shared data--formatted FAT32

Next best: big drive with a (BIG) data partition, and several smaller partitions for the OSes.

melopll · 04-20-2006, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nylex

Yes, as there's an option to export the file to your Windows partition. Do that and then you'll be able to burn as normal.

Ok, so I guess in my case, since I'll be burning big files, it's better to use a FAT32 partion and burn the files from directly from there.

Thanks

Wim Sturkenboom · 04-20-2006, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melopll

If I have a file into a ext2 partition, will I be able to burn it on a CD from Win running this utility?

Might be a silly question, but why burn using windows?

melopll · 04-21-2006, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wim Sturkenboom

Might be a silly question, but why burn using windows?

Well, your question is not silly at all!!! You are right.... i am no reason to use win for burning!

I'll go with ext2!!!

Not sure why I didn't realize this before