Write access to ext3 from Windows?

gflores · 03-22-2005, 01:59 PM

First of all, is it safe to write to ext3 from Windows? I realize the reverse is not true.
Secondly, the only program I've found to be able to do this is Paragon's ext2fs anywhere http://www.ext2fs-anywhere.com/ which is not free. Is there a free version that I just missed? Thanks.

masonm · 03-22-2005, 02:18 PM

I don't use windoze but I'm fairly certain that it doesn't recognize non-dos type file systems like ext3. Personally I wouldn't want windoze messing around in my Linux partitions anyway.

If you really need to share files between the two, create a FAT32 partition and store them there.

Thoreau · 03-22-2005, 02:22 PM

Windows can't write to or read any journaling linux filesystems with any tool as far as I know. ext3, reiserfs, XFS, and the like are all journaling filesystems.

I didn't know paragon made anything but ntfs for linux, but now I do. Linux can read/write to (windows)FAT16/32 and read NTFS natively. You can write to windows NTFS with pirated libraries called capture-ntfs or use paragon's solution.

Windows cannot natively read or write to any linux filesystem unless you have linux installed on FAT32(vfat) and are running DOS emulation software which would make your linux distro run as root for everything- which is bad.

So in short, windows can't see linux. Linux can see windows.

HackerFreeware · 03-22-2005, 02:28 PM

http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/ext2ifs.htm

Thoreau · 03-22-2005, 02:33 PM

Very cool, I didn't know it could read ext3 now. Nice catch hacker.

HackerFreeware · 03-22-2005, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Thoreau
Very cool, I didn't know it could read ext3 now. Nice catch hacker.

Pretty good for a first post eh?

gflores · 03-22-2005, 04:36 PM

So it's not possible to write files? I knew it could read (using explore2fs) http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/explore2fs.htm

No write access?

cs-cam · 03-23-2005, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Windows can't write to or read any journaling linux filesystems

The NTFS filesystem utilises a journal. Same as ext3 but with fragmentation.

ginda · 03-23-2005, 05:43 AM

I think partition magic can not browse non windows file systems...have a look as its been ages since i used partition magic....

Galiandin · 04-09-2005, 02:41 PM

Have a look at the following homepage:

http://e2fsprogs.sourceforge.net/ext2.html

There is a link to a program called ext2fs. It says, that it is possible to write to ext2. I haven't tried it, cause I have a bad feeling about writing to a linux filesystem from windows, but perhaps it is worth to try.