NTFS Read Only?

boxxa · 10-21-2005, 03:16 PM

I am using Suse 9.3 pro and it detected my 2 other hard drives running NTFS partitions but they are only read only.

How can I make them R/W by users?

win32sux · 10-21-2005, 03:32 PM

the NTFS driver that is included in the official linux kernel doesn't have very reliable write support, so by writing to an NTFS partition using linux you are taking a huge risk...

having said that, the first thing you wanna do is make sure your kernel was compiled with NTFS RW support (grep your config file for "NTFS")... if it wasn't, then you'll need to recompile your kernel... if it was, then it's just a matter of editing your /etc/fstab AFAIK...

BTW, there's a project somewhere which lets you use the OFFICIAL NTFS Windows driver from within Linux in order to get reliable NTFS-write support, but i can't rememeber what the project is called...

just my $0.02 cents...

spooon · 10-21-2005, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by win32sux
BTW, there's a project somewhere which lets you use the OFFICIAL NTFS Windows driver from within Linux in order to get reliable NTFS-write support, but i can't rememeber what the project is called...

It's called Captive, but development stopped a few years ago, it uses the obsolete LUFS instead of FUSE, and may have security problems. Use at your own risk.

P.S. Also, it says that "ntfsmount" now has what is basically write support; I don't really know what that means though.

boxxa · 10-21-2005, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by win32sux
the NTFS driver that is included in the official linux kernel doesn't have very reliable write support, so by writing to an NTFS partition using linux you are taking a huge risk...

having said that, the first thing you wanna do is make sure your kernel was compiled with NTFS RW support (grep your config file for "NTFS")... if it wasn't, then you'll need to recompile your kernel... if it was, then it's just a matter of editing your /etc/fstab AFAIK...

BTW, there's a project somewhere which lets you use the OFFICIAL NTFS Windows driver from within Linux in order to get reliable NTFS-write support, but i can't rememeber what the project is called...

just my $0.02 cents...

Can you explain the steps to check if its enabled in the kernel and if so what i need to add to the FStab?

I could have sworn it was enabled in the default build of SuSE so I think its just a matter of enabling it in the fstab which I dont knwo the correct entry.

win32sux · 10-21-2005, 06:53 PM

just grep the config file which was used to build your kernel... for example, mine looks like:

Code:

cat /boot/config | grep NTFS
CONFIG_NTFS_FS=m
# CONFIG_NTFS_RW is not set

which means i have ntfs support compiled as a module and i don't have write support...

as for the fstab, i think you just append the "rw" option to the fourth column in your ntfs partition's row...

spooon · 10-21-2005, 07:09 PM

I don't think there is NTFS write support at all except for some very dangerous code in some ancient driver included in kernel 2.4 (see here). Practically, use Captive, or write to a FAT partition, or access your Linux partition from Windows with a selection of free programs and drivers.

boxxa · 10-23-2005, 02:15 PM

Code:

linux:/home/bryan # cat /boot/config-2.6.11.4-21.9-default | grep NTFS
CONFIG_NTFS_FS=m
# CONFIG_NTFS_DEBUG is not set
CONFIG_NTFS_RW=y

I thought it came compiled in the SuSE Pro kernel.

Thanks for the help guys.

boxxa · 10-23-2005, 02:31 PM

Ok. I am trying to modify the fstab file to enable writitng to the disk. here is what i have for the 2 NTFS hard drives. Can someone see why I still get permission denied?

Code:

/dev/hdb1            /windows/C           ntfs       rw,users,gid=users,umask=0002,nls=utf8 0 0
/dev/hdc1            /windows/D           ntfs       rw,users,gid=users,umask=0002,nls=utf8 0 0

Thanks

win32sux · 10-23-2005, 04:46 PM

hmmm, isn't the umask supposed to be set to something like 0222??

like: http://www.ubuntuguide.org/#windows

i'm not sure if that's the problem, though - i have no ntfs partition to test with...

PS: rememeber to re-mount or re-boot after editing your fstab...

solveit · 10-23-2005, 05:05 PM

I am using NTFS write according to this thread (post by "solveit" ) :

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=362166

You should add a line like this to /etc/fstab :

/dev/sda2 /mnt/windows ntfs rw,defaults,umask=0222 0 0

boxxa · 10-24-2005, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by solveit
I am using NTFS write according to this thread (post by "solveit" ) :

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=362166

You should add a line like this to /etc/fstab :

/dev/sda2 /mnt/windows ntfs rw,defaults,umask=0222 0 0

Changed the fstab to thta line and still only read only mounts.