I'm new with Linux and I have problem. I had installed on my computer Windows XP (NTFS partition) and SuSE Linux 7.3. The problem is that from Linux I can access Win partitions only as read-only (in fstab I mount the ntfs partition as "rw" but it tells me that the ntfs partition is win2k+ and mounted as read-only). If somebody knows the answer please tell me.
You can't write NTFS partitions under Linux. It will destroy your data if you enable write support. Microsoft will not release the information necessary to write a driver that works very well. They don't want people using anything except windows.
If you need to share files between windows and Linux use an FAT32 partition. You can write to them from Linux.
Jim H
Unfortunately, I cannot convert the NTFS partition to FAT32 without formating it. Also I asked this question because a friend of mine (he is also new with Linux) has Windows 2000 NTFS partition and can write it from Linux without problems. He told me that it is possible to exists differencesOriginally Posted by JimH
between Win2000 NTFS partition and WinXP NTFS partition.
What can you tell me about that ? and how I can enable the write support for NTFS ?
Thank you!
Marius
Your friend should consider himself very lucky if he hasn't suffered from any data corruption. It really isn't safe.
I know the version of NTFS that comes with XP is different from Win2K. I don't know the specific's of the differences. I have paid very little attention to changes in windows the last couple of years.
You have to recompile your kernel to enable write support for NTFS. Even though your friend hasn't had it problems, it is not safe to do so.
Jim H
i could read XP ntfs on mandrake 8.1 without any problems, not that i cared......
whatdoyougetwhenyoumultiplysixbynine??
Hi again,
Thanks to JimH.
I followed JimH advices and I tryed to enable the write support for WinXP NTFS partitions by recompiling the kernel. I recompiled the kernel following the instructions from /usr/src/linux/README. I boot on the new kernel and the WinXP NTFS partitions are still mounted read-only. I cheked in the Control Center>System>Linux Kernel Configuration>File system and the NTFS write support was enabled.
If somebody knows how to resolve this problem please tell me.
P.S. I think I go on Win2K + SuSE 7.3.
What is the syntax of the command you are using to try and mount the partition?
Jim H
I mount the NTFS partitions in the fstab.
The syntax is:"/dev/hda1 /windows/c ntfs rw,auto,user,umask=022 0 2"
When I boot I get the message "Win2k+ NTFS partitions - mounting read-only".
It could be detecting a problem when it tries to mount it in write mode and is mounting it read only instead.
Your syntax is good except for the last "2". That column is the fsck sequence. It should be 0 for a windows drive. You definitely don't want to attempt to fsck a windows drive. Anyway that isn't your problem. :'(
Right now the way you have it only root will have write access if it was mounted read/write. Lets look the options you are using for a second.
/dev/hda1 /windows/c ntfs rw,auto,user,umask=022 0 2
I am sure you know this, but just in case someone else reading this thread doesn't.
rw: of course tries to mount it read/write
auto : mount at boot
The way you have it setup when mounting at boot the drive will be mounted, owner=root, group=root.
user: this allows ordinary users to mount the drive, but since you mounted the drive at boot owner=root, group=root, only root can umount the drive. The "user" option only allows the user who mounted the drive to umount it. If you use "users" instead then any user can unmount a drive mounted by another user and of course any user can mount the drive.
umask=022: this will set the permissions on the mounted drive as 0755. This again because of it mounted owner=root, group=root it will only allow root to write to the drive.
Have you tried umounting/remounting the drive after boot and see if it mounts it read/write?
Jim H
I tried to unmount and then remount the NTFS partitions after boot and nothing was changed (still they are mounted read-only). Also I spending some time reading about NTFS.
I found out that the NTFS file system of WinXP is identical with one of the Win2000 (at least that claims Microsoft).
So I decided to wipe down WinXP, install Win2000 and see if I can mount the NTFS partitions read-write.
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