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General discussion

"Write to" FAT32 but not to NTFS?

Jun 8, 2005 11:09AM PDT

Minor problem: I can easily change the default permissions to enable me to "write to"/transfer files to a Win ME/Hda1 drive (FAT 32) in one dual-boot (MEPIS 3.3) system, but not in another with Win XP (NTFS) installed on the corresponding Hha1. Is this due to a general incompatibility between ext3 and NTFS file systems, or is there an elegant way around the problem ?
Cheers
"septus" (aka eric)

Discussion is locked

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Writting to NTFS
Jun 11, 2005 11:37AM PDT

Most Linux distros will not write to an NTFS partition, but can read the data. Though they can read and write to FAT32.

The solution is to create a swap parition that is FAT32 where you store all of your major files. Then no matter what OS you're in you can open them.

You could also try and get a distro that can read NTFS. I believe that Mandrake/Mandriva has the ability, although it isn't complete.

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Use Google to get...
Jun 11, 2005 4:24PM PDT

the ntfs driver and installation instructions specific to your distro.
http://www.google.com

This will get you the ability to read ntfs, to write to ntfs at this point isn't perfect or safe for the ntfs partition.

note:

Unless someone has made a breakthrough with the driver you may lose data if you write to a ntfs partition.

But, read up on it. I haven't looked at it in a while now.

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"Write to" ntfs
Jun 11, 2005 7:47PM PDT

Thanks "lowther" and "donerickson",
Will try. No, it did not work in Mandriva 2005, but the swap file idea should work in any distro. It is really a minor problem, since a USB device would solve the problem.
Cheers
"septus"