Fedora and NTFS

[Rick Stevens]

Mike McCarty wrote:
> Marcelo Magno T. Sales wrote:
> 
>> After the installation, you can download the ntfs kernel module from
>> livna and mount ntfs partitions. During installation, ntfs file systems
>> are not available. Read the FAQ.
> 
> 
> The FAQ for this list states one should not top-post.
> 
> I have a setup similar to his (XP and Linux on separate
> partitions), and would like to do similar. I am under
> the impresson from several sources that the NTFS support
> under Linux is incomplete. I did look into the "captive
> NTFS" using a Knoppix boot, but was unable to do a
> successful install.

NTFS _READ_ operations are supported under Linux--provided you install
the NTFS filesystem RPM (available from many different places such as
livna).  Most of the NTFS RPMs available are read-only filesystems.

There are NTFS RPMs that will do read/write, but writing to NTFS will
almost guarantee a chkdisk being invoked when Windows is booted next
time.  Depending on how or what was written (e.g., if you extend a
file or create a new one), the the filesystem may be unrecoverable by
chkdisk, and that's what's meant by "incomplete support".

It's best to treat NTFS filesystems as read-only even if you install the
read/write NTFS module.  In other words, write to NTFS from Linux at
your own risk and don't be surprised if you hose the filesystem.
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
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- ...Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror -
-                      and you'd be on your own, pal!                -
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