Linux and NTFS - please help!

[thisistheday]

As you found out in my other post, I want to install Linux on my 55 GB drive in a seperate partition from Windows XP.
I have an NTFS file system hard drive.

I just want to know if there are any versions of Linux that will install on an NTFS hard drive. From what I was reading, it *seems* like RedHat's installation won't even boot up on an NTFS system. But that can't be.. maybe I read it wrong.

And if I can at least get the installation to run, can I make the partition something other than an NTFS? Or will that cause problems?

Thanks so much for putting up with me. I know I sound like a dummy.. but it's late and I'm tired and I'm overwhelmed with Linux information!

 

[Elijah_A]

umm, I don't think linux would install on an NTFS filesystem .. you could use either ext2/3 or reiserfs ...

ext2 is very stable and a proven reliable FS
ext3 is an improved ext2, it has journaling. I suggest this one.
reiserfs also has journalling like ext3, not sure of the details but this FS is great if you're working on smaller files.

you want to change from a linux fs to windows? that might not work out afaik.... why not format one partition to vfat(FAT32) instead? but still you can't install linux on it... and fyi you can view windows partitions using linux

I just did a search on www.google.com/linux ... it looks like NTFS writing on linux is still experimental, http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/info/ntfs.html#3.2 ...

Take one bit of info at a time, there's just too many info and lots of others I didn't know

Hope that helps

 

[vajradhara]

As you found out in my other post, I want to install Linux on my 55 GB drive in a seperate partition from Windows XP.
I have an NTFS file system hard drive.

I just want to know if there are any versions of Linux that will install on an NTFS hard drive. From what I was reading, it *seems* like RedHat's installation won't even boot up on an NTFS system. But that can't be.. maybe I read it wrong.

And if I can at least get the installation to run, can I make the partition something other than an NTFS? Or will that cause problems?

Thanks so much for putting up with me. I know I sound like a dummy.. but it's late and I'm tired and I'm overwhelmed with Linux information!

NTFS is a strictly Windows file system and Linux will not run on it nor will it install.

for a while, Digital made a Unix/Windows emulator that they were giving away.. until they were bought by Compaq. Nevertheless, this emulator, once installed would allow you to run 32bit applications (windows) on your Linux/Unix system.

Once you've installed the NTFS file system, there is no going back. You cannot convert it to FAT32. Your best recourse at that point is to reformat the drive.. Mind you, if you have a FAT32 partition you can convert it to the NTFS file system.

 

[stratcar]

I sectioned off a part of my NTFS partition with a program called "Partition Magic." It's made by a company called PowerQuest. It truly is a powerful partitioning utility, that allows you to repartition any drive without losing data.

I used it to section off a chunk of an NTFS partition, then used the partitioning utility that comes with Linux Mandrake for the Linux OS. I had to use a floppy to get into Mandrake, so when prompted where to put the MBR, choose the floppy, but it does work.

I ended up dumping Linux because I never did get my sound card to work right. I found a driver online for it, but I wan't smart enough to figure out how to install it! Too much command line stuff. VERY hard to learn, and I got discouraged, so I gave up!

Hope you have better luck with it.

PS..... I wasn't that impressed with the stuff I did figure out.

 

[paulewog]

I THINK there is a linux version taht actualyl does use NFTS. But I can't remeber what the name of it is.

 

[My Higher Self]

I would recommend partition magic as well, once you have created the new partition, you should be able to install Linux on it no problem. If you are running 8.0 or later though you will need to download an RPM to edit the kernel if you intend to share files between the two systems.

 

[jko]

No you can't install Linux on an NTFS partition. Linux will format the partition in it's own file system format. You can access your Windows machine via samba if your on a network.

 

[paulewog]

hmmm. maybe I was thinking of a linux that would install on FAT

 

[SirKenin]

hmmm. maybe I was thinking of a linux that would install on FAT

There is a linux you can install on FAT32. You could see the Linux files in windows, but you shouldn't touch them.

You can also mount Windows partitions in Linux.