Write NTFS

The best source of information about NTFS volumes is available at: [http://wiki.linux-ntfs.org/doku.php?id=ntfs-en linux-ntfs.org]

Using [http://wiki.linux-ntfs.org/doku.php?id=ntfsprogs ntfsprogs], "you can now mount your NTFS volume with [http://fuse.sourceforge.net/ FUSE]. This means more features (YES, WRITE SUPPORT IS HERE) on the expense of speed and stability. I use it on my own (backuped) data, but it is still experimental", so read up on [http://wiki.linux-ntfs.org/doku.php?id=ntfsmount ntfsmount] before using.

Of course, before trying to use ntfsprogs or write to an NTFS volume, you should BACK UP YOUR DATA. The [http://wiki.linux-ntfs.org/doku.php?id=ntfsclone ntfsclone utility] (found in ntfsprogs) "copies, backups and restores an NTFS filesystem to/from a file, partition or standard output", however, keep in mind that "unless you copy, move or restore NTFS to the same partition which starts at the same sector on the same type of disk having the same BIOS legacy cylinder setting as the original partition and disk had", you will NOT be able to boot Windows.

Note: writing to NTFS partitions is considered experimental and at least some people think it very risky (see for example [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=81021 thread] and [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=42632 thread]). Once again, if you are going to use the software below to write to an NTFS partition, make sure you have backups first.

This page also links to a fair bit of commerical software that does what the Linux NTFS and Captive driver do already. But it's roundup of NTFS drivers if you, for instance, wanted to start reverse-engineering multiple existing implementations... ahem.

Linux

Read:

• [http://www.linux-ntfs.org/ linux-ntfs] Linux driver, Free source

• [http://www.ntfs-linux.com/features.htm Paragon NTFS for linux] demo, $0 commerical binary, method unknown

  • Supplied as a self-extracting .exe containing a tarball. D'oh! (unzip works). Uses interface source-code + pre-compiled x86 library libufsd.a

Write:

• [http://wiki.linux-ntfs.org/doku.php?id=ntfsprogs ntfsprogs], free source, a set of utilities from the reverse-engineers at [http://www.linux-ntfs.org/ linux-ntfs]

• [http://www.jankratochvil.net/project/captive/ captive], Free source, wraps and uses ntfs.sys Instructions on implementation in Ubuntu at CaptiveHowTo

• [http://www.ntfs-linux.com/features.htm Paragon NTFS for linux], $70 commerical binary, method unknown

  • Presumbly read-write equivalent of above.

Resize:

• Partition Magic / PQDisk library, commerical (PQdisk is shipped with Xandros Delux at $60)
  • Can resize/move contents
• ntfs-resize, Free source
  • Seems to require a defragment of the disk from XP first (to move everything to the front of the disk), then it seems to adjust the bad-clusters and in-use bitmaps.

• [http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/diskdirector/partitioning.html Acronis Partition Manager], $50 commerical binary

  • Seems to be able to resize/move contents of NTFS

DOS

Read:

• [http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdos.shtml NTFSDos], $0 distributable binary

  • Same functionality as the Linux driver: " Significant understanding of the NTFS file system layout was derived by studying the Linux-based NTFS driver code maintained by Martin von Loewis. We acknowledge his indirect contribution to this endeavor."

• Paragon Mount Everything Personal, $40 commerical binary

Write:

• [http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdospro.shtml NTFSDosPro], commerical binary, wraps ntfs.sys

  • aka captive-for-dos: "The advantage NTFSDOS Professional has over NTFSDOS is that it relies on Microsoft's implementation of NTFS rather than our own information on the NTFS file-system layout."

• Paragon Mount Everything Professional, $150 commerical binary

Win 9x

Read:

• [http://www.diskinternals.com/products/ntfs-reader/ ntfs-reader]

• [http://www.paragon-gmbh.com/f_ntfs.htm Paragon NTFS], $0 commerical binary, method unknown

Write:

• [http://www.paragon-gmbh.com/f_ntfs.htm Paragon NTFS], $29 commerical binary, method unknown

CategoryDocumentation CategoryCleanup