1. Accessing Windows Files from Linux
Before you can Use it, you need to Mount It
When you install Linux on a system with an existing operating system like Microsoft Windows™ it is easy
to make those files and directories available under Linux. Often installations of Linux even auto-mount
certain things like floppy drives, cd-roms, etc. for you. However, it is often common for your Windows
disk/partition not to be automatically mounted for use.
To be able to get access to your Windows drive/partition under Linux you will need to perform two steps.
1. Create a directory under Linux that will link to your Windows drive/partition at the prompt type (only
do this once): mkdir /mnt/win
2. Then mount your Windows drive and link it to this new directory under Linux at the prompt type
exactly: mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt/win
NOTE: If you are using Windows NT, 2000, 2003, or XP you need to instead use this command:
mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/win
HOW EVER, N O T IC E t ha t f or th os e m ou nt i n g a W ind o ws NT Fi l e S ys tem i t is p os s ib l e t o
c orr up t t he NT FS wh en wr i t in g t o i t f rom L i nux . T her ef or e m os t of th e t im e th e m ou nt wi l l
on l y m o u nt t he W indo ws dr i ve as r ea d o n l y!
3. Now try changing directories to your Windows drive/partition by typing at the prompt: cd /mnt/win
and then typing: ls –all
Notice that the actual disk or partition information in this example is /dev/hda1. This is usually the case if
you have installed Linux onto a system with existing Windows. The hda1 refers to the first partition of your
master (1st) hard drive. However, in some cases you may be using a system where Linux is on the hda1
and your Windows drive is actually something different. If you have an error, check what drives and
partitions are already mounted by simply typing the command: mount
If you get the Error Message “Filesystem Unsupported” your Linux installation may not have included the
needed NTFS (NT, Win 2000, WinXP) driver. This requires either a reinstall or Kernel compile.
Written for Inventive solution in-house software developer developing java applications.
In-charge: Vivek K. Singh
Date: May 04, 2004