how to mount a NTFS system

12 June 2005

Either recompile your kernel for NTFS read support. (Hard)
Or obtain the matching the proper kernel module. Again make sure
you have the correct version (example similar to: 2.6.11-1.1369_FC4).
Use the 'uname -rm' command for more information.

Go to http://www.linux-ntfs.org/content/view/129/65/
for the module/rpm.
Go to http://www.linux-ntfs.org/content/view/127/63/
for the instructions.

[root@charon fc4]# uname -rm
2.6.11-1.1369_FC4 i686

I selected '2.6.11-1.1369_FC4' 'i686' for my Athlon-XP computer. Both parts MUST match.

[root@charon fc4]# rpm -ivh kernel-module-ntfs-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4-2.1.22-0.rr.6.0.i686.rpm
Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]
  1:kernel-module-ntfs-2.6.########################################### [100%]

To allow access to NTFS partitions you must (1) check how many partitions
you have, (2) create mount points, (3) mount partitions, and (4) update fstab
to mount at next boot.

Check Partitions

Check how many NTFS partitions you have:

[root@charon fc4]# fdisk -lu /dev/hda | grep NTFS
/dev/hda1   *          63    16771859     8385898+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2        16771860    33543719     8385930    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda3        33752628    67312349    16779861    7  HPFS/NTFS

Usually the first will be C drive, next D, etc.

Create Mount Points

Instead of /media/, you can also use /mnt/, both will work, but make
sure to make the correct edits in all places.

[root@charon fc4]# cd /media/
[root@charon media]# mkdir c_drive
[root@charon media]# mkdir d_drive
[root@charon media]# mkdir e_drive

You don't have to use these names, if you prefer to creat folders such as
movies, documents, or winxp, any name will work (without spaces).

Mount Partitions

Run 'man mount' to fully explain what "-r -o umask=0222" does.

[root@charon media]# mount /dev/hda1 /media/c_drive/ -t ntfs -r -o umask=0222
[root@charon media]# mount /dev/hda2 /media/d_drive/ -t ntfs -r -o umask=0222
[root@charon media]# mount /dev/hda3 /media/e_drive/ -t ntfs -r -o umask=0222

Update /etc/fstab

Open '/etc/fstab' in an editor and add these lines to the END of the file:

/dev/hda1   /media/c_drive     ntfs    ro,defaults,umask=0222 0 0
/dev/hda2   /media/d_drive     ntfs    ro,defaults,umask=0222 0 0
/dev/hda3   /media/e_drive     ntfs    ro,defaults,umask=0222 0 0

NOTE for FAT32 users

Insted of 'NTFS' above you can use 'VFAT' to mount your FAT32 partitions. No
extra modules or download are needed. Just replace 'vfat' for 'ntfs' when
mounting and when editting '/etc/fstab'.

FAT32 read and write is supported. If you wish to mount read/write,
then use: '-rw' when Mounting Partitions, and 'rw,defaults,umask=0000 0 0' when
editing '/etc/fstab'.