Knoppix NTFS Write is/is not available ?!?

[bluewhale]

Hello to anyone still listening <g>

While my copy is the original one Arkaine23 released ( am downloading the latest from Planet Mirror as we, er, type ) once up and onto the web I ran the Captive NTFS program. It performed a search for usable files both in the Knoppix virtual HD as well as the W2K Server partition on this machine. It appeared to come up empty, however shut that program down immediately and said nothing further thus I'm unsure what it found and also about the programs status.
I don't know if the fact that I have to assign the IP info manually is part of the problem or not ( i don't believe in DHCP, which works out well as I work only on small networks... > 50 users usually ) I tried removing the ' read only ' check mark from the hard drive mount both before and after running Captive NTFS, and still am unable to copy a text file onto the NTFS partition.
Am I missing a step? 100 steps? A helicopter ride?
I am writing a tiny, intro SANS practical on this topic, and was hoping to be able to provide cutting ( NOT bleeding! ) edge info of use to others who maintain MS boxes, but have only a week left. I would like to be able to boot to three different MS boxes and interact with NTFS ' cleanly ' and report the same tho without any warranty that NO damage was done to the NTFS tables..... But perhaps my timing is just a little premature. < gasp! Sob... :} >
Any info on getting this pre-release, semi solid BETA to function for this purpose : I'll wish pizza at you daily for a month. It just doesn't get much better than that.

Thanks again for any assistance


Paul

[arkaine23]

If it does not find the files locally, it should grab them from an XP SP1 download. So verify that you are connected to the internet from the CD.

[bluewhale]

verified each time by going to a web site I knew then one I guessed up ( like www.bark.com or something silly but likely to exist ).

Today I burned the ' latest ' copy of the software from Planet Mirror. The file name was the same as the version I downloaded the first day from your own site, but I burned it anyway and tried it. Same result: after manually setting the NIC I browsed the web, then tried Captive NTFS. Same result: it found nothing then closed with no messages of any kind. Then I tried placing an XP Pro SP1 into the other CD Drive. Captive NTFS then found all files save the second one: a LINUX file extension control (?) file which it stated was optional. ( for some reason I had presumed Captive NTFS would fine the files it wanted on the W2K Server ( or advanced server ) partition on the PC... or is it set to ONLY accept the latest NTFS as used on XP and W2003 Server?? )

Once it was done searching it again closed the box without saying anything. I again copied a text file out of the W2K Server partition, to the desktop, then tried to copy it back to HDA1. Could not write it.

I was able to pull up a MAN page for the program. However to me MAN pages show you how to add command line switches to make a program do certain things. I looked for instructions in the MAN page: perhaps there are parameters I need to change in the GUI before actually telling Captive NTFS to run? But did not see anything that registered that way to me.

I THINK Captive NTFS might be working, but that I do not have sufficient knowledge about LINUX to use it. If so, could you briefly advise what baby steps I'm missing? I will have to fill in all of the blanks when I start work on making my own version for our office with Captive NTFS as well as other presets configured to allow people to pop a CD we create into any PC with access to DHCP and the web and work securely from that location. For now I want to see it work, and say ' see, it worketh! '. :}

Thanks

Paul

[arkaine23]

you can

ls /var/lib/captive and see if the drivers are there

I think in that first beta, I may have included them on the CD.

In which case what should work is-

mount -t captive-ntfs /dev/hdx# /mnt/hdx#

Finally finished moving, so I'm putting a new iso up tonight. I haven't tested it yet so don't go rushing out to download it just yet. It's dated 2_29_2004.

[acid_zebra]

I got it working like this:

1. find and print out one of the many guides on remastering knoppix out there (I used www.linuxgazette.com/issue87/sunil.html which is pretty old but does the job for me)
2. once you have a KNOPPIX folder and a swap partition on your HD, and have chroot'ed into it, download the .deb packages found on here: http://www.jankratochvil.net/project...html.pl#debian
3. remove old ntfs tools: apt-get remove libntfs5 ntfstools ntfsprogs and answer yes to any questions
4. install the downloaded captive files: dpkg -i *.deb (from the folder you put them in)
5. I couldn't find a valid kernel source for Knoppix, but it must be because I am lazy... I installed kernel-source-2.4.24 (the vanilla version)
6. edit the Makefile in /usr/src/linux, change EXTRAVERSION = to EXTRAVERSION = -xfs
NOTE: if you really want to compile the kernel or something DO NOT DO THIS, this is only for the module installation
7. make sure the needed windows files are available (ntoskrnl.exe ntfs.sys and (optional) fastfat.sys, grab them from a windows box
8. run captive-install-acquire (you will get some complaints about non-existent /etc/fstab and the program will crash at the end but by then you will already have the drivers)
9. run /usr/share/lufs/prepmod to automatically compile the driver, or mount any NTFS partition to start the building: mount -t captive-ntfs /dev/hdX /mnt/hdX

(OPTIONAL)
10. need to modify the /usr/sbin/rebuildfstab:

   case "$fstype" in
   ntfs) options="${options},ro,umask=000" ;;
   vfat|msdos) options="${options},umask=000" ;;
   swap) options="defaults" ;;
   esac
   case "$fstype" in
   ntfs|vfat|msdos)
   [ -n "$user" ] && options="$options,uid=$user"
   [ -n "$group" ] && options="$options,gid=$group"
   ;;

should become something like

   case "$fstype" in
   ntfs) options=" " ;;
   vfat|msdos) options="${options},umask=000" ;;
   swap) options="defaults" ;;
   esac
   case "$fstype" in
   vfat|msdos)
   [ -n "$user" ] && options="$options,uid=$user"
   [ -n "$group" ] && options="$options,gid=$group"
   ;;
   case "$fstype" in
   ntfs) fstype="captive-ntfs" ;;
   esac

NOTE: this is a really ugly hack and will only allow root to mount NTFS partitions read/write... I still need to figure out what mount options this captive thing will support... if anyone knows how to allow mounting as user knoppix you'd make me a happy man

(CLEANUP) clean out the kernel sources and the downloaded .deb files

done... granted it's not for the total newbie but then again you are working from a CD (read-only environment) so you can always start over...I know I did

[arkaine23]

See if this works-

make a mountpoint and run the mount command as knoppix-

like

mkdir /home/knoppix/Desktop/windowsdrive
mount -t captive-ntfs /dev/hdaX /home/knoppix/Desktop/windowsdrive

[bluewhale]

I've printed out the work around to look at as I learn more of LINUX, but thought to d/l the latest beta today. I found that the file ( Beta 2 ) is still available at Planet Mirror but could not find an updated version. I followed the link to Bittorrent however a user account and PW is required.
I've heard reference to Bittorrent: I thought it was just a protocol for faster downloading? I tried to register at the site the link on overclockix.octeams.com points to however found no way to do so.

Sorry to be a PITA : How do I obtain access to the linked site so that I can d/l the latest version?


Paul

[arkaine23]

The latest one turned out to be broken pretty badly so I have not allowed downloading nor posted it anywhere.

It's been hard for me to work on it the last week because my computers are not hooked up and I have no net connection at home. I moved my remastering box to the place where I work and I can still build iso's, but its difficult for me to test them. I may get another update in tomorrow night, and hopefully it will fix the issues with KDE's menu I've been having.

[bluewhale]

Yo Dude.

I be a weenie LINUX tech, but grey haired for Billies fabulous windoze world. Can I help in some way? Boring stuff is us/me. You're knocking yourself out and I'm benefitting from it.
How can I halp?

Paul
pt@jaxkneppers.com