Writing to NTFS with Knopix 3.4 krnl 2.6

**bast** · 05-10-2004, 01:16 PM

Can you write to NTFS with Knoppix 3.4 if you boot wit Kernel 2.6(knoppix26)?

**j.drake** · 05-10-2004, 01:36 PM

Supposedly, yes, but I haven't had the guts to try it on MY computer, anyway.

There is a configuration setup that you have to run first, which grabs the drivers from your existing Windows installation, installer disk, or MS website. I tried running it and got a shipload of error messages. Between that and the bug wiki, which documented some bugs, I laid low.

Now, supposedly, the 2004-05-10 build takes care of some of those errors. I'm d/ling as I write . . . .

Anyhway, click the penguin button in your task bar and trace up to Configure. I think it's in there. While you're at it, you'll probably want to do a save configuration and set a location. Otherwise, you'll have to do it all over again on your next boot.

JD

**bast** · 05-11-2004, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by j.drake

Now, supposedly, the 2004-05-10 build takes care of some of those errors. I'm d/ling as I write . . . .

Anyhway, click the penguin button in your task bar and trace up to Configure. I think it's in there. While you're at it, you'll probably want to do a save configuration and set a location. Otherwise, you'll have to do it all over again on your next boot.

JD

What kind of errors?

And does the new version work?

**eco2geek** · 05-11-2004, 09:40 AM

The version of captive-install-acquire on KNOPPIX_V3.4-2004-05-04 had some sort of a problem with the "gnome-vfs-httpcaptive" module that meant that you couldn't download the NTFS drivers from MS's site. (You could still scan an existing WinXP partition for them.)

That problem is fixed in KNOPPIX_V3.4-2004-05-10.

**bast** · 05-11-2004, 01:27 PM

I'm now downloading the torrent of 3.4 2004-05-10...

It will take some days, my connection is slow...

10 KBYTE/second...

**j.drake** · 05-11-2004, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by eco2geek

The version of captive-install-acquire on KNOPPIX_V3.4-2004-05-04 had some sort of a problem with the "gnome-vfs-httpcaptive" module that meant that you couldn't download the NTFS drivers from MS's site. (You could still scan an existing WinXP partition for them.)

That problem is fixed in KNOPPIX_V3.4-2004-05-10.

Well, it's still hanging my computer while scanning my hard drive, using 2004-05-10. Seems like it's sucking up all my ram, as it starts out scanning fairly quickly, then slows gradually to a virtual stop, and I can't even abort or halt. It fnds the files fairly early, but instead of being satisfied when they're found, it just keeps on chugging until the whole system collapses under the weight of the search. BTW, I have 512 MB of RAM and a pair of 80 gb HDs, Athlon XP, running from CD with 300 MB persistent home.

**softwaretester** · 05-12-2004, 04:35 AM

Originally Posted by bast

I'm now downloading the torrent of 3.4 2004-05-10...

It will take some days, my connection is slow...

10 KBYTE/second...

I hear ya.
I'm trying to dl off the torrent, but it seems leechers are getting megabytes off of me while only sharing 10k.

**eco2geek** · 05-12-2004, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by j.drake

Well, it's still hanging my computer while scanning my hard drive, using 2004-05-10. Seems like it's sucking up all my ram, as it starts out scanning fairly quickly, then slows gradually to a virtual stop, and I can't even abort or halt. It fnds the files fairly early, but instead of being satisfied when they're found, it just keeps on chugging until the whole system collapses under the weight of the search.

Here's a workaround.

Captive wants the following files (from WinXP):

X:\%WINDIR%\system32\drivers\cdfs.sys
X:\%WINDIR%\system32\drivers\fastfat.sys
X:\%WINDIR%\system32\drivers\ntfs.sys
X:\%WINDIR%\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

Mount your WinXP partition and copy them to a directory in your persistent home, e.g. ~/captive-drivers. Unmount the partition. Then run

sudo captive-install-acquire --text --scan-path=/home/knoppix/captive-drivers

and you'll get an error message about not being able to read ext2fsd.sys that you can ignore. You should now be able to mount your NTFS partition using the command

sudo mount -t captive-ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1

(or the mountpoint of your choice).

Captive-NTFS seems to be a resource hog. It also seems to be flaky - sometimes I have to try several times in order to enter a directory on the NTFS partition. From what I read, files aren't actually written to the NTFS partition until it's unmounted. YMMV, but it doesn't seem to be ready for use in fstab.

**j.drake** · 05-12-2004, 05:09 PM

Thanks, that's an excellent idea!!

If I do this, and save my configuration at logoff, and reload it with each successive logon, can I assume that I won't need to repeat this exercise? Or is captive NTFS set up differently?

JD

**eco2geek** · 05-12-2004, 07:21 PM

Good question. You know, I'm not sure you even need to run captive-install-acquire, since I don't see any saved configuration files in ~. Maybe all you really need to do is copy those four files from WinXP into /var/lib/captive and you're good to go! (Running from the live CD, that is.) After a reboot, that's all I had to do.