Moving files between Linux and Windows

[rikardgrankvist]

I run LE 2005 on one partition and Win XP on the other. Recently, windows crashed (as it tends to do), I moved important files from the windows partition to my linux partition using drag-drop in Konqueror. I formatted the win partition and reinstalled windows, and now I want to move the files back, but it doesn't work.

When I try to move a folder, it says "couldn't make folder on /mnt/windows/", and when I try to move a file it says "couldn't write to /mnt/windows/". How can I do this? Is it even possible?

[budman7]

Writing to NTFS is not well supported in Linux.
I have heard of people using "Captive NTFS" to write to it. But I have never used it.
What I would recommend doing would be to transfer the files to another medium, USB stick, cd/dvd or if you have an empty partition on your hard drive that you can make Fat32.
Move the files there.

[rikardgrankvist]

The files aren't simple text documents though, it's mostly huge wave files (I do a lot of hd recording), so removable mediums are to tedious. I'll have to go with some kind of software. I'll give Captive a try! Thanks.

[budman7]

In that situation I would definitely find a way to make another partition that is Fat32. If you can't get Captive to work.
What is the size of these files?

[rikardgrankvist]

They range from small 5 - 10 mb, to bigger 300 - 400 mb. All in all, it's about 20 Gb. If I make a FAT32 partition, will it be as simple as moving the files Linux -> Fat32 -> XP (NTFS)? Or do you mean that I should keep a windows partition in FAT32, where I'll store the files?

[soulbrothax831]

You should have no problem with moving the files from Linux to FAT32 to NTFS and visa-versa, and you can even just create a FAT32 partition where you can keep the files as you've already stated. All this considering you have enough space on your hard drive to create that newly FAT32 partition to store or transfer your files.

[budman7]

will it be as simple as moving the files Linux -> Fat32 -> XP (NTFS)?

Yes.
A lot of people that dual-boot between Windows and Linux do this.
create a fat32 partition to store files on.
XP can write to Fat32, linux can write to Fat32, no corruption, no worries.

[ionsandoasidn]

if you use a linux ext2 or ext3 partition you could use explore2fs or a similar utility while in windows mode to read your linux partition.

http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/explore2fs.htm

[rikardgrankvist]

Thanks. I'm gonna go with the FAT32 thing. I have plenty of space. Captive isn't developed anymore and is a bit outdated (latest version is for Mandrake 9.2), and it's a bit too complex to configure for me anyway.

[rikardgrankvist]

I made a FAT32 partition and it's working like a charm! I have it in a separate folder in linux, and it shows up like a regular partition in Windows. A good thing is that I can use it as a shared partition for the to OS's. That way, I'm using the drive very economically. Thanks for all the help!