[ale] Re: Trying to make the switch to Linux

[Dow Hurst]

Look up the project on Sourceforge for NTFS tools under Linux.  The read 
is fine, the write is buggy and not recommended.  The resizer will work 
as long as you don't expect great shrinkage of the partition.  Use 
BootitNG or Partition Magic to resize if you need to really make the 
partition for NT small.  This all goes for XP or 2000 as well.  The 
reason the write support isn't there is that MS won't release any specs 
and are actively working on the code so the NTFS project is in the 
blackbox catch up mode.

I would read from the partition but not write.  In fact, even though in 
SuSE the resizer tool is not in the regular installation process as an 
option, the tool is included on the disks somewhere.  Maybe the first 
disk where the rescue system is located.  Anyway, I downloaded and 
compiled the latest resizer and put it on a Tom's Root Boot.  That 
worked great to boot from and resize.  The BootitNG worked much more 
effectively though.

The nicest way to rebuild your laptop would be to allow SuSE to wipe the 
disk.  Install the basic install.  Update with Yast2 Online Update 
tool.  Buy the latest VMware 4.x and install.  Install Windows there if 
you really need it.  In the long run it is much more cost effective to 
have the VMware install than to deal with a regular Win partition dual 
boot setup.  Too easy to lose a bunch of work if that gets hosed.  You 
can just dump a copy of the VMware Win file to tape or CD once you got 
it right.  If it get screwed up then just delete it and reload from your 
backup.  There are many neat ways to work VMware and that is just one 
way to keep your careful Win install intact.
Dow


tfreeman at intel.digichem.net wrote:

>On Thu, 14 Aug 2003, Geoffrey wrote:
>
>  
>
>>John Marasco wrote:
>>    
>>
><<snip>> 
>  
>
>>Writing has never been stable.
>>
>>    
>>
>
>Just out of curiousity, is the reason writing to NTFS is unstable from 
>linux known? I'm sure a large part of the problem is that MS has not 
>released the documentation needed to do the job (no surprise there), but 
>is the file system all that ugly also?
>
>I don't have access to an NT based machine, so it really isn't an issue to 
>me. I'm just curious.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>  
>
>
>  
>

-- 
__________________________________________________________
Dow Hurst                  Office: 770-499-3428           
Systems Support Specialist    Fax: 770-423-6744           
1000 Chastain Rd. Bldg. 12                                
Chemistry Department SC428  Email:   dhurst at kennesaw.edu  
Kennesaw State University         Dow.Hurst at mindspring.com
Kennesaw, GA 30144                                        
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