Member Avatar for Roberdin

I have Windows XP Home and Linux Mandrake 9.1 Dual Booted on one Hard drive. My Windows XP Home partition is NTFS based, but Linux refuses to remember this. When I boot Linux it tells me the partition is the wrong FS type, yet I'm sure it's set to NTFS.

From root I can mount it using (something like):

mount -t NTFS /hda1 /mnt/windows

But that means only my root user can use it, and I don't use root because the KDE GUI looks crappy with it ;). I can't mount using mount /mnt/windows or anything without specifiying NTFS.

Any ideas?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by )BIG"B"Affleck

Dani AI

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Short expert note: the behaviour reported by — mounting the Windows partition only as root when explicitly giving a type — is usually an fstab/permission issue or the result of which NTFS driver is present. and were correct to ask for the /etc/fstab and a block-device listing; those two items are the missing diagnostics that determine whether the fix is an fstab line, a driver swap, or a user-permission change. (man7.org)

Practical, low-risk approach that works on modern Linux systems: install the FUSE-based NTFS driver (ntfs-3g) and add a persistent fstab entry that maps ownership to a normal user or allows non-root mounts. Using a stable device id (UUID) avoids device-name churn. Example (replace YOUR-UUID and the numeric uid/gid as appropriate):

UUID=YOUR-UUID  /mnt/windows  ntfs-3g  uid=1000,gid=1000,umask=0022,noauto,user  0  0

Using noauto,user lets a regular session mount the volume (file managers/udisks can also handle this); to auto-mount at boot use defaults,uid=...,umask=... instead. See ntfs-3g and fstab docs for option details. (github.com)

Caveats and troubleshooting notes: unprivileged NTFS mounts can require a particular ntfs-3g build or setuid wrapper (security implications), so prefer using the desktop mount stack (udisks + polkit) rather than making binaries setuid-root. Check the partition identity and filesystem type with blkid/lsblk before editing fstab, and note that Windows hibernation / fast-startup forces NTFS volumes read-only until properly shut down. If the thread adds the /etc/fstab and a current blkid/lsblk listing, it will pinpoint whether the fix is an fstab entry, an ntfs-3g install/config, or a Windows-side issue. (github.com)

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Member Avatar for )BIG"B"Affleck

you have managed to mess up your boot loader some how.

post the exact contents of your /etc/fstab

VIA some screenshots

Member Avatar for Dani

This problem has something to do with the boot loader? I think he is able to dual boot fine. His problem is that he's just trying to mount an NTFS partition from within Linux. That still has to do with /etc/fstab, right?

Member Avatar for Roberdin

Boot loader's fine, works great.

But i'll post /etc/fstab neway...

fstab_shot.gif 35.2 KB
Member Avatar for )BIG"B"Affleck

"Boot loader's fine, works great.

But i'll post /etc/fstab neway..." (has nothing to do with boot loader)

This problem has something to do with the boot loader? I think he is able to dual boot fine. His problem is that he's just trying to mount an NTFS partition from within Linux. That still has to do with /etc/fstab, right?

Nope your right its not the loader
Im simultaneously posting on diffrent messageboards right now sorry
Now back to the question at hand
post the output of
fdisk -l (has nothing to do with boot loader)

This is a simple problem(if you want to call it that)to fix but we need the screenshots

Member Avatar for Roberdin

I was merely following your instructions, I'm not exactly a Linux Guru. :rolleyes:

I'm assuming you mean fdisk as in the DOS programme?

'FDISK' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

hmmm.

Member Avatar for )BIG"B"Affleck

Run on Root

It lists the available drives/partitions and information about them.

QUOTE: Judge judy
Listen to me,your not listening to me Im trying to help you. work
with me.

imagestttttt.jpeg 2.75 KB
Member Avatar for )BIG"B"Affleck

and wheres all the members who have LINUX avatars I rarely see them answering linux questions.....? It just seems odd to me

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