Using Linux filesystems on Windows 8
Perfect Fit
For years, Windows has stubbornly refused to support any filesystems apart from its own, but with a few tricks, you can make your Windows systems talk to the Linux ext filesystem.
One of the obstacles standing in the way of cooperation between Linux and Windows on a single machine has always been the incompatibility of the filesystems. Although Linux has made amazing progress in this respect and now supports both NTFS and FAT filesystems without any trouble, Microsoft still stubbornly refuses to support anything but its own native filesystems (Figure 1).
Over the years, various projects have been providing access to Linux filesystems from Windows. In this article, I investigate whether these tools are truly ready for the Windows 8 release. To do so, I set up a system with a version of 32-bit Windows 8 and tested access to the Linux ext2/3/4, ReiserFS, and Btrfs filesystems.
Filesystem Drivers
By far the most elegant approach would be to let Windows access the Linux filesystems transparently, without special tools. A filesystem driver works behind the scenes, making the Linux filesystem look and feel native, and this is the approach an older project named Ext2 Installable File System for Windows [1] has followed for years. Ext2 IFS claims to support Windows NT4.0/2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008, but no mention of Windows 8; the first time I launched the program, it spit out an error message (Figure 2) saying it is not compatible.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
openKylin 3.0 Released with Expanded AI Integration
The latest release features a pre-installed AI agent to help perform tasks.
-
DigitalOcean Ends Open Source Credits Program
In a change that has surprised many open source developers, DigitalOcean has decided to sunset its Open Source Credits Program.
-
Office 365 Available for Testing on Linux via Bottles
Linux users can now test the official Office 365, thanks to Mirko Brombin's work on Bottles.
-
Dutch Government Turns to Open Source for Digital Sovereignty
Following in the footsteps of other European countries, the Netherlands is looking to increase its sovereign digital infrastructure with open source software.
-
Linux May Soon Work on Snapdragon X2-Based PCs
If you're thinking about buying a Snapdragon X2-based desktop or laptop, Linux may soon be an option.
-
KDE for People Initiative Calls for AI Ban in Plasma
A new community of KDE wants the project to adopt a strict no-AI policy for KDE Plasma.
-
KDE Sets Ambitious Goals for 2026 and Beyond
KDE Connect reveals the goals for the Linux desktop darling, with one of those goals long overdue.
-
It’s Time to Test Fedora 45 Beta
Fedora 45 beta has been released with updated Gnome, KDE Plasma, and kernel.
-
Ubuntu Stonking Stingray Gets Even Rustier
Ubuntu 26.10 has completed its migration to the Rust-based coreutils.
-
AI Fixes Linux Bottlenecks Using “Hideous” Code
A Linux developer used AI to fix bottlenecks that caused problems when building the kernel. The resulting AI-generated code needed a lot of work.