Submitted by ggarron on Sun, 04/01/2007 - 20:27
The procedure
Update: If you are looking for support of ext2 or ext3 on Vista read: Access your Linux partition from Vista, but if you are looking for ext2 or ext3 from XP, continue reading.
The software we are going to use is Ext2IFS and can be downloaded from its home page
Once downloaded install it on your Windows system on your dual boot PC.
If your windows ask you to unblock the excecution of the program answer "Execute"
Accept the licence
Enable large file feature, and select a letter for your linux partition, you better leave untouched the swap,
specially if it is a laptop and you do suspend to the swap
Click on finish and reboot, that is all.
Here you can see how the linux file system is available for windows, and how i am copying a file from windows to the Linux partition.
In this screenshots you can see the file that was copied from the windows to the Linux using the Linux file explorer (Nautilus)
As you can see the file permissions were assigned according to the directory owner.
I mailed the author and here's his response:
Ext2 IFS has a bug that causes the error message when there is a device that Pnp is about to remove. I do not know exactly what causes this. It occurs seldom, mostly on a notebook.
That will be fixed with Ext2 IFS 1.11a (workaround).
I suggest removing SD cards, USB memory sticks etc. and reboot your computer. Please try installing of Ext2 IFS 1.11 again.
I did as he described and it worked.
I am running XP Pro SP2 and got the issue titled "IFS drives control"
- system cannot find the file specified when trying to launch the control panel app.
I get the exact same error as the above post. When trying to install or when trying to run from the control panel, I get an error "System cannot find the file specified." I am using vista home premium. Running in XPsp2 compatibility mode doesn't help.
I got an error "System cannot find the file specified" at the point the installer attempts to copy the driver files. The driver shows up in the control panel but reports the same error when run, and brings up a blank window. Installed as administrator in XPsp2 compat mode on Vista ultimate. Tried changing the DEP rights as well.
I have the same problem. Installed it on XP, tried accessing an ext3 drive through IFS - I can assign a drive letter but when I open it with windoze explorer it asks me if I want to format it. Fail :(
I guess this pros gram no longer works in the desired way. It is showing the drive for me but doesnt open it. It asks me whether it has to format it.
I am using Ext3 ubuntu and windows vista... but i m unable to see the linux partitions even after installing IFS and assigning a drive letter to linx partition. Also the Control panel icon of the IFS driver is not opening up. It is giving error "CPL legacy stopped working" !!
I dont think its encrypted. Its a fresh install vista and ubuntu. Does ubuntu emcrypt their ext3? How do I check?
thanx
Considering it is a fresh install it is not encrypted, by default it should not be.
How many partitions you have for Linux? are you sure you are watching at your ext3 partition instead of your swap partition.?
On this screen you could have selected one or the other,
http://www.go2linux.org/pics/ext2-vista/Screenshot-11.png
Guillermo Garron
I installed everything, now the drive is visible but when I try to access it Vista tells me I need to format it before use
It worked out of the box for me, Is your ext2/ext3 file system encrypted?
Guillermo Garron
Good!!
hey i have windows vista on my system n the software don't allow me to download it on my system saying its nt compatible. help!
You may try this:
1. Right click
2. Properties
3. Compatibility
4. Run this program in comtability mode for Windows XP Professional (SP2)
The download / install doesn't work as reported for Windows Vista.
You mean the software for enabling vista to access ext2/ext3 could not be installed?
Guillermo Garron