(my first email to BAD list) Question about NTFS and FAT32

[mark at weisler-saratoga-ca.us]

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: (my first email to BAD list) Question about NTFS and FAT32
> From: David Strom <davstrom at yahoo.com>
> Date: Wed, July 05, 2006 12:03 am
> To: bad at bad.debian.net
> 
> I get occasional BAD messages. Now I have a question
> to ask. If I should send it to another email, please
> let me know.
> 
> I have a Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux dual-boot system.
> 500 Gig hard drive. 100 gig for Windows, 100 gig for
> LInux, and the other 300 gig will be for data (I do
> video, so I like lots of hard drive space). I want
> some or all of this 300 gig to be read/write
> accessible from both Windows and Linux. So I have two
> choices.
> 
> 1. I can format the 300 gig as an extended partition,
> and then have part formatted as NTFS and part as
> FAT32. Linux should be able to see the FAT32
> partition, and I can share data on that.
> 
> 2. I can format the entire 300 gig as NTFS, and then
> buy (for $20) Paragon NTFS for Linux
> (www.ntfs-linux.com). This allows LInux read/write
> access to NTFS partitions. Linux could then read/write
> that whole partition.
> 
> Opinions? Has anyone used Paragon NTFS for Linux?
> 
> Thanks for any help.
I would suggest partitioning the 300 BG as FAT32 to see how well it
serves your needs and save the $20 for Paragon for the time being. 

Before you partition, run fdisk like so, (as shown on my drive):
mark at oreo:~$ sudo fdisk -l
Password:

Disk /dev/hda: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1               1        1305    10482381   83  Linux
/dev/hda2            1306        4047    22025115   83  Linux
/dev/hda3            6006       12161    49448070    5  Extended
/dev/hda4            4048        6005    15727635   83  Linux
/dev/hda5           12021       12161     1132551   82  Linux swap /
Solaris
/dev/hda6            6006        9652    29294464+  83  Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order
mark at oreo:~$

...print out on paper this information as it might be useful in the
future if you get into trouble and need to change that 300 GB partition
to something else.
Partition your drive to FAT32; then run fdisk -l again to document what
paritions you have and how your disk is layed out. Print this second
listing of fdisk on paper and keep it.

If this doesn't work out for you, then be open to trying Paragon or
whatever.

I have not used Paragon. I hope this helps.
Regards, Mark