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Booting Linux from an NTFS partition (using the new ntfs3)!

Foxlet
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Background

With the upcoming release of Linux Kernel 5.15, a new filesystem driver is included known as ntfs3. This driver was contributed by Paragon Software based on their commercial efforts, and includes full read/write support as well as NTFS and Unix permissions support. More details can be found in the following:

https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/filesystems/ntfs3.html

https://www.paragon-software.com/us/home/ntfs3-driver-faq/

 

So what's this about?

Given that the new NTFS driver is now a native part of the kernel, I've decided to (as a proof of concept) add a preliminary kernel (with ntfs3) as well as boot support to a modified version of the Void Linux installer... and it works! Officially no distro supports installing Linux on an NTFS disk out of the box yet, but conceptually it should be possible for users to transition from Windows to Linux without formatting or moving any data by using this method.

 

More information to come soon!

MochaBoot.thumb.png.43aaa89848005370d1cd0c5880f58c84.png

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I'd like to know how Unixy things like permissions and ownership will work. 

lumpy chunks

 

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hm...

I wonder, could this be steamdeck related, as that will have support fo rwindows dualbooting, to make sd cards less painful?

I could use some help with this!

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please, pm me if you would like to contribute to my gpu bios database (includes overclocking bios, stock bios, and upgrades to gpus via modding)

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19 hours ago, LloydLynx said:

I'd like to know how Unixy things like permissions and ownership will work. 

The driver supports native Unix permissions and those are preserved properly in the filesystem. Windows itself sees root-owned files as held by TrustedInstaller, which handles all non-administrator files as well. Case sensitivity and file links are shared across both systems.

 

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Turns out dual-booting Windows 11 and Linux from a single partition is indeed possible.

MochaWindows.png

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You can do it.. I've booted Linux from all kinds of weird stuff but -- I'd avoid it if I were you.

 

Want a challenge?

Boot FreeBSD, Linux, Illumos (OpenIndiana), MacOS and Windows all from a single ZFS disk. (should be possible.. all of them support it)

"Only proprietary software vendors want proprietary software." - Dexter's Law

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