If a problem arises, search the forums mentioned, or search Google, and also look at the bottom of this HOWTO where Links and Troubleshooting sections are located. If you still need help, post to the forum and someonoe will help, maybe even me if im awake and online!! The community always helps, including newbies and you are very welcome to join and post and become an active member. If you have an OS different to Fedora Core 5, this guide is still relevant, but not specific to any other OS. You should find the forums for your OS and post there if you have trouble with ndiswrapper. The other forums list can be found in the Links page.
OK well this guide is a basic HOWTO on allowing NTFS file access inside Fedora Core 5. NTFS is a file system used on Windows 2000, and Windows XP mainly. If you wish to access the data on these drives whilst inside Linux, this support is available, but takes a little more work than other distros where NTFS support is included. Firstly you need to install a module that is the ntfs.ko. This allows the kernel to read the NTFS partitions. You will need to locate and download the right RPM (FC5 users) for your system from http://www.linux-ntfs.org/content/view/187/. Just look through the list, and search for your kernel version. If you dont know what your kernel version is, then at the bash prompt type:
uname -r
When downloading the RPM save it to disk, and do not run using the install package manager if you have one. Once you have downloaded your NTFS RPM you simply need to install it. To do this, go to where you saved the RPM, and at the command line (in the directory where the RPM is stored) type:
Note: Newer NTFS RPMs have names like
kernel-module-ntfs-2.6.8-1.541-2.1.17-0.fc.1.2.i586.rpm
To install the RPM:
rpm -ihv kernel-ntfs-2.4.18-14.i686.rpm
Where the above version of kernel-ntfs is the one you downloaded (if in doubt, type "dir" at command line and it shows the files in the directory, so you can see the RPM name)
Hit Enter. You should then see:
Preparing... ############################### [100%] 1:kernel-ntfs ############################### [100%]
Next load the kernel module
depmod -a /sbin/modprobe ntfs
There should be no output. If there are a lot of error messages see the Help Section on www.linux-ntfs.org
Assuming so far you have had no troubles then do the following:
1. Login as root by running from a terminal su followed by typing the root password.
2. Create a directory in your /mnt folder. This can be done by running mkdir /mnt/X where X is the name of the directory where the NTFS partition will be mounted.
3. Run fdisk -l and note the name of the device file for the NTFS partition. Lets say the device file name is found to be /dev/Y.
4. Open the file /etc/fstab in your favorite text editor. Gedit and KWrite are 2 examples
5. On a new line at the bottom of the file, add the line
/dev/Y /mnt/X ntfs users,owner,ro,umask=000 0 0
where X is the name of the directory you created in step 2.
6. Save and quit the file /etc/fstab
7. Then run mount -a (or some say mount -t ntfs /dev/hdb1 /mnt) and the NTFS partition will be mounted. It will also be mounted automatically after reboot so that you do not have to do anything after you reboot.
Some common errors i have encountered have been to do with the latest kernel. Note that some users experience module load failures, and empty /etc/fstab. This is the kernel and not to do with NTFS.
Another error may be that the NTFS module could not be loaded. You may need to do this manually. I have covered how to do this is a post at fedoraforum.org and the basics of what i said are:
just install the new one, you wont need to uninstall the old one...basically you kernel just needs to know where your new ntfs module is, thats all...you just need to make sure that file is where it is asking it to be. for me i just copied the module to where it was looking, which was here:
/lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2122_FC5/kernel/fs/ntfs/
just by downloading the rpm, opening with Ark, and extracting to there...but installing it properly should be fine too...you are looking to take the ntfs.ko file, and put it in the same directory as needed, also indicated by the rpm file structure (as in when you open with ark you need to open a couple of folders, thats the end path where the ntfs module is that the file needs to go to...)
try a normal install of the rpm, doing this as root, rpm -ivh [Filename].rpm, first then try above if that fails...
you obviously then still need to depmod it and set it up using the instructions i posted before though...
no needs to uninstall unless you want to, if you do just use:
rpm -u filenamehere.rpm
but this could mess with things...just try the above first...
If this fails do this:
/sbin/depmod -a /sbin/modprobe ntfs mount -t ntfs /dev/hdb1 /mnt
is how i did it...you can find help pages on you EXACT problem here:
http://www.linux-ntfs.org/content/view/124/60/
and it tells you you need the i686 module for your version, and also you need to then run the above. this website page has loads and is like an FAQ of problems. if it still doesnt work after you tried all i put and read this manual, inc all the links it shows you, then post back with what error messages you get...i can then help in more detail
If you are still suffering try going to:
/lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2122_FC5/kernel/fs/ntfs/
and seeing if there is anything there, and if so, you could ty and replace it manually, using the file in the rpm, that you can open with Ark... just copy it to your home directory and then, as root, replacing username with the user name you are logged in as:
cp /home/username/ntfs.ko /lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2122_FC5/kernel/fs/ntfs/ntfs.ko
For errors not solved by any sections or posts, go to:
My name is MAniX. This is my website... Copyright (C) 2006 Adam "MAniX" Moreland, under the GNU/GPL