Discussion:
mounting hdd in Windows
(too old to reply)
Ted Heise
2019-07-23 15:18:20 UTC
Permalink
Hi all,

For many years I ran a home server based on Slackware, but decided
to retire it in ~2016. I was running 10.2, I think (not sure that
it matters for my question).

There are a few files I'd like to get off the hdd (formatted with
an ext3 filesystem), and I've gotten a Sabrent USB adaptor. My
Windows 10 laptop sees the adaptor, but not the drive (no big
surprise there).

I've searched around on the web and found a few utilities that are
supposed to let me access the ext3 filesytem from Windows, but
they have very mixed reviews (including one or two that were
reported as corrupting the disk).

My question is whether anyone on the group can recommend a utility
that has worked well for this purpose?

I recognize that I could set up a Linux system (maybe a virtual
Slack on my laptop), but for now would like to try the approach
I've started.
--
Ted Heise <***@panix.com> West Lafayette, IN, USA
Brian Masinick
2019-07-23 15:25:03 UTC
Permalink
It might be a good idea to get a Linux distribution that can run from USB.

Have you heard of KNOPPIX?

It might be a good idea to grab a copy and keep it on removable media. It can perform many useful tasks. I've even heard of a few Windows admins who use it on occasion to resolve problems, so I know that it recognizes Windows and Linux file systems (new and old).
K Venken
2019-07-24 07:39:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ted Heise
Hi all,
For many years I ran a home server based on Slackware, but decided
to retire it in ~2016. I was running 10.2, I think (not sure that
it matters for my question).
There are a few files I'd like to get off the hdd (formatted with
an ext3 filesystem), and I've gotten a Sabrent USB adaptor. My
Windows 10 laptop sees the adaptor, but not the drive (no big
surprise there).
I've searched around on the web and found a few utilities that are
supposed to let me access the ext3 filesytem from Windows, but
they have very mixed reviews (including one or two that were
reported as corrupting the disk).
My question is whether anyone on the group can recommend a utility
that has worked well for this purpose?
I recognize that I could set up a Linux system (maybe a virtual
Slack on my laptop), but for now would like to try the approach
I've started.
I used explore2fs (only for reading unless you are using ext2 which is
not the case for you) and ext2ifs. But that was in Windows7, so I don't
know if it's still useful in more modern systems. Explore2fs can be used
without installing I think. For just retrieving some files from your
disk it should be fine though. With ext2ifs it integrated with Windows
and you get a drive letter, but it requires installation and reboot. I
never had problems with it, but then, I only used it to collect/recover
a file here and there, not for intensive use.
Ted Heise
2019-07-24 12:37:20 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 24 Jul 2019 09:39:00 +0200,
Post by K Venken
Post by Ted Heise
There are a few files I'd like to get off the hdd (formatted
with an ext3 filesystem), and I've gotten a Sabrent USB
adaptor. My Windows 10 laptop sees the adaptor, but not the
drive (no big surprise there).
I've searched around on the web and found a few utilities that
are supposed to let me access the ext3 filesytem from Windows,
but they have very mixed reviews (including one or two that
were reported as corrupting the disk).
My question is whether anyone on the group can recommend a
utility that has worked well for this purpose?
I used explore2fs (only for reading unless you are using ext2
which is not the case for you) and ext2ifs. But that was in
Windows7, so I don't know if it's still useful in more modern
systems. Explore2fs can be used without installing I think. For
just retrieving some files from your disk it should be fine
though. With ext2ifs it integrated with Windows and you get a
drive letter, but it requires installation and reboot. I never
had problems with it, but then, I only used it to
collect/recover a file here and there, not for intensive use.
Thanks very much karel, exactly the information I was hoping for!

I'll report back how it went--might be a few days (or more).
--
Ted Heise <***@panix.com> West Lafayette, IN, USA
Ted Heise
2019-07-27 21:06:30 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 24 Jul 2019 12:37:20 +0000 (UTC),
Post by Ted Heise
On Wed, 24 Jul 2019 09:39:00 +0200,
Post by K Venken
Post by Ted Heise
There are a few files I'd like to get off the hdd (formatted
with an ext3 filesystem), and I've gotten a Sabrent USB
adaptor. My Windows 10 laptop sees the adaptor, but not the
drive (no big surprise there).
I've searched around on the web and found a few utilities
that are supposed to let me access the ext3 filesytem from
Windows, but they have very mixed reviews (including one or
two that were reported as corrupting the disk).
My question is whether anyone on the group can recommend a
utility that has worked well for this purpose?
I used explore2fs (only for reading unless you are using ext2
which is not the case for you) and ext2ifs. But that was in
Windows7, so I don't know if it's still useful in more modern
systems. Explore2fs can be used without installing I think.
For just retrieving some files from your disk it should be
fine though. With ext2ifs it integrated with Windows and you
get a drive letter, but it requires installation and reboot.
I never had problems with it, but then, I only used it to
collect/recover a file here and there, not for intensive use.
Thanks very much karel, exactly the information I was hoping
for!
I'll report back how it went--might be a few days (or more).
Well, no joy. The explore2fs did not recognize the drive (just
said, insert disk in drive d:), and the ext2ifs just locked up my
laptop (Win 365) when I tried to install it.

I suspect the adaptor is not doing what it's supposed to, and may
try installing the drive on my wife's Win 7 computer when she is
away.
--
Ted Heise <***@panix.com> West Lafayette, IN, USA
K. Venken
2019-07-28 14:05:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ted Heise
On Wed, 24 Jul 2019 12:37:20 +0000 (UTC),
Post by Ted Heise
On Wed, 24 Jul 2019 09:39:00 +0200,
Post by K Venken
Post by Ted Heise
There are a few files I'd like to get off the hdd (formatted
with an ext3 filesystem), and I've gotten a Sabrent USB
adaptor. My Windows 10 laptop sees the adaptor, but not the
drive (no big surprise there).
I've searched around on the web and found a few utilities
that are supposed to let me access the ext3 filesytem from
Windows, but they have very mixed reviews (including one or
two that were reported as corrupting the disk).
My question is whether anyone on the group can recommend a
utility that has worked well for this purpose?
I used explore2fs (only for reading unless you are using ext2
which is not the case for you) and ext2ifs. But that was in
Windows7, so I don't know if it's still useful in more modern
systems. Explore2fs can be used without installing I think.
For just retrieving some files from your disk it should be
fine though. With ext2ifs it integrated with Windows and you
get a drive letter, but it requires installation and reboot.
I never had problems with it, but then, I only used it to
collect/recover a file here and there, not for intensive use.
Thanks very much karel, exactly the information I was hoping for!
I'll report back how it went--might be a few days (or more).
Well, no joy. The explore2fs did not recognize the drive (just
said, insert disk in drive d:), and the ext2ifs just locked up my
laptop (Win 365) when I tried to install it.
I suspect the adaptor is not doing what it's supposed to, and may
try installing the drive on my wife's Win 7 computer when she is
away.
To bad, but good to know it isn't an option anymore in Windows10. I
guess I have to follow Brian's suggestion to use a live media. (Knoppix
for instance, but there are others) And then you need to figure out how
to boot from USB or DVD,...
Henrik Carlqvist
2019-07-28 20:11:07 UTC
Permalink
I guess I have to follow Brian's suggestion to use a live media.
(Knoppix for instance, but there are others) And then you need to
figure out how to boot from USB or DVD,...
You could probably boot your live DVD in some virtual machine like qemu
but I don't know if those virtual machines are able to give the USB
device to the guest operating system when the host is running Windows.
If the host were running Linux this would work for sure, but then you
would not have this problem in the first place...

regards Henrik

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