I've heard that it might be risky to mount NTFS drives on Linux, especially with older distributions, since they could potentially corrupt files. I want to be cautious, so I'm asking for some advice. I have a dual boot system with Windows 11 and Mint 21, and I need to access some text files from an external NTFS drive while using either operating system. Would creating a small exFAT partition on the drive instead be a safer option? Would that solve the potential corruption issue, or would I need to format the entire drive to exFAT? Thanks for your help!
2 Answers
It's more about the NTFS drivers than the distro's age. If you're using modern ntfs-3g drivers, corruption shouldn't be a big concern. I’ve had no problems with my NTFS drives on Linux for years. Just beware that if your system loses power, the partition table can get messed up. But you can fix that easily with a Windows recovery tool or even 'ntfsfix' on Linux if needed. It’s quite similar to what happens on Windows too—often, Windows just takes care of it automatically when you boot up.
There’s some truth to the concerns, but the interpretation can be a bit misleading. NTFS can be corrupted, especially during power outages or improper shutdowns. Linux's NTFS drivers aren’t as robust as Windows, which can lead to issues if something goes wrong. If Windows is available to you, it can usually fix any errors that crop up. Personally, I avoid using NTFS for important files—it’s a bit outdated and proprietary, so I prefer alternatives.
Thanks! What filesystem would you suggest for storing text and media files between systems?
Thanks for clarifying that! It makes me feel more confident about using NTFS.