I just made the switch to Linux for the first time, and I've got two hard drives that are still formatted as NTFS from my Windows setup. When I tried to mount them, I encountered some errors indicating that they're in an "unsafe" state. I came across the ntfsfix command and I'm wondering how safe it is to use. I really want to avoid losing any important data, so if there's a better way to handle this, I'd love to hear your suggestions!
3 Answers
ntfsfix can handle some specific problems, and if those are the only issues you’re facing, it should be fine to use. However, if the NTFS drives have deeper corruption, it might not work at all, and you'd need to repair them using a Windows system instead. If you're not planning to dual boot with Windows, it might be wiser to convert everything to native Linux filesystems for peace of mind.
So you're saying ntfsfix is a good quick fix, but not a long-term solution?
Honestly, the best approach is to use Windows to repair your NTFS drives. You could install a Windows ISO on a new drive, boot from it, and fix the issues from there. It's safer than relying on ntfsfix.
But what if I just want to fix it from Linux? Can't I do it all without reinstalling Windows?
Using ntfsfix is generally safe, but proceed with caution. There’s always a chance of data corruption, especially if the drives haven't been fully shut down in Windows. If you're able, I'd recommend letting Windows handle the repairs. It’s just a safer bet to avoid any risks with your data.
Any tips on how to ensure Windows shuts down properly to avoid these issues in the future?
Is there any step-by-step procedure for this? I was thinking about reinstalling Windows just to fix these drives before going back to Linux.