I've been using dual boots for a while now with NTFS storage partitions, allowing me to access files from both Windows and Linux. However, I just set up a computer that runs only Linux Mint, and I'm wondering if I should continue using NTFS. My concern is that if I run into issues with NTFS, I would need Windows to fix it, which I prefer to avoid altogether. On the other hand, I may need to send files to someone using Windows, and I'm unsure about file compatibility. If I store documents or GIS files on an ext4 partition, can I just copy those files to a NTFS drive or send them to a Windows user? Do any of ext4's file properties transfer, or are those strictly part of the filesystem? If I can move files seamlessly between systems, I'd rather not use NTFS at all for my dedicated Linux machine.
5 Answers
One thing to keep in mind is that NTFS treats filenames differently than ext4. It doesn't recognize capitalization, so 'Cat' and 'cat' would be seen as the same file, which could lead to overwriting. If you think you'll need to move files back to a Windows system regularly, you might want to stick with NTFS for the storage partition.
It's true that while NTFS permissions and properties can translate to ext4, if you're copying files to a USB formatted as FAT32, you'll lose those extended properties. FAT32 doesn't support them, so you're just left with the file name and contents during online transfers, like via email or messages.
The only tricky part with transferring from NTFS is that it uses something called Alternate Data Streams, which doesn't really get copied over. This is a feature from MacOS compatibility that isn't widely used anymore. Linux does have something similar called Extended Attributes, but it's more limited. Most people find they don't need this feature anyway.
You could also consider using a cloud drive like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive for transferring files. This would eliminate any filesystem compatibility issues.
Yes, files and formats are generally compatible across different filesystems. Most operating systems handle these transitions pretty smoothly. That said, I'm not sure if Windows's SMB Network Sharing feature works seamlessly with Mint for transferring files. You might want to check that if you're considering network sharing.
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