Access Linux (Ubuntu / Mint / Fedora EXT4 Partition) Folders on Windows 7

When you are on Dual Boot system with Windows and Ubuntu (or any other Linux release like Fedora or Mint), it is possible to access Windows Partition folders (NTFS) on Linux but you cannot directly access Linux partition folders (EXT3 / EXT4) on Windows.

This happens because the file systems of both Operating systems are different and Windows doesn’t have native ability to read / write EXT4 File system directories. So, EXT2Read is an opensource software for Windows platform which now supports EXT4 file system too inspite of its name.

Read EXT4 Partition Folder on Windows 7

EXT2Read can access or Read EXT4 Partition Files and Folders but you cannot make changes to files,  Add or delete files, Rename, etc. Simply you don’t have “Write” previleges. Yes, the options though exists but it is grayed out in-case of EXT4. This is valid when accessing EXT2 or EXT3 partitions I guess.

So, conclusion is you can copy files from Ubuntu partition to Windows and then open. This can be done using “Save” option on right click.However, to make changes or gain “Write” access, you have to use Live CD booting.

Download EXT2Read

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 6 comments
Nihar - November 26, 2010

Great tip dude.

Thanks for sharing this.

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Junious Norris - November 26, 2010

Very good application indeed. This is helping me tremendously :).

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PAvan - November 29, 2010

Every body is moving from the regular dual boot to virtualized environment do y dont u post the topics on those

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John - December 31, 2010

@PAvan: That is completely wrong, there are very few people that want to move to a virtualized environment except web hosting companies. The people that need to take full advantage of both systems at different times cannot move to a virtualized environment.

@Original Poster: This should be renamed to “How to read your ext3/ext4 partition from Windows 7.” Accessing means I should be able to write to it as well.

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    Rohit Langde - December 31, 2010

    Can’t we call it as “Read access” ?

    Reply
John - December 31, 2010

I guess we could, but the problem is that people will assume you mean both. I appoologize for my earlier tone, I was exasperated that there was no tool for Windows to read ext4 filesystems and I came across this near the end of my search and was a;ready pissed off.

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