Strategies to move from NTFS to Linux?

[ensens]

Hi,

I've been using a live CD so that I can try Linux.
Now, I'm interested in installing it on my hard drive.
I'm not interested in a dual boot system; Windows and Linux.
I'm also not interested in using proprietary software to read/write to NTFS.
So, I don't want to use Xandros.
I would like to use Ubuntu.

My system is made up of the following drives:
- First Internal NTFS 50 GB (currently holds Windows XP system/boot files)
- Second Internal NTFS 100 GB (currently holds data)
- External Western Digital My Book 100 GB. NTFS. (currently holds backup of Second Internal Drive)

For the installation:
- I will use my First Internal hard drive for the installation.
It will be formatted with a swap partition, root partition and home partition.

My question is:
- What strategy can the readers of this forum recommend as the best way to use Linux and have access to both the Second Internal NTFS 100 GB and External Western Digital My Book 100 GB?

For example:
- Use Linux to format the Second Internal NTFS 100 GB as ext2 or ext3.
- Next copy the data from the External Western Digital My Book 100 GB back to the Second Internal NTFS 100 GB.
- Then, format the External Western Digital My Book 100 GB with ext2 or ext3.
- Finally, backup the data from the Second Internal NTFS 100 GB back to the External Western Digital My Book 100 GB.

Thank you very much for your help and time!

[falko]

This link might be interesting: http://www.howtoforge.com/ubuntu_edgy_eft_ntfs_ntfs_3g

To format NTFS partitions from Linux, you should take a look at GParted. I think it's available as an Ubuntu package, so you could format your second and third drive from Ubuntu, but it's also available as a Live-CD: http://www.howtoforge.com/partitioning_with_gparted

[ensens]

Hi falko,

Thank you for your response.

And thanks a lot for the link to your article...I think it's your article, right?

Have a great day!

[sjau]

I'm still sceptical about writing to ntfs

And I'd also recommend first starting dual-booting... you know, not everything might run the way you want it initially...
(I still have dual-boot although I haven't booted into windoze since july although I use a virtual windows through vmware once in a while...)