3 replies to this topic

[netlord]

Hi there

 

I would like to read ext-(USB)drives from PE.

 

I already tried to add - as usual via dism /add-driver - this drivers:

 

https://sourceforge..../?source=navbar

https://www.paragon-...o/features.html

http://www.fs-driver.org/index.html

 

Also I get no error while adding the driver, but if I connect an ext3-usb-device I cant read it.

 

Can anybody recomend me another driver?

 

 

 

 

[Wonko the Sane]

If you just want to read Ext2/3/4 the easiest is to use Diskinternals reader:
https://www.diskinte.../features.shtml

 

It works more like an archive tool than an installed driver, so it should work fine from a PE, there is no need to actually "install" it, you can open the downloaded exe with 7-zip and copy from it the files to your build.

 

An advantage is that it allows you to also read contents of disk images (without mounting them), like 7-zip can usually do.

 

Current download is rather large because it contains both the 32 and the 64 bit version, and has some added features, but you can also experiment with an older version, this one 2012 is only a few Mb:
http://web.archive.o...inux_Reader.exe

 

The reasons why the IFS (installable filesystem driver) solutions you tried did not work may be connected (besides any specific PE issue) with the USB 3,x type of media and/or with the fact that the device is seen as removable (usually  devices used under Linux have more than one partition and you will need a filter driver like dummydisk or cfadisk to see any partition besides the first one).

 

Wonko

[netlord]

 

The reasons why the IFS (installable filesystem driver) solutions you tried did not work may be connected (besides any specific PE issue) with the USB 3,x type of media and/or with the fact that the device is seen as removable (usually  devices used under Linux have more than one partition and you will need a filter driver like dummydisk or cfadisk to see any partition besides the first one).

 

Wonko

 

OK, thank you.

 

But I have two more Questions:

 

This would mean that if an internal drive is ext3 then it would work? I mean - I would see and read it?

 

MS seems to change something:

 

Starting in the Windows 10 Insider Preview build 14965, Diskpart now allows you to create multiple partitions on ANY USB Flash Drive – even ones that have the removable bit set.

 

This would mean that the filter driver is present in newer win10-versions and the IFS should work?!

[Wonko the Sane]

Cannot answer to those.

The Windows way to deal with "Fixed"/"Removable" has been historically a PITA and the use of a filter driver (or of a reversed one) have been historical "workarounds" to the stupid way windows was dealing with the devices.

It is poossible that Windows 10 has ONE, SINGLE thing "right" in this new version, and very likely (as Akeo and Steve6375 noted):

 

http://reboot.pro/to...eased/?p=203049

this will create havoc with Linux/Android sticks, the "common user" will be overwhelmed by any number of added drive letters.

 

About the IFS driver(s), it is possible both that:
1) the issue is not in them but in the USB3/multiple partition combo

2) the issue is in the actual way the driver is installed (or improperly installed, missing a dependency, etc.)

 

It is easy to test this with either a real partition/volume on an internal disk or more simply using any virtual disk, even IMDISK will do, just mount with it a small EXT2/3/4 volume and see if the filesystem is recognized.

 

Wonko