How do I save data into diskette under Linux which can also be read by Win O.S

[elkok]

Hi All,

Under LInux, I saved the data into diskette but the diskette data CANNOT be read by WIN O.S. May I know any particular method which I can save the data into diskette by DOS file system instead of LINUX. Just like to ease of the data access between WIN & Linux since I always switch between them.

Thank You & Best regards,

elkok

[Alexander Chuzhoy · Accepted solution]

One way is to format the diskette under windows, then to insert it to a pc with LINUX OS and to copy files to the diskette.
Another way is to format with DOS alike file system directly under LINUX. The command for this is the following:
mkfs -t vfat /dev/fd0

be sure that the diskette is NOT mounted , otherwise you'll get errors while executing this command

[Claudio Cilloni]

the only way I know to share data on diskettes between linux and win systems is a windows formatted diskette.

Format a diskette on a windows machine (but there are tools to do the same on linux, like kfloppy) and mount it on the linux machine using:

$ mount /mnt/floppy

or, if the diskette format type isn't automatically recognized:

$ mount -t vfat /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy

there are other commands like mdir, mcopy, mdel that they can read/write a floppy without mounting it. man pages, as always, help.

Ciao
Claudio

[Jerome Henry]

It's even THE way. When making fs under linux, you format 1.7MB, which is far more than what windows can read (1.44 Mb).
Format as Alexander suggested under win or linux, and you'll be able to exchange datas with your win box.
Look at a man mkfs, you'll see that you can also format for MAC format, among many others, which is quite convenient...

[Dave Wherry]

Several years ago on an old Sun workstation we could use a "doswrite" or "dosread" command. I have no idea if Linux has a similar command. Take a look for it. I imagine something like "man -k dos" might return something, if it exists.

[Paulo A G Fessel]

You can use mtools if they are installed:

[p.fessel@wotan .ask]$ rpm -qi mtools
Name : mtools Relocations: (not relocateable)
Version : 3.9.8 Vendor: MandrakeSoft
Release : 3mdk Build Date: Fri 22 Nov 2002 03:01:02 PM BRST
Install date: Fri 11 Apr 2003 04:52:17 PM BRT Build Host: bi.mandrakesoft.com
Group : File tools Source RPM: mtools-3.9.8-3mdk.src.rpm
Size : 450783 License: GPL
Packager : Fran??ois Pons
URL : http://www.tux.org/pub/tux/knaff/mtools/index.html
Summary : Programs for accessing MS-DOS disks without mounting the disks
Description :
Mtools is a collection of utilities for accessing MS-DOS files.
Mtools allow you to read, write and move around MS-DOS filesystem
files (normally on MS-DOS floppy disks). Mtools supports Windows95
style long file names, OS/2 Xdf disks, and 2m disks.

Mtools should be installed if you need to use MS-DOS disks.

So you can use all DOS commands prepended with a "m". So you can do "mformat a:", "mcopy file.txt a:", "mcd a:/director.y", etc.

HTH
Paulo Fessel