Fully Utilize NTFS on Ubuntu! A Complete Guide to Mounting, Writing, and Troubleshooting

By 佐川 直弘 | Naohiro Sagawa (運営者)

※記事内に広告を含みます。Amazonアソシエイトとして適格販売により収入を得ています。　

1. Introduction

When using Ubuntu, you may often find yourself needing to mount Windows NTFS hard drives or USB flash drives. However, Linux does not natively support NTFS, and by default, it is usually read-only.

This article provides a detailed guide on how to properly mount and enable read/write access to NTFS drives on Ubuntu.

1.1 Why You Need NTFS Support on Ubuntu

Ubuntu users often need to access NTFS partitions in the following situations:

① Dual-booting with Windows

If you are running a dual-boot setup with Windows and Ubuntu on the same PC, you might need to access NTFS-formatted partitions from Ubuntu. This is especially useful when you want to edit files created in Windows or share data between both operating systems.

② Using External HDDs and USB Drives

Most external hard drives and USB flash drives are formatted in NTFS. To use them in Ubuntu, you need to properly configure NTFS file system support.

③ Advantages of NTFS

Compared to FAT32, NTFS has no file size limit, making it ideal for handling large files. Additionally, NTFS offers high compatibility with Windows, making it useful for cross-platform file sharing.

1.2 Challenges When Using NTFS on Ubuntu

Linux supports reading NTFS partitions by default, but writes require additional configuration. Additionally, compatibility issues with Windows may arise.

① Compatibility with Windows Fast Startup

Windows 10 and 11 have a feature called “Fast Startup” enabled by default. Because of this, when you try to mount an NTFS partition on Ubuntu, it may become read-only.

To fix this issue, you need to disable Fast Startup in Windows.

✅ How to Disable Fast Startup

1. Open Control Panel in Windows
2. Go to Power Options → Click “Choose what the power button does”
3. Click “Change settings that are currently unavailable”
4. Uncheck “Turn on fast startup” and save changes

With this setting disabled, your NTFS drive will be properly mounted in Ubuntu after shutting down Windows.

② NTFS File Permissions

Linux and Windows use different methods for managing file permissions. NTFS is a Windows-native file system, so Linux commands like chmod and chown do not work on NTFS partitions.

To grant write access to a specific user, you must specify the correct mount options when mounting an NTFS partition (details explained later).

1.3 What You Will Learn in This Guide

This article will cover the following topics in detail:

✅ Differences between NTFS-3G and NTFS3 (Which one should you use?)
✅ How to mount NTFS on Ubuntu (manual and automatic)
✅ Setting NTFS partition permissions
✅ Common troubleshooting tips

Even beginners can follow along with step-by-step command examples and configuration settings.

2. Methods for Enabling NTFS Support (NTFS3 vs NTFS-3G)

There are two main methods to mount NTFS-formatted drives on Ubuntu:

• NTFS-3G (Traditional user-space driver)
• NTFS3 (New kernel-integrated driver)

Understanding the differences between these methods will help you choose the best option for your setup.

2.1 What is NTFS-3G?

NTFS-3G is an open-source user-space driver that enables NTFS read and write support on Linux.

✅ Features

• Supported by default in Ubuntu
• Stable and widely used
• Allows fine-grained permission management
• Uses FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace)

✅ Advantages

• Highly stable (well-tested and reliable)
• Works on all Ubuntu versions
• Easy to set up for automatic mounting via fstab

⚠️ Disadvantages

• Lower performance because it runs in user-space
• Does not support the latest NTFS features

2.2 What is NTFS3?

NTFS3 is a kernel-integrated NTFS driver introduced in Linux kernel 5.15.

✅ Features

• Built into the Linux kernel
• Much faster performance than NTFS-3G
• Operates at the kernel level for direct access

✅ Advantages

• 20–30% faster read/write speeds than NTFS-3G
• No need to install extra packages (built into the kernel)
• Supports newer NTFS features like compression and extended attributes

⚠️ Disadvantages

• Only available on Ubuntu 22.04 and later
• Limited permission management (chown and chmod do not work)
• More complex fstab configuration

2.3 Comparison: NTFS-3G vs NTFS3

Here’s a comparison of both methods:

3. Installing NTFS-3G

To enable proper read/write access to NTFS partitions on Ubuntu, you need to install the NTFS-3G package. NTFS-3G is available in Ubuntu’s official repositories, making installation quick and easy.

3.1 What is NTFS-3G?

NTFS-3G is a driver that allows Linux to handle NTFS file systems.
Since it is not included in Ubuntu by default, it must be installed manually.

✅ Features

• Full read/write support for NTFS
• Compatible with Ubuntu 20.04 and earlier versions
• Allows fine-grained permission settings
• Uses FUSE (Filesystem in Userspace)

3.2 How to Install NTFS-3G

Follow these steps to install NTFS-3G on Ubuntu.

① Update Package List

First, update the package list to ensure you install the latest version.

sudo apt update

② Install NTFS-3G

Run the following command to install NTFS-3G:

sudo apt install ntfs-3g

③ Verify Installation

After installation, check if NTFS-3G is properly installed:

ntfs-3g --version

If a version number appears, the installation was successful.

3.3 Testing NTFS-3G

After installation, test whether NTFS partitions can be correctly recognized.

① Check for Connected NTFS Partitions

List connected storage devices with the following command:

lsblk

Or, to get more detailed information:

sudo fdisk -l

This command will display all connected disks and partitions. Find the device name of your NTFS partition (e.g., /dev/sdb1).

② Manually Mount the NTFS Partition

Create a mount point:

sudo mkdir /mnt/ntfs

Mount the NTFS partition using NTFS-3G:

sudo mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ntfs

③ Verify Mounting

Check if the NTFS partition was successfully mounted:

df -h | grep ntfs

④ Test Write Access

To confirm write access, create a test file:

sudo touch /mnt/ntfs/testfile.txt

If no errors occur, writing to the NTFS partition is working.

3.4 Fixing NTFS Partitions

If an NTFS partition is corrupted or cannot be mounted, run the following command to repair it:

sudo ntfsfix /dev/sdb1

Functions of ntfsfix:
✅ Repairs NTFS inconsistencies
✅ Clears the journal
✅ Flags the drive for automatic Windows repair

4. How to Mount NTFS Partitions

To use NTFS partitions on Ubuntu, they must be properly mounted. This section explains manual mounting and automatic mounting (fstab configuration).

4.1 Manually Mounting an NTFS Partition

This method is useful for USB drives and external HDDs.

① Identify Connected Devices

Check if your NTFS partition is recognized:

lsblk

or:

sudo fdisk -l

② Create a Mount Point

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/ntfs

③ Mount Using NTFS-3G

sudo mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ntfs

④ Verify the Mount

df -h | grep ntfs

⑤ Unmount the Partition

sudo umount /mnt/ntfs

4.2 Automatically Mounting NTFS (fstab Configuration)

To mount NTFS partitions at boot, add an entry to /etc/fstab.

① Get the NTFS Partition UUID

blkid

② Edit /etc/fstab

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Add the following line:

UUID=1234-ABCD /mnt/ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,uid=1000,gid=1000,umask=0002 0 0

5. Configuring NTFS Permissions

By default, Linux file permissions (chmod, chown) do not work on NTFS. You must specify permissions when mounting.

① Check Your UID and GID

id

② Mount with Correct Permissions

sudo mount -t ntfs-3g -o uid=1000,gid=1000,umask=0022 /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ntfs

6. Troubleshooting NTFS Issues

6.1 NTFS Partition is Read-Only

Possible reasons:

• Windows Fast Startup is enabled
• The NTFS partition has inconsistencies

🔧 Solutions

✅ Disable Fast Startup

sudo ntfsfix /dev/sdb1

✅ Remount with Write Support

sudo mount -t ntfs-3g -o rw /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ntfs

6.2 Permission Denied Errors

🔧 Solutions

sudo mount -t ntfs-3g -o uid=1000,gid=1000 /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ntfs

6.3 “Unknown Filesystem Type ‘ntfs'”

🔧 Solutions

sudo apt install ntfs-3g

7. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Here are common questions about using NTFS partitions on Ubuntu. Use these solutions when troubleshooting issues or setting up your system.

7.1 Should I Use NTFS-3G or NTFS3?

A: If you are using Ubuntu 22.04 or later and want the best performance, choose NTFS3.
If you need better compatibility and advanced permission control, use NTFS-3G.

Comparison Table

7.2 Can I Format an NTFS Drive on Ubuntu?

A: Yes, you can format NTFS partitions on Ubuntu, but all data will be erased.

Formatting NTFS from the Command Line

sudo mkfs.ntfs -f /dev/sdX

(Replace /dev/sdX with the correct device name.)

Using GParted

1. Install GParted: sudo apt install gparted
2. Launch GParted: gparted
3. Select the target disk
4. Choose “Format” → “NTFS”
5. Click “Apply” to format

7.3 How to Fix “Permission Denied” Errors?

A: The NTFS partition might not be mounted with the correct permissions. Try the following solutions:

✅ Solution 1: Mount with UID and GID

sudo mount -t ntfs-3g -o uid=1000,gid=1000 /dev/sdb1 /mnt/ntfs

✅ Solution 2: Update fstab

UUID=1234-ABCD /mnt/ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0

✅ Solution 3: Adjust Windows NTFS Permissions

On Windows, go to Properties → Security Settings and grant full control to your user.

7.4 How to Safely Remove an NTFS Drive?

A: To safely remove an NTFS partition from Ubuntu, follow these steps:

✅ Unmount Manually

sudo umount /mnt/ntfs

✅ If “Device or Resource Busy” Appears

sudo fuser -m /mnt/ntfs
sudo fuser -k /mnt/ntfs
sudo umount /mnt/ntfs

7.5 Why Can’t I Mount My Windows NTFS Drive in Ubuntu?

A: Windows’ “Fast Startup” may be locking the NTFS partition.

✅ Solution: Disable Fast Startup

1. Open Windows and go to Control Panel → Power Options
2. Click “Choose what the power button does”
3. Click “Change settings that are currently unavailable”
4. Uncheck “Turn on fast startup”
5. Shut down Windows completely and try mounting again

7.6 “Device or Resource Busy” When Unmounting

A: Another process might be using the NTFS partition.

✅ Solution: Find and Kill Active Processes

sudo fuser -m /mnt/ntfs
sudo fuser -k /mnt/ntfs
sudo umount /mnt/ntfs

✅ Solution: Force Unmount

sudo umount -l /mnt/ntfs

7.7 fstab Auto-Mount Not Working

A: Check for errors in /etc/fstab or incorrect UUID settings.

✅ Solution 1: Verify UUID

blkid

✅ Solution 2: Fix fstab Configuration

UUID=1234-ABCD /mnt/ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0

✅ Solution 3: Ensure the Mount Point Exists

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/ntfs

✅ Solution 4: Apply Changes

sudo mount -a

7.8 “Disk Full” Error on NTFS Partition

A: Windows NTFS quotas or compression settings might be enabled.

✅ Solution

1. In Windows, go to Properties → Disk Cleanup
2. Disable any compression or quota management settings
3. Run Windows’ chkdsk utility to check for errors

Summary

• Understand the differences between NTFS-3G and NTFS3 to choose the best option
• If write access is denied, disable Windows “Fast Startup”
• For permission errors, set uid=1000,gid=1000 when mounting
• Ensure fstab entries are correct and UUIDs are properly configured
• If unmounting fails, check active processes with fuser