Dual boot - Can I access files between OS

[urbancolour]

I want to add Windows and dual boot between Mint 12 and Windows XP

The reason for this is I like the image editing software in Windows (Fireworks & Photoshop) and I can play my movies in Windows with HDMI with sound - Right now I cant even get image with Linux.

But I was wondering if I did dual boot could I access files between Windows and Mint. So open video files stored in Linux from Windows, or view image files created in Windows from Mint?

I know I could use Wine but I dont really like it

I guess another option would be to have an external drive and store images/movies on that the access from Mint/Windows when needed

Any help will be good

Thanks

[squeezy]

You'll be able to mount and read/write your Windows partition in Linux, no problem.

From the Windows side you'll need to install a file system driver to be able to read the Linux file system, but it can be done.

[urbancolour]

Thanks squeezy, any guides on doing this at all you can point me too?

[Wouter_db]

I've had some file corruptions when writing or editing stuff from Linux ext4 to Windows NTFS. Yes Linux can mostly read and write to NTFS, but remember that Linux doesn't have the error-proof code to correctly deal with NTFS because that filesystem is protected by MS. It can only emulate it as best it can.

To be safe, I now have a large partition in between Linux and Win that is formatted to FAT32. And old filesystem but both OS's can deal with it perfectly. Only be aware of the 4gb files size limit in FAT32, but who has 4gb files anyway??

[dalcde]

In Mint you can directly read files from windows partition (open file manager, click the drive you want in the sidebar, and you're there).