I am guessing you know as much as I do, but just in case, I will tell what I know.
I have used Windows and Linux dual-boot since around 1998 on several computers.
Normally, Windows cannot see the Linux partition, though many Linux
distros can see the Windows partition. Fat32 partitions can be both
read and written from most distros.
NTFS file systems, commonly used on XP and a couple recent Windows OS,
cannot be written by most unmodified Linux systems, but there are
programs written which can be added to modern distros.
Someone created a utility, explore2fs.exe, which should still be
available for free download.
One installs it in Windows, and I know it works on XP Home, because I
use it from time to time. It will work on ext3 filesystems, and
perhaps the older ext2, but I haven't used that in a long time.
One executes the explore2fs.exe just by clicking on it. It will show
the Linux partition, with a + in front of a small drive symbol. When
one clicks on it, one sees all the folders on the Linux filesystem,
and works through it as on a normal file browser.
When you find a file you wish to transfer to the Windows partition,
you highlight the filename by clicking on it, then look in your menu
for explore2fs to find the words something like: Export file. I don't
have my system here now, so am thinking it is export, but if it says
import, well, I am wrong. But, in any case, only one of those two will
be in the menu. When you click on that menu item, it will move the
highlighted file, but first you then have a choice where to put it, in
the usual fashion.
It will only move one file at a time, no folders enmasse.
It can be time consuming if you have a lot to move. If you need to
move folders, the solution is to simply create the folder in Windows,
then move the files for that folder one at a time.
I am somewhat confident you have learned all this now. Without seeing
device it is hard to tell you much more, except to review the basics
of explore2fs. Sorry.
Hypothetically, in a dual boot system such as I have, one could use
bzip2 to compress and entire folder into one file, and move it in one
file. Then, one would have to reverse the bzip2 file. But, this would
require finding a bzip2 utility for Windows. I did find one, and it
works from the MSDOS command line in XP, though I decided not to
experiment so did not try it.
Of course, if you can use an equivalent of standard, old fashioned ZIP
in Linux that would be nice.
In any case, your device may be such that none of this stuff will work.
Um, just a brainstorm. Assuming you have mounted this device on a
standard PC, have you tried a live CD such as Knoppix 4.0 or older; or
Knoppix-STD, or such thing and see if it can talk to the device?
Sometimes the live CD's can talk to some peripherals, and if it will
see the device might be able to move files to flash or other method
such as floppy.
This is a far shot, but without the device in front of me all I can do
is think and, um, babble.
Good luck. |
