Windows 10: Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools

Brink · Nov 19, 2016

There is one hard-and-fast rule when it comes to Bash on Windows:

DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, create and/or modify Linux files using Windows apps, tools, scripts, consoles, etc.

Creating/changing Linux files from Windows will likely result in data corruption and/or damage your Linux environment requiring you to uninstall & reinstall your distro!

Note: Your “Linux files” are any of the files and folders under %localappdata%\lxss – which is where the Linux filesystem – distro and your own files – are stored on your drive

Do not create/modify Linux files from Windows apps/tools!

Why is this?

If WSL can’t find Linux file metadata for a given file, it assumes the file is corrupted/damaged, and will likely fail to open/read the file correctly, causing apps, tools, etc. to fail and in some cases, delete files seen as “corrupt”!

File metadata (e.g. permissions, ownership, timestamps, etc.) is represented differently in Linux than in Windows. Because stores your Linux files in an NTFS folder, WSL calculates and persists each Linux file’s metadata in its NTFS extended attributes.

However, Windows apps do not know how to (nor that they should) re-calculate & persist this Linux metadata each time they create/modify a file stored under your distro’s root (%localappdata\lxss\).

Therefore, if you use a Windows app/tool/console to create and/or modify a file under your distro root, it won’t have any Linux file metadata (e.g. permissions, owner, timestamps, etc.) stored in its extended attributes.

Also, several Windows tools implement different strategies to handle file updating and don’t actually edit files in-place. When apps/tools save changes to a file, the original files are often deleted and re-created, or cloned edited and then copied over the original file, etc. During such operations, NT file extended properties are often not persisted and are “lost”.

Thus, if a file has no/incorrect Linux file metadata, WSL may not be able to correctly open/read/write the file, and will likely cause apps to assume the file is corrupt … or even overwrite file contents actually corrupting data!

So what SHOULD I do?

To work on files using both Windows and Linux tools, store & work on those files in your Windows filesystem, and access them from both Windows and from Bash via /mnt/<drive>/path (e.g. /mnt/c/dev/project/...)

When you access files on your Windows filesystem from within Bash, WSL honors the NT filesystem behaviors (e.g. case-insensitivity), permissions, etc. so you can easily access the same files using both Windows tools and Bash tools without having to copy files back and forth between filesystems.

Therefore, be sure to follow these two rules in order to avoid losing files, and/or corrupting your data:

DO store files in your Windows filesystem that you want to create/modify using Windows tools AND Linux tools

DO NOT create / modify Linux files from Windows apps, tools, scripts or consoles

Remember: There’s a reason we gave the %localappdata%\lxss\ folder ‘hidden’ & ‘system’ attributes

For more background into how the WSL filesystem infrastructure works, be sure to read/watch this AWESOME blog & video which explains things in much more detail.

Please help us share this guidance far and wide – tweet, post and blog linking to this post!!

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Source: Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools Windows Command Line Tools For Developers

alphanumeric · Nov 19, 2016

I often edit a python file on my PC, that I run on my Raspberry Pi? I use sneaker net and a thumb drive to transfer it from one to the other. No issues so far. It's a py file so I guess its not really a Linux file?

:)

Johann Eva · Nov 19, 2016

Windows-Ubuntu Dual Boot, Cannot write or edit files in Ubuntu.

Hi Hemal,

First of all, Linux and Windows are completely different operating systems. We have an information site about our warning not to combine these two operating systems.

You can read for more information here - Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools:

Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools

If you want to install or have multiple operating systems on your computer, you will need to separate them into drive partitions. This means
Windows doesn’t coincide with other operating systems files to work with its file system.

All Linux files are read-only in Windows. There is no script that allows you to edit or write their files while they are saved on the hard disk of where Windows was installed.

Source: How to Access Your Ubuntu Bash Files in Windows (and Your Windows
System Drive in Bash).

If you need more help, contact us again.

ZigZag3143 (MS -MVP) · Nov 19, 2016

Leaving microsoft

There is more software for linux then any other OS. Specially with codeweavers. Plus a few more major players. Your very wrong.

http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Linux_software_equivalent_to_Windows_software

May I add we can save thousands of dollars, easy to install, is more productive then any windows system. Just try to install all the required tools needed for eclipse, HTML 5 not problem now with linux. There is not one thing windows can do better then linux.
Maybe zigzag does not know exactly how much linux has turned.

Windows has Store, linux has app center, which has thousands of app and programs. Easy to install, program manager, click on app install. No adds or spyware.

Or in termanal sudo apt-get install. Very easy.

Linux is a good substitute for windows.

Play your old games linux no problem, try to play them in windows. Ok you got windows 10 and DX12. Well WE have codewaver and valcan.
Click to expand...

Yawn. I use various distros of linux when and where it makes sense. Care to compare notes in a different thread?

Lets let CW vent in his own way.

Oh and actually you are wrong about Linux being the most used OS, Android is.

A colakid is a colakid only the name changes.

Windows 10: Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools

Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools

Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools

Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools

Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools - Similar Threads - change Linux files

Using unactivated windows 10 for changing OS to Linux

Using unactivated windows 10 for changing OS to Linux

Using unactivated windows 10 for changing OS to Linux

Run Linux Apps on Windows using Windows Subsystem for Linux

Run Linux Apps on Windows using Windows Subsystem for Linux

Introducing Linux GUI apps running on Windows using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Using Windows 10 tools to modify Linux subsystem files

Meld is an excellent file and folder comparison tool for Windows and Linux

Media Installation tool on Linux