Reading Linux Partion via Windows

[Cole]

So I got my new HD, got windows on it and set up.
On my old HD I installed Linux, Fedora Core 4.
I have everything set up and working. My Linux is partioned by EX3, and Windows NTFS. I was wondering how I would be able to get Windows to be able to recognize the Linux partion and Vice Versa?

Also right now in order to boot up into Linux I need to switch which HD is the primary(via bios), and then switch it back to get into Windows, do you think I would be able to use the Windows CD, if it detected both HD's\Partions, and edit the boot.ini and add the Linux partion so it would ask if I would like to boot into Linux or Windows?

 

[CSD-San]

As far as I know, if you want a partition to be read from both OSs, and writeable from both, you need to make a FAT32 partition. NTFS is readable by linux (Possibly with a little kernal tweaking depending on your distro), but writing to it isn't quite reliable.

As for windows reading EXT3... good luck with that one. Windows wont read any partition types except it's own.

As for switiching what OS to boot, I dont quite understand what your saying, so heres some generic information: You can use a boot loader such as LILO or GRUB to boot what OS you want, avoiding the BIOS entirely. On booting your PC a menu will come up asking which OS you wish to boot at the time.

The windows CD wont detect a linux partition/HD.. well, it will. But just as a 'non-DOS' partition, which is no help.

 

[Cole]

Well im on my Linux right now, and yeah I had reinstalled this time quite a bit smatter and added a Fat32 and Swap partion. I heard there were drivers to get Windows to understand EXT3, but for now putting things on the Fat32 partion works good enough for both of em.

Grub wont seem to load my windows. I have it targeted toward my other HD, ill look up on the command line I should put on it.

Anyway thx.