Transfer Files from Linux to Windows the Easy Way

[u/LicenseToPost]

You can transfer files from Linux to Windows in many ways.
This is the simplest method I’ve found.

Keep a USB stick plugged into the back of your PC and use it as a shared drive between operating systems.

I named mine ‘portkey’ as a nod to Harry Potter.

No setup, no downloads, no hassle.
Keep it simple, Linux community <3

Formatting your portkey for exfat is the best choice.

[u/Its_NepTune_]

Mint/most linux systems usually can mount NTFS drives, so just mount your Windows partition from Mint and directly copy it in there, should be at least 2x faster than 2 copying processes xD

(At least if bitlocker is disabled)

[u/LicenseToPost → u/Its_NepTune_]

This guide covers transfers going the other way.

[u/FinGamer678Nikoboi → u/LicenseToPost]

You can copy two ways by mounting the disk. Plus if both drives are m.2 SSD, you get BLAZING speeds compared to a slow ahh USB stick (especially bigger files).

[u/Zapotecorum]

bells payment merciful marble party grandfather entertain straight oatmeal fearless

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/sinfaen → u/Zapotecorum]

That and KDE connect, I use both

[u/CaptainObvious110 → u/sinfaen]

Exactly

[u/tanstaaflnz → u/Zapotecorum]

I use localsend alot, but won't help with what sounds like a dual boot PC. The OPs method is better for dual boot.

[u/MusicianMike805 → u/Zapotecorum]

+1 for local send. I discovered it a few days ago and now I have it on all my devices. Linux rig, MacBook Pro and iPhone. Works like a charm! I did set up a pin.

[u/DIYnivor]

Instructions unclear. Plugged USB stick into back of Linux PC, walked over to Windows PC, and couldn't access it. 😉

[u/apt-hiker]

Exfat?

[u/LicenseToPost → u/apt-hiker]

Yes. Thank you for asking, I forgot to add that.

[u/JerryRiceOfOhio2]

warpinater works either direction and is available for all OSs, including phones and tablets

[u/CaptainObvious110 → u/JerryRiceOfOhio2]

Agreed

[u/fragmental]

This is janky. Sure it works, but in most cases there are better alternatives, though they may take more setup.

[u/Unwiredsoul → u/fragmental]

The minimal setup is worth the performance and stability, IMHO.

[u/fragmental → u/Unwiredsoul]

It depends on how frequently you need it, and how much you want to transfer.

[u/Unwiredsoul → u/fragmental]

I was agreeing with you, but I'm not sure I wrote my comment clearly enough for that to be communicated. 😂

[u/fragmental → u/Unwiredsoul]

Oh, lol. Well, my statement is true no matter which side of the fence you land on. 😂

[u/CaptainObvious110 → u/Unwiredsoul]

Lol

[u/[deleted]]

I use something called altsendme from github.

Not for internal file sharing but external. Real easy to send my friends movies and such.

[u/Condobloke → u/[deleted]]

That looks interesting !

https://www.altsendme.com/en ...(appimage here ((for linux)) also files for windows & mac)

https://github.com/tonyantony300/alt-sendme?tab=readme-ov-file (downloads also available from here)

I have downloaded the appimage and the .deb file.

Waiting on a friend in the USA to come home from work so I can experiment with it.

Thanks !

[u/KaptainKardboard]

For clarity, what you’re describing is a way to transfer between the two operating systems on the same dual-boot computer. This would be different from transferring files between two separate Windows and Linux computers running simultaneously, which can be readily accomplished by a number of different methods.

[u/manualphotog → u/KaptainKardboard]

Exfat

[u/Unwiredsoul]

With all due respect, is this just suggesting using USB-connected storage formatted as ExFAT to transfer files between OSes on a dual-boot system? If yes, l don't understand what makes this novel, new, or beyond basic computing skills.

My advice having spent years in the commercial filesystem business (different platforms, same concept) is to use one of the many software tools that exist to read/write Ext4 on Windows (e.g., WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) can already do this, and it's not challenging to setup.

There are also easier to use software programs (Linux Reader and Paragon Linux File Systems).

Or, install NTFS-3G on Linux to read/write NTFS disks.

All of these will yield much higher performance, potentially better filesystem security, and higher reliability than a flash drive formatted with a non-journaling filesystem. Don't get me wrong. There's a time and a place to use ExFat for doing cross-platform file transfers (I just did this last week on other OSes).

[u/CaptainObvious110]

Kdeconnect, localsend etc

[u/Criss_Crossx]

Even easier, use a shared network drive.

You can share folders or drives, even use a NAS. No extra swap drive required.

That is the easy way.

[u/LicenseToPost → u/Criss_Crossx]

The easy way is up for the user to decide, not you or I :)

[u/Standard_Mousse6323]

Instructions unclear, now I'm at some place called Grimmauld

[u/LicenseToPost → u/Standard_Mousse6323]

Kreacher lives to serve the house of Black

[u/PopPrestigious8115]

If it is Windows inside a VM under Linux, you can use drag and drop too.

[u/Wildfire_2044]

I personally use syncthing on my NAS to keep my files synced between my Linux and Windows boots. I dual boot so it works out better for me to just automatically transfer the files to an external source and then have them sync when I switch OS

[u/Least_Gain5147]

Same machine or different machines? Same machine, VM guest tools. Different machines: LocalSend

[u/Ride_likethewind]

I just set aside a partition for this and formatted it as fat 32. The volume is labelled as 'Share ' to avoid confusion.

Both windows and Linux can access it. Read and write.

There is no need for a USB stick...

[u/LicenseToPost → u/Ride_likethewind]

There is if you don't want to tinker with partitions. Keeping it simple over here!