Adding Linux File System support to Leopard (ext2 & ext3)

This is yet another guide in my rewrite rampage.

Note: This software is incompatible with Snow Leopard.

With it now easier than ever to dual boot Linux and OS X, you might be considering giving Linux a try (or even more favorably, Ubuntu). Linux in general is great due to its stability, many customizable looks, and ability to run on aging/inexpensive hardware. It’s also great to have a multi-OS system, but there always tends to be that scenario where you need a file from one of your other Operating System’s partition. Linux has got you covered, boasting support for HFS+, NTFS, FAT32, and countless other File Systems. Unfortunately, OS X can’t return the favor, as it lacks native support for any of the Linux File Systems.

As you already well know though, we wouldn’t state flaws if we didn’t also know how to remedy them. That is why many thanks go out to Brian Bergstrand and his aging project, ext2fsx. With his program, you can now easily mount and access all your ext2 and ext3 partitions. And to top it all off, the install process is super easy. Instructions follow.

1. Install ext2fsx and restart when prompted.

2. Log back in and launch System Preferences.

3. Click on the ExtFSManager Preference Pane.

4. Expand a listed Drive to see its partitions.

5. Click on the partition you want to mount (it will most likely be grayed out) and then select Mount.

The partition is now accessible through Finder. You can set specific options for each partition (such as auto-mounting, mounting as read-only, and ignoring permission on the partition) through the Preference Pane. Enjoy your new Linux File System support!

If you found this guide useful then feel free to make a donation by clicking the link at the end of the Author’s Mini-Biography, or by clicking on some ads around the site. Any amount truly does help.