Mount a Linux folder in Windows

Question

To mount a Windows folder in Linux, I can just mount //<server>/<file> <location> cifs -o user=<user>

How can I do the reverse -- Get a Linux folder on my Windows dekstop, accessable and editable in realtime?

I would prefer the mounted entity be a folder, say, on my Win desktop; however, it's no biggie if it has to be a drive.

Additionally, I would prefer this is done with no extra programs. If it has to use software, OK.

Finally, speed is very important here. The reason I'm doing this is because OneDrive was too slow and I had to switch.

Using Windows 10 and Ubuntu on LAN.

Thanks.

Solution

if you want to stay on a network connection, you have to use the smb protocol for the connection. in this case you have to set up a samba server on your Ubuntu computer. then you can use it on Windows without installing something there.

if speed is that necessary that you want to insert the drive and use a sata connection, then try ext2fsd, a tool which mounts any ext Filesystem on Windows

if you are using btrfs, you don't have a chance to read it directly on your Windows machine, in that case you must have got a running Linux with a file server. if you are using zfs then it's the same thing like with btrfs

EDIT what you've heard, that samba is bad is in some cases very right. if you want to protect your data and want to keep them secret, samba is as bad as posting the data somewhere in the Internet. but because of the low encryption and security overhead it's also kind of the fastest protocol

Comments

[Sami Kuhmonen]

Install Samba. There always has to be software

[Quelklef]

there's NOTHING built in that I can do this with? Also, ive heard that Samba is bad.

[Sami Kuhmonen]

You can try to play around with NFS if you don't want to install Samba...

[Schwertspize]

By the way, if you use mount //<server>/<file> <location> cifs -o user=<user> you are actually using samba, because samba is the only protocol supported by windows out of the box.

[Sami Kuhmonen]

I think the protocol has been CIFS for some time now

[Quelklef]

SInce I'm using it over LAN, thought, I'll only have to worry about people connected to my router with Samba, right?

[Schwertspize]

the only thing you have to worry about are people who are behind your router, that are people inside your lan/wlan and Hacker.... 1. should mostly respect your privacy and will not be able to access it. lack of knowledge 2. has to hack your router....

[Quelklef]

Wow, okay, Samba is super easy to use, and very fast. Thanks :)