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I'm running Ubuntu 12.04 LTFS. On the same disk, I have another Win7. On the NTFS Win7, I have buntu 11.04 running on a ext4 partition that was installed with Wubi.
I'd like to be able to access my buntu 11.04 files, from my Ubuntu 12.04 OS. Is this possible?

I was thinking this might work:

mount -t ext4 -r /dev/sda4/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /media/wubi

Or maybe mount a mount:

mount -t ntfs -r /dev/sda4 /media/win7Wubi
mount -t ext4 -r /media/win7Wubi/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /media/buntu1104

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Not exactly mount a mount, but close. You are supposed to mount a block device contained on a file inside a filesystem that, obviously, is inside a real block device.

In other words: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

The key is the parameter -o loop.

Assuming that:

  • The Windows partition is /dev/sda4.
  • The root partition file is located on /ubuntu/disks/root.disk inside the Windows partition.
  • The directories /media/win7Wubi and /media/ubuntu1104 were already created.

Use these two commands on this order:

mount -t ntfs /dev/sda4 /media/win7Wubi
mount -t ext4 -o loop /media/win7Wubi/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /media/ubuntu1104
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  • I'd like to add the ext4 to fstab so it is there @ startup. uuid=some#here /media/win7Wubi/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ext4 ro 0 0 Is not working for me. Flag missing?
    – Dug
    Jan 16, 2013 at 17:48
  • I'm not sure what I saw earlier, bu there is no UUID for this 'loop' partition. Is there a way to auto-mount a loop partition?
    – Dug
    Jan 16, 2013 at 19:38
  • Yep, instead of using the UUID=xxx identifier, just write the device name, on this case the filename: /media/win7Wubi/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /media/win7Wubi/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ext4 loop,rw 0 0. Don't forget the loop option, and change that ro to rw or you won't be able to write on there. Please take a look at man fstab and man mount for details.
    – Jorge Suárez de Lis
    Jan 17, 2013 at 8:21
  • I think you mean this: '/media/win7Wubi/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /media/ubuntu1104 ext4 loop,rw 0 0' It worked. I tried the 'man', there was no mention of 'loop'. Can I name it inside fstab? Natilus is giving it a generic name. Thanks
    – Dug
    Jan 17, 2013 at 21:05
  • Set label with: e2label /media/win7Wubi/ubuntu/disks/root.disk oldUbuntu
    – Dug
    Jan 18, 2013 at 17:42

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