ntfs-3g allows creation of files that can't be manipulated in windows

[Eric Roy Hyatt]

The ntfs-3g authors set a high standard for their software: to allow other operating systems to interoperate with Windows, (quirks and all). I have found a small set of file names which ntfs-3g allows and which are incompatible with windows.

System: Xubuntu 13.10, one ext4 filesystem mounted at "/" and one ntfs-3g filesystem mounted at "/net/win". Package: ntfs-3g version 2013.1.13AR.1-2ubuntu1

The ntfs-3g mount is defined by the following line in /etc/fstab

UUID=51A3A01B7BFE85BB /net/win lowntfs-3g utf8,windows_names,ignore_case,nosilent,noatime,fmask=06001 0 0

Running Xubuntu 13.10, I created and used a file named PRN on the ext4 partition without any problems. I copied this file to directory /net/win without problem.

While running Windows 8, I am unable to access this file.

When I use windows explorer to cut and paste this file to my desktop, a dialog box appears saying "Could not find this item. This is no longer located in F:\. Verify the item's location and try again."

When I ask Windows 8 to open the file with Notepad, a dialog box appears saying "Cannot find the \\.\PRN.txt file. Do you want to create a new file?"

When I ask Windows 8 to open the file with WordPad, a dialog box appears saying "\\.\PRN Cannot find this file. Please verify that the correct path and file name are given."

The same behavior occurrs with files named PRN.doc AUX LPT9.txt COM2.aaa

I am able to create a file in Linux/ext4 named CON and copy it to the lowntfs-3g partition. I am unable to access this file from Windows 8, but the error messages I receive from Windows 8 are different (i.e. When I try to cut and paste CON from F: to my Desktop, the error message says "Invalid file handle." When I try to open it in Notebook, the message window says "Windows security/These files can't be opened."

My problem files are all addressed in Microsoft documentation

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365247%28VS.85%29.aspx#file_and_directory_names

which claims that there are 22 specific 3- and 4-character strings that should not be used as windows filenames.