Your dual-drive dual-boot configuration didn’t experience a Linux Mint leak.
Your dual-drive dual-boot configuration didn’t experience a Linux Mint leak.
I have a dual-drive setup with a boot configuration as shown (runs at the right time): https://youtu.be/KWVte9WGxGE?si=SOfRDuPsi6Wy5aFa&t=447 Basically, I have Windows 10 on a 1TB HDD and installed Linux Mint on a 256GB SSD after removing the HDD so Mint couldn't detect it during installation. I switch between them by choosing the boot device in BIOS and never see GRUB's selection screen. The issue is that I'm still learning Linux and don't know if something went wrong. Today, while running sudo apt upgrade and update, I noticed the Windows HDD appeared in the file system. I could view the three disks/partitions on the Windows drive, open them, and access files from my Windows drive in Mint. I don’t remember the Windows drive being visible before now, and those partitions are appearing on my Linux Mint desktop. My concern is whether I might have caused problems during updates for either OS. Attached screenshots are included below. Thanks for your assistance. EDIT: added filesystem images from both systems.
Linux being able to view your Windows partitions is typical and not a cause for concern. It won’t secretly transfer data into Windows unless you intentionally interfere with these partitions. Modern Linux also supports reading or writing NTFS, allowing access to the file system from there, though it usually requires external tools. Windows detecting connected drives is also standard behavior. If both systems are on the same disk, there’s a potential risk of conflicts during updates, especially if they share an EFI partition. However, keeping them separate allows them to operate together smoothly.
Unless you intentionally alter files in System32 or another Windows folder, it should remain safe. I've transferred files from Windows to Linux several times without issues, and it doesn’t automatically lead to problems (remember to keep fast boot off). When I open Files and select the Windows drive, it prompts for my password before granting access. This reduces the likelihood of trouble. A virus typically can't act unless it’s run or attached to an executable, which would require copying onto the Windows partition—something Windows can’t do by default since it doesn’t support ext4.
Linux offers the advantage of viewing files across multiple storage devices. Although this feature enhances usability, it poses security concerns—compromising your Linux system could allow hackers to access browser files stored on Windows drives, which are highly valuable targets. To mitigate this risk, consider encrypting the Windows drive and securing sensitive files with strong passwords. Additionally, installing ClamAV on a Linux machine adds an extra layer of protection. This approach applies beyond just Windows drives; attaching any external storage like USB sticks to a Linux system lets you use the "mount" command to access its file system.
It's a relief to know they weren't visible to each other because they were on separate drives. I installed Linux after disconnecting the Windows drive, which helped. The issue is that Windows doesn’t recognize my Linux drive in File Explorer, only in Disk Management. It seems formatting might be necessary for Windows to access it. Since it’s a dedicated Linux drive, it shouldn’t store important data, but it’s curious how it behaves differently depending on the interface. I’m wondering if they’re on the same EFI partition and how to check that. There may be limits to what works, as I was able to boot into Windows from an image file without issues even after deleting files. I didn’t modify or delete anything on the Windows drive, which is surprising since it felt like a problem. I’m not sure if they’re on the same partition, but I’m curious. It might be related to BIOS boot priority settings. It’s interesting to see these things happen, and I’m glad I started exploring Linux. Hopefully, the next steps will come more smoothly. That does sound like a potential risk with a system like this. Thank you to Eigenvektor, zinco, and goatedpenguin for the helpful info!
As long as both drives are connected, either operating system can recognize them. Windows doesn’t list the drive in File Explorer since it uses a file system like ext4 that Windows doesn’t understand. This doesn’t prevent it from knowing the drive exists, which is why it appears in Disk Management but isn’t usable by Windows in Explorer. Linux, on the other hand, understands NTFS, so you can access your Windows partition from there. However, Linux cannot boot from NTFS, so any Linux partition must use a supported format like ext4 or FAT32 (limited to 4 GB files). You’d need to format it with something such as ExFAT or FAT32 if you want a cross-platform file exchange. If installed on separate disks and one was unplugged, each partition remains independent. You can verify this using a partition manager like GParted. On my boot disk, the top entry labeled "EFI system partition" is the Windows one, while the lower entry with "/boot/efi" corresponds to the Linux mount point I created during installation. With two separate disks, each should have its own EFI partition.
It's not just about the mount command—it's also relevant if you damaged your mint installation and started from a live Debian ISO. Typically, you'd mount the drive, list its paths, and then chroot into /mnt to interact with the broken system and resolve the issue. A useful guide on this process is available here: https://www.suse.com/support/kb/doc/?id=000018770. Even though it applies to a different distribution, the steps remain similar; just make sure you grasp what each command does before applying it.
I find it fascinating how much information you can gain from a basic issue on your device. App suggestions were helpful—both installed separately, though I’ll verify with GParted just in case. Thanks again! I’m still getting the basics down, which keeps me above my current level, but I hope I won’t have to rely too heavily on experience soon.