Fix a Windows Partition Linux Refuses to Mount (ntfsfix)

Clear the NTFS dirty flag left behind by an unclean Windows shutdown so dual-boot partitions mount again.

LinuxfilesystemdiskrepairntfsMedium risk

Run sudo ntfsfix -d /dev/sdb2 on the unmounted partition to fix common errors and clear the dirty bit, then mount it normally.

01Command

Command

$ sudo ntfsfix -d /dev/sdb2

02What it does

When Windows hibernates or crashes, it leaves the 'dirty' bit set on the NTFS volume, and Linux's ntfs-3g driver then refuses to mount the filesystem read-write to protect your data. ntfsfix repairs a handful of common inconsistencies, schedules a real chkdsk for the next Windows boot, and with -d clears the dirty flag so the volume mounts. It is not a full fsck replacement — for deep corruption you must run chkdsk from Windows itself.

03Risk

RiskMedium risk

Requirementsntfs-3g package (provides ntfsfix)

!Warning: Never run ntfsfix on a mounted partition, and unmount it if the mount failed read-write but is still attached; if data matters, let Windows chkdsk do the real repair.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

ntfsfix(8) — fix common errors and force Windows to check NTFS
Debian manpages · community · 2026-09-17
Evidence: Page documents the -d/--clear-dirty option ('Clear the dirty bit on the filesystem') and the 'dirty' flag concept; confirms ntfsfix and 'dirty' appear in the text.
ntfsfix(8) — Ubuntu man page (ntfs-3g)
Ubuntu manpages · community · 2026-09-17
Evidence: Man page text includes '-d' and '--clear-dirty' along with the warning that ntfsfix is not a Linux fsck for NTFS, confirming the flag and semantics.

Last verified: 2026-09-19 · Category: Files & Folders

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