mtools - Linux

Overview

Mtools is a collection of utilities to access MS-DOS disks from Unix without mounting them. It is most effective for managing disk images for DOS and Windows environments in a Linux setting. These tools facilitate copying, renaming, reading, and writing files from/to FAT filesystem disks.

Syntax

mtools itself is not a single command but a suite of commands. Here, we focus on general usage patterns for some of the common mtools:

  • mcopy (copy files): 
    mcopy [options] source target
  • mdir (list directory contents): 
    mdir [options] [msdosdirectory]
  • mformat (format disk): 
    mformat [options] drive:

Each tool has its own set of options and arguments, often similar to their traditional DOS counterparts.

Options/Flags

Options vary between the different tools in the mtools suite. Here are options for a few frequently used tools:

  • mcopy:
    • -v: Verbose mode, provides detailed output.
    • -n: No overwrite, do not overwrite existing files.
  • mdir:
    • -/: Recursive list, includes subdirectory contents.
    • -w: Wide list format, lists filenames as wide as the terminal window.
  • mformat:
    • -c: Specify the number of sectors per track.
    • -t: Number of tracks per side.

Common options across many mtools commands:

  • -V: Display version information.

Examples

  • Copying a file from a DOS disk in drive A to the Linux system: 
    mcopy a:file.txt ~/documents/
  • Listing the contents of a DOS disk: 
    mdir b:
  • Formatting a floppy disk: 
    mformat a:

Common Issues

  • Issue: Access denied errors.
    • Solution: Run mtools with appropriate permissions, or adjust the device permissions.
  • Issue: Confusion about drive letters.
    • Solution: Remember that mtools uses drive letters similar to DOS (a:, b:, etc.).

Integration

mtools can be combined with shell scripts to automate managing DOS files or images. Here’s an example script to copy all .txt files from a floppy disk:

for file in $(mdir b: | grep '.txt' | awk '{print $1}'); do
    mcopy "b:$file" ~/text_files/
done

This script lists .txt files on drive B (assumed to be a floppy drive) and copies each to a directory on the Linux system.

  • fdisk: for disk partitioning.
  • dd: for low-level disk manipulation.

Additional Resources

For more detailed information, the man pages of the individual mtools (such as man mcopy, man mdir, man mformat, etc.) are invaluable sources of in-depth usage patterns and options. The official Mtools website and repositories often provide the latest updates and documentation.