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Linux NTFS driver adds read support for Windows System Compression files
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The modern NTFS Linux driver now supports reading files compressed with Windows System Compression (WOF).
This change improves interoperability between Linux and Windows systems by allowing Linux to read WOF-compressed files without requiring decompression on a Windows machine. It reduces friction for engineers working in mixed environments but does not yet support writing or modifying compressed files.
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The modern NTFS Linux driver gains read-only support for Windows System Compression (WOF).
This update is part of the ongoing Linux kernel development cycle.
No write or modification support for WOF-compressed files is included yet.
THE READ
What the cluster adds up to.
The modern NTFS Linux driver has added read support for Windows System Compression (WOF), a feature used by Windows to compress files transparently. This means Linux systems can now access files compressed with WOF without requiring a Windows environment for decompression. The change is part of a broader update to NTFS support in the Linux kernel, which includes both the existing Paragon NTFS3 driver and a newer, modern NTFS driver.
For engineers working in mixed Linux-Windows environments, this update reduces the need to transfer or decompress files manually. However, the support is currently read-only, meaning compressed files cannot be modified or written from Linux. This limitation may still require users to rely on Windows for tasks involving WOF-compressed files, such as system backups or file modifications.
The update is submitted as part of the Linux kernel development cycle, suggesting it will be available in a future stable release. While the addition of WOF read support is a step forward, the lack of write support means full interoperability is not yet achieved. Engineers should verify whether their specific use cases are covered by this change before relying on it for production workflows.
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