ReactOS Now Supports NTFS Installations
ReactOS can now install directly onto NTFS partitions.
20 Oct 2026 0 reads Compiled with AI
ReactOS has announced a major milestone: the operating system can now be installed directly onto an NTFS partition. The new NTFS driver eliminates the need for a FAT32 partition, which had been a long‑standing barrier. This step brings the project closer to its goal of reaching beta status.
New Driver Lets ReactOS Run on NTFS
The driver can format NTFS volumes that are compatible with Windows, but it still lacks key features. Caching is missing, which hurts performance. The driver also does not support journaling or file‑system security, and developers warn that undiscovered bugs may exist.
NTFS support has been a decade‑long effort, and earlier work added boot support to the FreeLoader bootloader in 2022. The latest release, 0.4.16, added a graphical installer and other storage fixes, but ReactOS remains alpha software.
While the new functionality is experimental, it shows progress toward the project’s aim of providing a Windows‑compatible OS. Users should test it cautiously, as the driver is still incomplete. The ReactOS team will continue to refine the NTFS support in future releases.