NTFS-3G.PROBE(8) System Manager's Manual NTFS-3G.PROBE(8)

# [NAME](#NAME)

ntfs-3g.probe - Probe an NTFS volume mountability

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**ntfs-3g.probe** *<--readonly|--readwrite>* *volume*

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

The **ntfs-3g.probe** utility tests a volume if it's NTFS mountable read-only or read-write, and exits with a status value accordingly. The *volume* can be a block device or image file.

# [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

Below is a summary of the options that **ntfs-3g.probe** accepts.

[**-r, --readonly**](#r,)

Test if the volume can be mounted read-only.

[**-w, --readwrite**](#w,)

Test if the volume can be mounted read-write.

[**-h, --help**](#h,)

Display help and exit.

# [EXAMPLE](#EXAMPLE)

Test if /dev/sda1 can be mounted read-write:

**ntfs-3g.probe --readwrite /dev/sda1**

# [EXIT CODES](#EXIT_CODES)

The exit codes are as follows:

0

Volume is mountable.

11

Syntax error, command line parsing failed.

12

The volume doesn't have a valid NTFS.

13

Inconsistent NTFS, hardware or device driver fault, or unsetup SoftRAID/FakeRAID hardware.

14

The NTFS partition is hibernated.

15

The volume was not cleanly unmounted.

16

The volume is already exclusively opened and in use by a kernel driver or software.

17

Unsetup SoftRAID/FakeRAID hardware.

18

Unknown reason.

19

Not enough privilege to mount.

20

Out of memory.

21

Unclassified FUSE error.

# [KNOWN ISSUES](#KNOWN_ISSUES)

Please see

https://github.com/tuxera/ntfs-3g/wiki/NTFS-3G-FAQ

for common questions and known issues. If you think you have found an undocumented problem in the latest release of the software then please post an ntfs-3g issue describing it in detail so that the development team can be aware of the issue and take care of it:

https://github.com/tuxera/ntfs-3g/issues

# [AUTHORS](#AUTHORS)

**ntfs-3g.probe** was written by Szabolcs Szakacsits.

# [THANKS](#THANKS)

Alon Bar-Lev has integrated the utility into the NTFS-3G build process and tested it with Erik Larsson before the public release.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**ntfs-3g**(8)](/man/os/ntfs-3g/ntfs-3g.8)

January 2008 ntfs-3g.probe 2026.9.28

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Document: ntfs-3g.probe(8) from ntfs-3g 2026.9.28-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/tuxera/ntfs-3g