Working with Windows Files via /mnt

Understanding /mnt in WSL

In WSL, your Windows file system is accessible through the /mnt directory. This allows you to work with your Windows files using Linux commands.

Drive Mounting

Windows drives are mounted as:

• /mnt/c - C: drive
• /mnt/d - D: drive
• /mnt/e - E: drive (if exists)

Accessing Your Windows Files

Navigate to Windows Drive

cd /mnt/c
ls

Common Windows Paths

Practical Examples

Example 1: Access Your Documents

cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Documents
ls

Example 2: Create a Project Folder

cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Projects
mkdir my-wsl-project
cd my-wsl-project

Example 3: Copy Files Between Locations

# Copy from Windows desktop to Linux home
cp /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Desktop/notes.txt ~/
Copy from Linux to Windows
cp ~/my-script.sh /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Scripts/

File Permissions in /mnt

Important Notes:

• Files in /mnt have different permissions
• Some Windows system files may be read-only
• File execution permissions may differ
• Symbolic links may work differently

Checking Permissions

ls -la /mnt/c

Working with Code Files

Edit Windows Files with Linux Tools

You can use Linux text editors to work with Windows code:

# Using nano (beginner-friendly)
nano /mnt/c/Projects/myproject/index.html
Using vim (advanced)
vim /mnt/c/Projects/myproject/script.js

Run Windows Executables

You can even run Windows .exe files from WSL:

/mnt/c/Program Files/Notepad++/notepad++.exe

Or using cmd.exe or powershell.exe:

cmd.exe /c notepad

Best Practices

DO:

✅ Keep your projects in /mnt/c/Users/YourName/Projects for easy access ✅ Use Linux tools for file manipulation ✅ Back up important files regularly

DON'T:

❌ Don't modify Windows system files in /mnt/c/Windows ❌ Don't rely on Linux file permissions for security ❌ Don't store WSL-specific files in /mnt (use ~/ instead)

The 9FS File System

WSL also allows accessing Windows files using 9P protocol:

# Mount Windows home to Linux home (advanced)
sudo mount -t 9p //home /mnt/wsl/9p -o trans=virtio

For most users, /mnt/c is sufficient.

Summary

The /mnt directory is your gateway to Windows files:

• Navigate with cd /mnt/c/Users/YourName
• List files with ls
• Copy files with cp and mv
• Edit with Linux text editors
• Run Windows programs when needed

Next Lesson

In the next lesson, you'll learn how to install software using the apt package manager.