Open‑source Windows alternative ReactOS has hit a significant milestone: the operating system can now be installed directly onto a partition formatted with the NTFS file system. Phoronix reported that this development removes a long‑standing obstacle for the project and moves it closer to a beta release.
Until now, ReactOS required a FAT32 partition for installations. NTFS, a proprietary file system created by Microsoft, dates back to the Windows NT line that began in 1993 with Windows NT 3.1. The version introduced with Windows XP in 2001 remains the default on most Windows machines today. Because ReactOS aims for binary compatibility with Windows Server 2003, being limited to FAT32 was a practical hurdle in recreating a true Windows environment.
The ReactOS team cautioned that the new driver still lacks caching, which can reduce performance, as well as journaling and security features. In a post on X, developers also warned that “potentially undiscovered bugs” may still exist, urging even experienced users to proceed with care.