The open-source operating system project ReactOS has introduced a new NTFS file system driver. This update allows users to install the system directly onto NTFS partitions, removing the previous requirement to maintain a separate FAT32 partition for installation.
The development of NTFS support has been ongoing for nearly a decade. The project added read-only support in 2016 and enabled booting from NTFS via the FreeLoader bootloader in 2022. The new driver completes the implementation, though the team notes it currently lacks caching, journaling, and security features, resulting in lower performance.
Beyond file system updates, ReactOS is transitioning its architecture from the Windows NT 5 era toward the NT 6 standard. The project has replaced the legacy 'Documents and Settings' directory with the 'Users' folder, aligning it more closely with modern Windows versions like Vista, 7, and 8.
ReactOS is a community-driven project aiming to replicate the Windows environment, including application and driver compatibility. The team, which will mark its 30th anniversary in January 2026, views this milestone as a step toward releasing a beta version.
