Bash script to convert symlinks created by the ntfs-3g driver to the format used by ntfs3.

convert_ntfs3g_symlinks_to_ntfs3.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# Converts NTFS-3G IntxLN style symlinks to native symlinks for ntfs3
# Works recursively on a NTFS partition _that is mounted via ntfs3_!

set -euo pipefail
IFS=$'\n\t'

if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
    echo "Usage: sudo $0 /mount/point"
    exit 1
fi

MOUNTPOINT="$1"

if [[ ! -d "$MOUNTPOINT" ]]; then
    echo "Error: $MOUNTPOINT not found or not a directory."
    exit 1
fi

LOGFILE="./ntfs-3g-intxln-conversion-$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S).log"
touch "$LOGFILE"

echo "Scanning for IntxLN-encoded NTFS-3G symlinks in $MOUNTPOINT..."
sleep 2

# Use the 'file' command to detect files starting with "IntxLN"
find "$MOUNTPOINT" -type f | while read -r f; do
    head -c 6 "$f" 2>/dev/null | grep -q "IntxLN" || continue

    echo "# [FOUND] $f (IntxLN format)" | tee -a "$LOGFILE"

    # Extract UCS-2 encoded target path starting from byte 8
    TARGET=$(dd if="$f" bs=1 skip=8 2>/dev/null | iconv -f UTF-16LE -t UTF-8 | tr -d '\000')

    if [[ -n "$TARGET" ]]; then
        # Backup the old link
        echo "mv \"$f\" \"$f-ntfs-3g\"" | tee -a "$LOGFILE"
        mv "$f" "$f-ntfs-3g"

        # Write a backup script with all symlinks 
        echo "ln -s \"$TARGET\" \"$f\"" | tee -a "$LOGFILE"

        ln -s "$TARGET" "$f"
        echo "# [CREATED] symlink $f -> $TARGET" | tee -a "$LOGFILE"
    else
        echo "# [SKIPPED] Could not decode target for $f" | tee -a "$LOGFILE"
    fi
done

echo "Conversion complete. Log saved to $LOGFILE"