<div dir="ltr">Hi Ramnarayan, My reply gives you another alternative(initially), which is much simpler and will serve your purpose perfectly well, that too in a very short while ! That is, your friend could access his ext3 HD from windows and work on it as well. Here is how you go about it - 1. Download and install ext 2 (3) fs driver for windows (supports all versions with rw access, even vista)  from - <a href="http://www.fs-driver.org/">http://www.fs-driver.org/</a> Now you will be able to access the external HD formatted in ext3 inside 'windows explorer' 2. Download and install open office from - <a href="http://www.openoffice.org/">http://www.openoffice.org/</a> Now you can open your open office files. Am sure however that, although this is a practical solution your friend will eventually change his os to GNU/Linux ! Here is where he can find help when he does need it - <a href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MassachusettsTeam/ContactUs">https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MassachusettsTeam/ContactUs</a> Before I close here is some important/sad info I picked up from ubuntu forums (seems that Massachussets is Microsoft - centric, and Bill will never better his corrupt ways) - <a href="http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=516491&page=2">http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=516491&page=2</a> Happily, there are 'Ubunteros' around - "Long live Ubuntu !" <div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 6:28 PM, <a href="mailto:ramnarayan.k@gmail.com">ramnarayan.k@gmail.com</a> <<a href="mailto:ramnarayan.k@gmail.com">ramnarayan.k@gmail.com</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> Hi A friend of mine is going to the US - Williams College, Mass. US. He uses Linux but has had help to set everything up - all. His current laptop broke down some months back and since he has been operating of an external Hard Disk formatted to ext3. The university of Williams Town , who are providing him a desktop / laptop,  on being asked about Linux support, have been discouraging. But  as soon as he reaches the US he will need to use his data and presentations (made in open office .odi). And also access all his other data. The help i required was does anyone have any GNU/Linux contact in Williams Town, who can help him set his machine up - to configure and run Ubuntu etc. To help i will give my friend a detailed how to as well as what software additional to the base install needs to be installed and any other special configurations. I will also give him a DSL based USB flash disk which will enable him to access his data, as well as some live CD's - Ubuntu Hardy. We tried to search for Linux / LUG at Williams Town but did not get any usable results. *But* if some one can help us find a GNU/Linux friend in or near Williams Town we will be very grateful. help will me much appreciated ram -- ubuntu-in mailing list <a href="mailto:ubuntu-in@lists.ubuntu.com">ubuntu-in@lists.ubuntu.com</a> <a href="https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-in" target="_blank">https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-in</a> </blockquote></div> </div>