What Versions of Windows Support Network File System (NFS) Shares?

Versions of Windows that Support Network File System (NFS) Shares

Network File System (NFS) is a protocol developed by Sun Microsystems in 1984. It allows a user on a client computer to access files over a network as if they were on their own local hard drive. NFS is commonly used on Unix and Linux systems, but it can also be used on Windows.

The ability to mount NFS shares without third-party software is not available in all versions of Windows. In this post, we will explore which versions of Windows support NFS shares.

Windows 10 Enterprise and Pro

Starting with Windows 10 Enterprise edition, Microsoft included an NFS client. This feature was later made available on Windows 10 Pro as well. With this built-in NFS client, users can mount NFS shares without the need for third-party software.

To mount an NFS share on Windows 10 Enterprise or Pro, you can use the “mount” command in PowerShell. Here is an example:

mount -o anon \nfsservershare z:

This command will mount the NFS share on the Z drive.

Windows 10 Home and Earlier Versions of Windows

Unfortunately, Windows 10 Home and earlier versions of Windows do not include a built-in NFS client. This means that users who want to mount NFS shares on these versions of Windows will need to install third-party software.

One popular third-party NFS client for Windows is called “NFS Client for Windows” by Han-soft. This software allows users to mount NFS shares on Windows 10 Home and earlier versions of Windows.

Other NFS Clients for Windows

In addition to Han-soft’s NFS Client for Windows, there are several other third-party NFS clients available for Windows. Some of these include:

• Cyberduck
• WinNFSd
• NekoDrive
• FileZilla Pro

Each of these clients has its own features and limitations, so it is important to choose the one that best fits your needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ability to mount NFS shares without third-party software is only available in Windows 10 Enterprise and Pro. Users of Windows 10 Home and earlier versions of Windows will need to install third-party software to access NFS shares.

There are several third-party NFS clients available for Windows, each with its own set of features and limitations. When choosing an NFS client, it is important to consider your specific needs and requirements.

The Network File System (NFS) is a network file system protocol used to share files and directories between computers over a network. NFS allows a computer to access files over a network as if they were stored locally on the computer’s hard drive.

In Windows, NFS support is not included by default. However, there are several ways to access NFS shares on a Windows machine:

1. Install a third-party NFS client. There are several free and paid NFS clients available that allow you to mount NFS shares on a Windows machine.
2. Use the built-in NFS client in Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Enterprise. Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise editions include a built-in NFS client that allows you to mount NFS shares without the need to install third-party software.
3. Use the Services for NFS feature in Windows Server. If you have access to a Windows Server machine, you can use the Services for NFS feature to mount NFS shares on a Windows machine. This feature is available in all versions of Windows Server, including Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2008.

I am not aware of any versions of Windows that include native support for NFS shares without the need to install third-party software or use a Windows Server machine.

Based on the Microsoft article “Services for NFS availability in Windows 8 editions,” an NFS client is available on the following editions of Windows:

• Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate
• Windows 8 Enterprise
• Windows 10 Pro and higher (as previously noted)