Re: Samba Question

["Bryan J. Smith" <b.j.smith@ieee.org>]

On Fri, 2004-02-20 at 15:21, Tim McDonough wrote:
> Wonder is someone with some Samba experience can give me a little 
> guidance...
> I have three computers here at home:
> 1. Red Hat 8
> 2. Win XP Pro
> 3. Win 98se
> When I'm away from home I can use Linux, Win98, or WinXP machines to 
> ftp files to and from the Linux box and I can use Putty to SSH into 
> the box. When I do this I can see all the files in my Linux 
> directories using the ls command.
> If I use the XP box at home I cannot see files on the Linux box that 
> were created and stored by a Windows machine but I can see the files 
> created on the Linux machine just fine. The Win98 machine sees all the 
> files just fine.

Sounds like different credentials are being used.
Many times you _think_ you are logging in with the same name on both
DOS-based Windows (95, 98, ME) and NT-based Windows (NT, 2000, XP), but
you in fact aren't.  NT/Win has far more stringent requirements on the
_client_ side, and often doesn't work correctly -- even with _native_ NT
servers (especially older Windows versions with newer Windows clients).

Depending on how Samba is configured, the defaults typically allow a
"guest" user to access the system.  So while the user authentication
from DOS/Win works, the user authentication from NT/Win does not, hence
why it probably defaults down to a "guest" user.  You need to hit the
/var/log/samba/* files to verify this.

This is my first instinct -- check if you are _really_ logging in with
the _full_ user credentials.  You'll need to check the Samba logs
_itself_.

> Is this some quirk of WinXP expecting NTFS or do I need a 
> configuration change to Samba on the Linux system.

Nope.  Over the SMB protocol, the underlying server filesystem is 100%
_hidden_ from the client.  SMB only supports certain extensions that are
either supported by _native_ NT servers (NTFS filesystems) or Samba
2.2/3 with POSIX ACLs (Ext3/XFS filesystems), etc...

> If I couldn't see any files at all it would make more sense.

No, it makes perfect sense.  Whatever credentials you are getting do not
see the files.

Another issue could be "concurrency."  If Level 2 Oplocks are being
used, then Kernel Oplocks (level 1 only) are _disabled_.  That means
that any file currency between local or other (e.g., NFS) is _not_
guaranteed, and buffers may _not_ be flushed.  But I doubt this is your
issue.  I've only seen it with servers that have heavy, simultaneous NFS
and Samba access from UNIX and Windows clients.

> The fact that I can only 
> see files created on the Linux machine but not elsewhere seems odd. 

Not at all.  It could also just be a Samba "mode" configuration on the
share, or the global default.  There are a crapload of options you need
to familiarize yourself with.

> All files are in the same Linux directory by the way.

And I've had authentication and/or mode operations do this to me as
well.

Check those Samba logs.  They will tell you _why_ you aren't seeing them
-- be it an authentication, or a file access (mode) permission issue.

> The XP machine is a fairly new addition. The Linux box has been 
> configured and running as is for 8-9 months as has the Win98 machine.
> Thanks for any help or explanations.

Send me your smb.conf off-line.  I may be able to help.

-- Bryan J. Smith
   Contributing Author, "Samba Unleashed"


-- 
Bryan J. Smith, E.I. -- Engineer, Technologist, School Teacher
b.j.smith@ieee.org



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