Linux Need help with configuring samba

S

spolygon

Disciple
Hi Guys!
To begin with let me confess that I am a complete linux newbie.

However inspired by superczar's tutorial on setting up a home server
http://www.techenclave.com/guides-and-tutorials/how-build-low-cost-linux-home-102018.html
I decided to try and configure a server for myself.

I downloaded ubuntu 8.10 and it installed fine.
I then upgraded all packages.
I next installed samba from adept. (There were several choices when i searched for samba but i installed the one that said 'samba" :) )
I followed the guide and eventually rewrote the contents of the smb.conf file by the code provided by superczar. I changed the netbios name and made sure the workgroup was set to what my windows XP machines use.
I then restarted samba. Finally i set a fileserver name (identical to the log in name to ubuntu) and a password.
The problem began when i tried to access the NAS box from my windows machines. Whatever I try the windows machines do not see the linux box and vice versa.
I can ping each machine from the other. I can also reach the linux machine if i type in the local ip address of the linux box in 'Run' in xp.
However the computers cannot see each other in 'my network places'.
Furthermore when i try to get to the network on the linux machine i get the follwoing error: unable to mount location. failed to retrieve share list from server. I have googled this and tried several things from the web with no success.
In frustration i went ahead and installed openssh server on the linux machine. Interestingly i can access it them by using putty in the windows machine.

I am running a network off a buffalo wireless router set to DHCP mode ) i use railwire internet and they do not have a pppoe login)

Seeing the fact that the computers can see each other when i type in the ip address, i think that its the samba settings that somehow i have messed up.
Has anything changed in the later versions of ubuntu.

I have spent the last 10 hours trying to get this to work and am about to give up.
So i would really appreciate it if one of you linux gurus could help me out.
Thanks
 
Or you could just right click the folder you wanna share and select the sharing option and enable write permissions for everyone.

This is what i did after having endured my share of troubles with samba configuration.. all i did was install samba and enable sharing by right clicking the folder. worked for me.
 
Thanks guys.

Unfortunately the problem is still not resolved.

Flushed iptables with no luck.

BTW on this webpage [ubuntu] Unable to mount location: Failed to retrieve share list from server - Ubuntu Forums

it was suggested to try the command findsmb from root.

When i do that i do not see any machine (that stuff that is under the dotted line in the output of the guy who had asked the question on the ubuntu forum in the above link).

Also right clicking the folder and setting the permissions is not working as now my windows machine cannot even browse to the linux machine using the run command in XP. I can still ping it though!

Should i remove and reinstall samba. If yes, then how do I do that?

At this point i am close to giving up on the headless server. Now i just want to use the linux machine as a download rig and be able to transfer files back and forth with my windows machine.

Finally I am sure some others have tried superczar's guide with success. Can you please let me know what you did? Did things work just by following the instructions or some additional settings were required?

Could someone please post the smb.conf files they are using.

Thanks again.
 
can you also install the "samba-client" and "system-config-samba" packages? that should provide a GUI applet in the system->administration menu...

also in the places menu you can connect to windows shares (after installing samba-client)...
 
Thank you Prakashan, Stalker and Vishalrao,

I Installed the client and right clicked and shared the folders on my Linux machine.

Now the XP machine can see the folder!

I hope it stays this way and things do not revert back to the earlier nonworking state after a reboot!

I also tried to connect to windows shares after installing the client. I am not sure if I did this correctly as I was unsure on what to enter in some of the dialogue boxes.

Anyway I am glad that at least I can share files from the Linux machine with my xp machine.

I will now educate myself more about Linux before attempting the full fledged server.

Thanks all again.
 
To connect from Linux to Windows share, just provide minimal info... I think 4 items: hostname, share name, username and workgroup (or domain) should suffice... even I found the entry boxes confusing and got it working by trial and error mostly :D
 
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