Can't add users for samba shares

[Shadow Skill]

Ok I wanted to setup file sharing as well as printer sharing on my desktop for the rest of my home network. These machines are running xp prosp1. (one of them may actually be running home but it isn't that different from )Professional. This machine in question is also running that virus collectively known as serice pack 2.) Now when I do system-config-samba [I'm running flux more and more often and haven't made some of the more useful menu entries yet, with the exception of the all powerful Firefox! :D] I need to know how to add users to samba so that my windows machines can print and access files on the network when I am booted into Fedora. But when I go to add users it keeps telling me the user already exists magically no matter what I entre...help meeeeeeee!!!

[Thetargos]

Welcome to the club, I have asked this same question surprised by this, and this seems to be a problem (damn BUGS) with the system-config-samba program. Dowload and isntall SWAT to configure SAMBA, it is NOT as easy to use as system-config-samba, but at least will let you configure your server.

[Shadow Skill]

I tried SMBK4 and can't figure out how to set up share, and yet it allows me to see my printer on a windows machine as Epson but I can't print at all...I even have the properwindows drivers installed on the client windows machines but it doesn't do a damned thing....I'll try swat though, but if you or anyone else knows what to do with smbk4 0.4.1a please let me know because the interface is very clear and I would like to use that one.

[crackers]

SMB4K is for browsing file shares (even though it shows printers as well), not setting up the SAMBA server. You have to use the printer configuration program to set up the printer separately. And I've found, in the past, that SWAT is an excellent tool for setting up the SAMBA server. The help links are invaluable...

[Thetargos]

Indeed, crackers. Not to mention you have ABSOLUTE control over the behavior of Samba. Though I have to admit that system-config-samba is a very nice way to set up samba shares for samba newbies. It's lamentable the state it is at now.

[Shadow Skill]

I only have so much in terms of patientce for things that don't work, but that patientce is even less when it comes to networking...So I would really appreciate a swat how to that actually explains how to ###### start the thing. because localhost:901 nor my actual hostname:901 seem to work. All I get is "connection refused" I even opened the given port on my router.

[jayemef]

First you need to have swat enabled. To do this, edit the /etc/xinetd.d/swat file, changing the last line from disable=yes to disable=no. You will then need to restart the service, so as root, type

/etc/init.d/xinetd.d/swat restart

Swat should now be accessible via localhost:901. You will be prompted for a username and password. Here you will log in as root. Hope that helps...

[Thetargos]

You beat me to it, jaymef!!

[Shadow Skill]

Ok I got in, however I had to reboot entirely /etc/init.d/xinetd.d/swat restart
did not work apparently the file doesn't or applicable directory doesn't exist....Any ideas?

[Shadow Skill]

Should I add users on my Linux machine before I go in and configure samba with swat? Also now I can't view the workgroup computers on my windows machine, the workgroup information is exactly the same and I was able to view it about five minutes ago until I changed a swat setting no I can't see the work group computers under windows...what do I do?

[Thetargos]

Should I add users on my Linux machine before I go in and configure samba with swat? Also now I can't view the workgroup computers on my windows machine, the workgroup information is exactly the same and I was able to view it about five minutes ago until I changed a swat setting no I can't see the work group computers under windows...what do I do?
Ok for the two questions, the first is simple: Theres none. The SWAT service runs inside xinetd, so you only have to restart xinetd with either /etc/init.d/xinetd restart or /sbin/service xinetd restart

The second is easy. You have to restart the smb service for the changes to take effect and you will have to restart Windows (or the session) because (as any smb client) Windows will keep former smb session information in memory, which may conflict with your new settings.

Edit

I must confess, though that when I commited changes using redhat-config-samba (in FC1) smb browsing in Windows wasn't as picky as with SWAT. And also since SWAT lets you configure FAR more features of SAMBA than the boundled configuration tool, I think this may also be the culprit.

[Shadow Skill]

No dice same error message I can't figure it out I got it to work once, then I got it to prompt for authentification now its totally broken.... :(( Iy keeps saying the network path was not found.....

[Thetargos]

Samba more often than not, looks like a cryptic way to share your data over a network (not as transparent as NFS for instance). So I'm sure there's something missing.

[Shadow Skill]

Sigh it just doesn't want to do what I want it to (same is true for xp, as I managed to screw up authentification so that now you have to authenticate to even use the printer. Instead of just having to authenticate to access shared folders.) :( I am going to focus on getting the printer to work at least..time to delete all my shares and try again.

[Thetargos]

I hear ya, I know how frustrating it can be... Good luck!!

[Shadow Skill]

Ok how do I delete EVERY samba configuration file? Its obvious yum does not cleany uninstall everything..It seems like this is the only way im ever going to get this ################### to ######## work. :mad:

[Vinny]

shadow..if you manage to get it working please let me know. i am same as you. trying to get samba configured. now swat.
regards Vinny

[Shadow Skill]

No problem

[GreyGeek]

The docs are pretty good, would writing smb.conf manually and restarting the samba daemon help out?

[Shadow Skill]

tried it before doing swat, and no dice....

[Vinny]

I have managed to gain access from my win xp box to the fedora server. i turned off the firewall and configured nfs??? i guess that it is nfs that allowed me to see the server and files and printer etc. as i then deleted the nfs file and im back to step one. should i have nfs on my server? can anyone advise??
regards Vinny

[crackers]

Windows does not use NFS and doesn't even know what it is.

[Vinny]

crackers thanks. it seems that as soon as the lan protocol updates...eg within a few minutes access to the files are restricted. i have to try and find out what is blocking me from access to the drives...

[gablaxian]

i've just upgraded from FC1, where the network almost set itself up, and i could shift files between linux and windows computers until the cows came home, to FC2. Now files aren't going anywhere...

Which leads me to ask the question, at which point did things go wrong? Is it a kernel thing, or part of the samba update?

I've managed to get my linux box to see the other windows computers on the network, and i can even read files from within a couple. Other give me strange messages like 'Sorry, couldn't display all the contents of "Windows Network: monkey"' (monkey being the name of the computer...). I'm currently trying to get SWAT to deal with the problem of not being able to add users. If i get anywhere, i'll let you all know.