How do I share folders? - Solved

[sqlpython]

One for the wiki? A digested read?

Yes, Really...
This isn't a problem anymore. Paul's situation has become a challenge.
I would like to see his SAMBA network fully functional. I can never really remember a SAMBA situation so stubborn.
Of course, the problem with working like this (on forum) is that I don't have complete access to Paul's machine. In most situations that is fine but apparently I am missing some info here.

@Paul
My next thought is that some how the SAMBA user paul is either corrupted Or the Samba password is corrupted.
So add paul again (as root user) without deleting the user with a New Password.

Code: Select all

su
smbpasswd -a paul
smbpasswd -e paul

Restart samba Or ReBoot

If changing the smb password doesn't help then you can Delete samba user paul with..

Code: Select all

su
smbpasswd -x paul

and then add him entirely name and password.

Code: Select all

su
 smbpasswd -a paul
smbpasswd -e paul

Restart samba Or ReBoot

The last step I would perform if this was my machine would be to run a Debug and hit the log files.

Code: Select all

su
smbpasswd -D 8

However I don't think that you want to do that nor do I when in this Remote status.

Well try all but the Debug and see if resetting the user Paul and or his samba password is of some help.

[paul]

Hello sqlpython, well here are some points to ponder.
Found that on boot Salix complained: Hostap driver initialization failed
And thought that may be it.
Tried again:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
paul[~]$ smbclient "\\\localhost\Downloads" -U paul
Enter paul's password:
Domain=[MSHOME] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.6.8]
tree connect failed: NT_STATUS_BAD_NETWORK_NAME
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you can see, same result.
Then decided to try something totally different by going a directory down:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
paul[~]$ smbclient "\\\localhost\paul" -U paul
Enter paul's password:
Domain=[MSHOME] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.6.8]
smb: \>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And hey presto.
From that prompt on, the ls command works fine and shows the whole /home/paul/ directory, as expected, but I guess not quite as desired, as one should not be able to get into a user's home directory from another computer in the network.
I have no idea as to how that actually happened, but then I typed in a lot of stuff to get network access going.
Any comment or suggestions?
Thanks, Paul.

[sqlpython]

Good News, Mr Holmes!

So, All has been correct for a while in the Samba Network.
The problem was not with your Samba server/config setup but with the Shared Dir itself.
The shared Directory which you posted from the very first post of /home/paul/Downloads was never set to share correctly or at least apparently not, based on your recent success/evidence.
While you and the rest of us assumed incorrectly that /home/paul/Downloads was correctly shared, it was not.

What we have is a correctly shared /home/paul dir. The dir /home/paul/Downloads is not correctly shared. The error would have to be in the permissions of the Directory itself Or the smb.conf. I didn't notice any in the smb.conf but I will examine it again. Meanwhile attempt to open all permissions in the Downloads directory chmod 777.. You can do it easily from a File Manager. Right click on the Directory and choose Properties. Next make certain that Owner/Group is Paul. Make certain to have all Owner/Group/Others permissions set to Read/Write JUST For This Test. Then try to enter the directory as the samba user again. If this works then set Group and Others back to Read Only. If this doesn't work we must look more closely at the SAMBA config (smb.conf) ..

[sqlpython]

Ok
I looked back at your smb.conf
Make your shares look like this in the smb.conf
... eliminate the line in your share that reads
read only = no
Do This....

[homes]
comment = Home Directories
browseable = yes
valid users = paul
writable = no

[Downloads]
path = /home/paul/Downloads
create mask = 775
browseable = yes
writable = yes
valid users = paul

[paul]

Hello sqlpython, thanks for that, gave it a try.And of course after that change I was unable to access anything on this machine from any other network machine. Put the old smb.conf. back, same difference. Thought that samba may have knocked off my password and re-entered that and had myself set as user, as per previous instructions and we were working again.
Tried the changes you gave again and this time made sure I entered my password and entered myself as user and it all works fine now; this is the result:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
paul[~]$ smbclient "\\\localhost\Downloads" -U paul
Enter paul's password:
Domain=[MSHOME] OS=[Unix] Server=[Samba 3.6.8]
smb: \> ls
. D 0 Wed Feb 20 19:39:25 2013
.. D 0 Wed Feb 20 19:55:49 2013
Thunar Shares 133 Thu Feb 14 12:57:19 2013
Network Queries 3480 Thu Feb 14 19:26:40 2013
Network Issues 2.txt 1572 Fri Feb 15 12:53:13 2013
smb.conf.lst A 1307 Wed Feb 20 17:15:45 2013
smb.conf A 1277 Tue Feb 12 17:09:12 2013
Database.kdb A 185500 Mon Feb 18 12:42:28 2013

34349 blocks of size 262144. 10005 blocks available
smb: \>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So it looks like we have succeeded.
I think I might try do do some reading on Samba and the the other Linux commands;
the stuff I know of Dos and Windows (and erm..... even CP/M) was not terribly helpful.
But there is no better way to learn than hands-on with guidance, and I am extremely
grateful for your help. Shall we declare this one solved? Paul.

[Akuna]

Shall we declare this one solved? Paul.

You can do that by editing the title of you first post

[sqlpython]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So it looks like we have succeeded.

Indeed we have
Apparently, a corruption in the original attempt. No matter, success is yours and the method was Correct.
I will probably take mimosa's suggestion and Wiki the How To.

I think I might try do do some reading on Samba and the the other Linux commands;
the stuff I know of Dos and Windows (and erm..... even CP/M) was not terribly helpful.
But there is no better way to learn than hands-on with guidance, and I am extremely
grateful for your help. Shall we declare this one solved? Paul.

Yes, go to the SAMBA site and read the tutorial.
Ahh, a CP/M man from the past, myself also in the early mid 80's.
Just keep what you have gleaned from this thread and add to it.

BTW
Getting your Particular FileManager to share the Folder politely may be a whole other "Kettle of Fish".
Although, I did note some number of post's back you did attempt to sync the file-shares-plugin.
Perhaps that was sufficient to allow your Thunar to share via the Menu GO >> Network choice

@Akuna
Can we label this Epic or simply Over Worked

[mimosa]

I will probably take mimosa's suggestion and Wiki the How To.

[paul]

Hello sqlpython, I think if this post was formatted and my silly mistakes edited out, it would make a very good instruction set on how to set up and manage Windows Shares in Samba (How about a title like: "Samba for people with two left legs"), so having it available in a Wiki would be an excellent idea.

[Akuna]

having it available in a Wiki would be an excellent idea.

+1