PUPPY SAMBA as a File Server to Windows PCs on a small LAN

Using applications, configuring, problems
Message
Author
User avatar
BarryK
Puppy Master
Posts: 9392
Joined: Mon 09 May 2005, 09:23
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

#21 Post by BarryK »

BarryK wrote:I seem to recall there was a little GTK GUI app to edit smb.conf, for setting up a server, but I don't recall it's name.
Now I recall, two of them. There is a GTK1 app called 'Gtksamba', and a GTK2 app called 'gadmin-samba".
[url]https://bkhome.org/news/[/url]

gcmartin

PUPPY SAMBA as a File Server to Windows PCs on a small LAN

#22 Post by gcmartin »

That makes 4 to choose from for use in setting up to manage a SAMBA site
Browser Based
  • Webmin
  • SWAT
X based
  • Gtksamba
  • gadmin-samba
Anyone of them that allows configuring to share a folder from Puppy with the LAN community is a great tool. Choose wisely.
P.S. Like CUPS, SWAT is also "lock-step" with SAMBA. development.

User avatar
efiguy
Posts: 164
Joined: Thu 07 Sep 2006, 02:51

PUPPY SAMBA as a File Server to Windows PCs on a small LAN

#23 Post by efiguy »

Hi,
Within the last few days, have found many descriptions of Samba problems/solutions with Vista, Win 7, both the Home, n' Pro, and Mac.

Collected some of the better posts into a small link file. I hope it helps.

Keep up the Good work!

Edit: 08-07
- Two recent links Referencing Samba:

Connecting Puppy to a Windows Shared Printer
(BK - listing a Server pet download)
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=57553


TXZ_pup 4.5 ~~ a fork build
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... &start=165
Pgs 11-12


Jay
Attachments
SambaHelpers.ZIP
Problems and Solutions
(2.39 KiB) Downloaded 284 times

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

Help / advise needed with installation

#24 Post by laszlok53 »

I see that the thread is about 2 years old, wonder if I can get someone to answer a few questions.

I'm not completely new to Puppy, I use it mainly for system recovery in M$-Windows context an also as a base for RDP connection to remote locations.
But now I'm facing a problem that I'd like solve with the help of Linux, hopefully with Puppy.

I have at customer a Windows 2000 server as a PDC, which is singing the last verses, having more and more problems to keep it alive. I can't move it over to newer hardware, since they do not work with the old system, and will not move over to a newer server from M$, since Windows 2003 -2008 -2011 are unnecessarily complex to the task.
So the idea was to pull up a Linux system with Samba and let it take over the role for login to the DOMAIN, eventually for some file server role as well. (not really necessary, but could be useful).

My problem:
I tried with Ubuntu 12.04, followed diverse instructions in several "how to:s" but always ending up with some error message. Experimenting to come over those always result to crashing the whole system -> new installation -> new error messages. Hours are just running away without getting anywhere.

My humble request:
Is there anybody here at the Puppy Forum to help me, someone I can ask about help when I get stranded?

My basic question: is it possible to set up a system I described above - AT ALL???

Thx in advance

/ Laszlo

(And please, be tolerant to my English, it's not my mother-tongue)

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#25 Post by rcrsn51 »

Gcmartin is the resident Samba expert and I'm sure that he will eventually reply. But here are some general observations.

1. Many Puppies, like Slacko, now support full Samba as an add-on package.

2. But if you look at their default smb.conf files, you will see that they are configured for simple peer-to-peer file sharing across a home network. Obviously, you are looking for much more.

3. There is a good tutorial here.

4. As a general rule, before you can add a Samba user to a server, s/he must already exist as a Linux user. But the majority of Puppies are single-user only. They may not have the infrastructure needed for your situation.

5. Ubuntu would definitely be a better platform for your task. But if you can't get a Samba PDC running there, I can't see how Puppy would be more successful.

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

#26 Post by laszlok53 »

Thank you for the prompt reply!

Maybe some comments to it can shed some more light over my probelems:
rcrsn51 wrote:Gcmartin is the resident Samba expert and I'm sure that he will eventually reply. But here are some general observations.
I hope he turns up, or I can find a way to contact him! I did read some of his comments here, and he surely could be the right person to instruct me.
1. Many Puppies, like Slacko, now support full Samba as an add-on package.
Would you please enlighten me about the differences between the "full" and the .pet based one I can download here? I don't have a clue what that means.
2. But if you look at their default smb.conf files, you will see that they are configured for simple peer-to-peer file sharing across a home network. Obviously, you are looking for much more.
Exactly.
3. There is a good tutorial here.

4. As a general rule, before you can add a Samba user to a server, s/he must already exist as a Linux user. But the majority of Puppies are single-user only. They may not have the infrastructure needed for your situation.
I see. Can't I than just use the useradd command to create a unix user?
5. Ubuntu would definitely be a better platform for your task. But if you can't get a Samba PDC running there, I can't see how Puppy would be more successful.
I tried, and still trying. Yesterday I've got as long as I fell at some right-problem, needed to be "root" - but I can't be that in Ubuntu. I experimented till the whole system got garbled, had to reinstall it.
With Puppy I like that I have the rights to everything.

Again, thank you for replying, and if you have more ideas, useful advices, please, help me with them, they are very much appreciated!

/ Laszlo

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#27 Post by rcrsn51 »

laszlok53 wrote:Would you please enlighten me about the differences between the "full" and the .pet based one I can download here? I don't have a clue what that means.
If you look in the Slacko repo, you will see a Samba PET. It is a complete build of the latest Samba. There are also cut-down packages around that are fine for home use, but don't apply to your situation. Which PET are you talking about?
I see. Can't I than just use the useradd command to create a unix user?
Probably. But it may not behave like you would expect in a genuine multi-user Linux.

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

#28 Post by laszlok53 »

Thank you, I'll try to experiment a little with this Slacko repo you mention here to see how long I get with that. I also gave atry to Ubuntu 12.04 again, followed the instructions I found, got as long as a workstation is seeing the PDC but can not create an account, claiming that the user is not allowed to create a machine account.
On the Ubuntu side I can't give the privilege of SeMachineAccountPrivilege, it gives an error NT_STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED

And there I'm stranded.

Thanks anyway, I might be back with more questions. If anyone has any tips to help me, it would be much appreciated!

/ Laszlo

rcrsn51 wrote:
laszlok53 wrote:Would you please enlighten me about the differences between the "full" and the .pet based one I can download here? I don't have a clue what that means.
If you look in the Slacko repo, you will see a Samba PET. It is a complete build of the latest Samba. There are also cut-down packages around that are fine for home use, but don't apply to your situation. Which PET are you talking about?
I see. Can't I than just use the useradd command to create a unix user?
Probably. But it may not behave like you would expect in a genuine multi-user Linux.

gcmartin

Assisting @Lazlok53 to get a running File-folder subsystem

#29 Post by gcmartin »

laszlok53 wrote:Thank you, I'll try to experiment a little .. Laszlo
Hi @Laszio.

I am trying to follow where you are with the sharing issues you are having.

So, if you don't mind my helping you, let's see if this can help...

FATSLACKO i s a complete OOTB distro that is set to "completely couple your PC on the LAN" so that most (all) of your other LAN users can "see" and access the folder you share FROM FATSlacko.

For what I offer, there is NO INSTALLATION OF ANY SOFTWARE! Just download the FATSlacko ISO and burn a CD/DVD.

One you have the CD/DVD, your ONLY requirement is to do the following:
  1. Before starting, on your Windows PC find its "workgroup name". You need this for using the Puppy I am recommending.
  2. Boot the FATSlacko ISO and insure you select a hostname you can remember on its very first screen.
  3. After the desktop restarts, go to Menu>Network>Samba Simple Server where it will open a Window for simple sharing setup for you.
  4. Fill in the form it provides, do this
    • make sure the Workgroup Name matches what you got from your Windows PC (if it doesnt, change it to what Windows is using"
    • Make sure that the folder is a existing folder on YOUR system (click the fodler icon to insure it opens to that foldername showing
    • Click the checkbox for Max Protocol...
  5. Click Apply and your PC immediately shares on your LAN for other users use.
Now, go back to your Windows PC,open its Network icon and under Microsoft sharing you will see your the FATSlacko PC and the folder it is sharing you will see. When you click on it in Windows, you may get a box to open asking you for the username (root) and password (woofwoof); So entering root and woofwoof appropriately will allow you to see the folder and anything you put in the folder on your Windows PC.

You can see the same from every other PC on your LAN, too.

It doesn't get any easier than this. .... hopefully.

If this works, post back here and we'll assist you with other PUPs you may want to use.

But, understand, FATSlacko's author 01Micko made this so very easy for all of us.

Here to help

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

#30 Post by laszlok53 »

Hi Martin

If I don't mind you helping me? Hahaha... :-)
You see I spent the whole weekend on to find a solution to this problem - and still don't even know which way to begin to go on.

Let me describe it from the beginning:
A customer of mine has a domain based system, about 30 workstations, 40-45 people using them (not simultaneously of course), one server out of the domain, that only runs an SQL Server for one application - nothing els.

The domain server, the PDC - Windows 2000 Server - is over 9 years old now, having more and more issues. It has to be replaced before it dies, the customer whole activity is depending on that it has to work, 14 hours a day.

Option 1:
Changing the the HW of the Windows 2000.
Unfortunately, W2K does not work with newer hardware, can't handle the keyboard and the mouse through the USB. I tried it on a few different hardware - no success.
Option 2:
Go over to Windows 2003 - 2008 - 2011.
No good solution, besides the costs, full with completely unnecessary functions, not used but a source of problems. The PDC today does only the login and some file server functions.
Option 3:
Replace the PDC with a Linux unit, with Samba that plays the PDC:s login role and some file residing.

I would like to go for option 3.
I rtied with ubuntu 12.04, installed Samba, made the modifications on the smb.conf as suggested - but when I try to give my administrator account the privilege to create machine ID:s, it says: NT_STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED. And there I don't know how to carry on.

On an other thread I begun to experiment a little with Pupyy as well, since I like the basic idea of it, and it's simplicity. Would really love to use a Puppy distro to solve my problem.

While I'm typing, I'm downloading the FATSLACKO you recommended, and will try if it can do the job for me, since I not only need a fileserver, but a login server to a domain, aka a Primary Domain Controller.
So before I begin to experiment with the FATSLACKO, I'd like to get your opinion: can it be configured so, that even the PDC function of Samba could be implemented?

Grateful for your kind support

/ Laszlo

User avatar
pemasu
Posts: 5474
Joined: Wed 08 Jul 2009, 12:26
Location: Finland

#31 Post by pemasu »

Sorry about input. I used years ago in NT4 and NT 2000 time sme server as file server and as email server. It was easy to configure, using its browser based management system. The server has no X. I configured it using Putty - ssh connection when I had to do commandline stuff which the browser manager didnt handle. As a server it was good. I wouldnt use it for client tasks, lol...like you use Puppy...but as server it was reliable. And it has PDC - advanced samba properties included.

http://wiki.contribs.org/Main_Page

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

#32 Post by laszlok53 »

pemasu wrote:Sorry about input. I used years ago in NT4 and NT 2000 time sme server as file server and as email server. It was easy to configure, using its browser based management system. The server has no X. I configured it using Putty - ssh connection when I had to do commandline stuff which the browser manager didnt handle. As a server it was good. I wouldnt use it for client tasks, lol...like you use Puppy...but as server it was reliable. And it has PDC - advanced samba properties included.

http://wiki.contribs.org/Main_Page
Please don't be sorry, I am grateful for every tips and ideas, and I really find yours interesting, downloaded the SME server and will have a look at it.
Must mention that I'm not a big fan of Red Hat, never learned it to use. But it's never too late to learn, I'm only 59 years old...:-)

In the meantime, I've got the Ubuntu 12.04 to act as a PDC, but still having trouble with understanding the smb.conf. And the whole Ubuntu is unnecessarily complex, rather would like to achieve the same with Puppy.

Hoping Martin gives me a hand.

Thanks

/ Laszlo

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#33 Post by rcrsn51 »

laszlok53 wrote:In the meantime, I've got the Ubuntu 12.04 to act as a PDC, but still having trouble with understanding the smb.conf. And the whole Ubuntu is unnecessarily complex, rather would like to achieve the same with Puppy.
What happens if you take the smb.conf out of Ubuntu and drop it into FatSlacko?

gcmartin

#34 Post by gcmartin »

Having done about 100 Windows server in my life, I understand the task you are facing.

Without getting into the nitty-gritty (which, by the way, is VERY important) i have to ask you couple of questions. Please understand that I am not trying to put you on the spot, but, just trying to help.

Umm...where to start in helping you....ummm?

OK. Let's tart with FATSLACKO or LightHouse64 Mariner. This can probably be used for what you want to do, but, right now, there is no existing model that has been developed within the community to do even a "SIMPLE PDC". What I consider a simple PDC is setup such that the server provides authoritative login support of all users and has some minor policy management fo what they can/cant see.

Now that that has been said, the nitty-gritty starts to come into play. ... or pray.

So,let me start by asking "have you ever done a Windows server midgration before?" Because there are quite a number of things that will need to be understood such that the user community will NOT know that the server was ever touched, much less replaced.

And, is the people you are trying to help running a Terminal Server. Because if they are, SAMBA will do NOTHING (excepting printers) to address that community?

There are more questions, but, this is a start to try to understand what will happen as we try to guide you to roll your sleeves to help the people you are trying to help.

There much much more than the simplistic stuff I have just covered.

Herd to help

gcmartin

#35 Post by gcmartin »

rcrsn51 wrote:What happens if you take the smb.conf out of Ubuntu and drop it into FatSlacko?
What is offered here is valid.

What he is asking, put a little differently is
Were you able to get Ubuntu to serve files and folders as you wanted?
If so, then
  1. copy Ubuntu's smb.conf (/etc/samba/smb.conf) from Ubuntu,
  2. boot FATSlacko and
  3. replace the sbm.conf that you copied from Ubuntu (again /etc/samba/smb.conf in FatSlacko)
  4. open a terminal window and type "testparm"
  5. if you do not see errors then type smbd restart and FATSLacko will share the same stuff that Ubuntu was sharing.
This will ONLY get the system to share. It does NOTHING for users or authentication which will have to be setup separately in FATSlacko.

Even though Ubuntu's version look a little daunting, this smb.conf will work with problem in FATSLacko.

But, to go further, we still need more (many much more) information to be of any real value.

This project is a pioneer effort and its outcome really should be document for home users to authenticate people/persons on their LAN and what they can access.

Here to help.

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

#36 Post by laszlok53 »

Hi Martin,

I can't claim having installed 100 Windows servers, that number would rather stay with about 25 - 30 and Novell NetWareabout the same or a bit less.

Yes, I did already replaced PDCs. with same versions and also with upgrading to newer version. And yes, I did have problems with those cases, not one has gone smoothly, there was always something not doing right. Mainly the trusting between the BDC and the PDC was failing, but also happened that promoting the BDC gone stuck - ruining the whole system, I had to reinstall the PDC from a HD image to get the system back. So yes, I know it is a pain in the @ss to replace a PDC. Yhat is one of the reasons why I'd rather go Linux instead.

In this particular case I have about 40 persons using the system, but 30 of them logs in with the same username/password, so I only have about 10 users I have to migrate. I think it is doable manually.

Yes we use Terminal Servic solutions - but not on the server, deliberately avoided it. We use some Xps and W7s for this, with a brilliant software from Thinstuff. It works flowless.

And yes, you see it correctly, I just need the authorizations function, the file server could be a bonus but not necessary.

I tried FATSLCKO but it did not work at all. I can see the share but can't connect. Tried to find out why, but the only thing I found was that there is no smbusers file anywhere. (Or just I can't find it?). Tried to create an smb user with smbpasswd, but it fails with "no corresponding user found" or something similar.
So I did put it aside for now and carried on with Ubuntu, which seems to work partially. I could even create a machine ID from the workstation - but it creates a new user on the workstation. For example if I had a user on the Xp with the name Bob then it had a directory in Users and documents called bob.domain. Now this system creates a bob.xxxx there xxxx is the name of the ubuntu machine serving as PDC.
Don't know where it comes from, must be somewhere in the Samba, but where?
What more you think I should be careful with?

Now it's 01:00 here in Europe, I give it a sleep for tonight.
I really appreciate your help, and I absolutely don't mind if you talk to me on basic level, I even need it sometimes. It is me asking for help.
As I mentioned English is not my native language, so if I don't seem to be polite enough, please be tolerant with me.

/ Laszlo

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

#37 Post by laszlok53 »

Hi Martin,

I can't claim having installed 100 Windows servers, that number would rather stay with about 25 - 30 and Novell NetWareabout the same or a bit less.

Yes, I did already replaced PDCs. with same versions and also with upgrading to newer version. And yes, I did have problems with those cases, not one has gone smoothly, there was always something not doing right. Mainly the trusting between the BDC and the PDC was failing, but also happened that promoting the BDC gone stuck - ruining the whole system, I had to reinstall the PDC from a HD image to get the system back. So yes, I know it is a pain in the @ss to replace a PDC. Yhat is one of the reasons why I'd rather go Linux instead.

In this particular case I have about 40 persons using the system, but 30 of them logs in with the same username/password, so I only have about 10 users I have to migrate. I think it is doable manually.

Yes we use Terminal Servic solutions - but not on the server, deliberately avoided it. We use some Xps and W7s for this, with a brilliant software from Thinstuff. It works flowless.

And yes, you see it correctly, I just need the authorizations function, the file server could be a bonus but not necessary.

I tried FATSLCKO but it did not work at all. I can see the share but can't connect. Tried to find out why, but the only thing I found was that there is no smbusers file anywhere. (Or just I can't find it?). Tried to create an smb user with smbpasswd, but it fails with "no corresponding user found" or something similar.
So I did put it aside for now and carried on with Ubuntu, which seems to work partially. I could even create a machine ID from the workstation - but it creates a new user on the workstation. For example if I had a user on the Xp with the name Bob then it had a directory in Users and documents called bob.domain. Now this system creates a bob.xxxx there xxxx is the name of the ubuntu machine serving as PDC.
Don't know where it comes from, must be somewhere in the Samba, but where?
What more you think I should be careful with?

Now it's 01:00 here in Europe, I give it a sleep for tonight.
I really appreciate your help, and I absolutely don't mind if you talk to me on basic level, I even need it sometimes. It is me asking for help.
As I mentioned English is not my native language, so if I don't seem to be polite enough, please be tolerant with me.

/ Laszlo

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

#38 Post by laszlok53 »

Sorry for double posting, don't know how I did that.
Moderator, please remove one of them!

/ Laszlo

gcmartin

#39 Post by gcmartin »

It is overlooked in the guide that was Posted for FATSlacko Samba implementation. Sorry about that. That guide was produced to implement FATSlacko as a LAN workstation (same as Windows/Apple PCs). ... NOT as a PDC. SAMBA, though will work as a PDC.

A Puppy FATSlacko PDC guide has not been written, yet, as there are a number of changes that are occurring, in Puppy distros as we speak, which will impact any document at this moment.

This will help you
In LInux + SAMBA, there is a requirement to have a Linux userID AND a SAMBA userID. I make these the same. So do this ( I use the windows ID "administrator" ID as an example)
  1. Create a Linux UserID
  2. Set its password via

    Code: Select all

    passwd administrator
  3. Create a SAMBA user via

    Code: Select all

    smbpasswd -a administrator
  4. Now go to your real Windows PC where the adminsitrator has the same password as you assigned on FATSlacko, open Neighborhood to Midrosoft Net...
Assuming you have FATSlacko and Windows in the same workgroup, access the resources FATSlacko is sharing.

This should address the problem you are seeing.

laszlok53
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed 11 Jul 2012, 10:42

#40 Post by laszlok53 »

I think I found the solution that fits me best
http://www.resara.org

This is a preconfigured Samba server, can act as PDC, well made interface, and it seems to work well. It uses Samba 4, which I know is only Beta, but seem to be very stable. Anyway I'll do not place anything vital on this server yet.

I guess I did not have the guts to do this step fully out without the discussions with you guys, although it is not a Puppy solution.

So I thank you for all the support and the good ideas you provided me!

/ Laszlo

Post Reply