[Samba] Problem with old version of Samba - 2.2.7a

[Rowland Penny]

On 04/10/15 12:20, Frank Millman wrote:
> Hi all
>
> This is a question about a very old version of Samba - 2.2.7a. Hope 
> that is ok.
>
> I have an old machine running Redhat 9, which ships with 2.2.7a. I 
> have some old software that needs RH9, but I want to move it to a 
> newer machine, so I am trying to reinstall RH9 on a new hdd, and set 
> up Samba at the same time.
>
> I still have the old machine, and Samba is working, but I cannot get 
> it working on the new one. I only want to map home directories. I 
> tried to set up a new home directory on the old machine, and that 
> would not work either. I have just spent hours trying to spot the 
> difference between the old, working, home directory, and the new, 
> non-working one. I have just spotted it, and whoever set up the 
> original machine obviously had the same problem, but then found a 
> 'cheat' solution.
>
> The problem is that , whatever I try, if a Windows machine tries to 
> connect, I get 'smb_pam_auth' failed. The trick that was used to get 
> around this was to edit /etc/passwd and remove the 'x' in the second 
> parameter from the user's entry, which means that the user can log in 
> on the Unix side without a password. There is an smb password, and the 
> Windows client has to supply this password, but it can then see the 
> home directory without a problem.
>
> I can use the same trick on the new machine - it is not exposed to the 
> internet, so it is not a security risk. However, I would much prefer 
> to understand the problem and fix it properly.
>
> The only changes I have made to smb.conf are to change the workgroup 
> name and the server string, and to uncomment the line that enables 
> mapping of Unix user names to SMB user names. Both client and server 
> use encrypted passwords. Security mode is 'user'.
>
> The workstation is running Windows7, but I am pretty sure I had the 
> same problem with Windows XP and Server 2003.
>
> Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
>
> Frank Millman
>
>
>

Just what software is it that forces the use of a 12 year old distro and 
using a long dead version of Samba?

Can you not find something a bit newer to do the same thing?

The problem is that whilst you may be able to make it work now, 
microsoft may come along and change windows so that it doesn't. You will 
probably be better off trying to find newer software.

Rowland