Windows 95 logon problems - HELP!

[Rob Naccarato]

Hello all,

We seems to have a bit of a problem with Windows 95 machines logging
on to our network.  I hope someone can shed some light on this.

Current configuration:

2 servers.  Once handles authentication and application serving while
the other provides home directory services only.  We have about 150
Windows 95 clients.
The two servers are DEC Alpha 2100A and DEC Alpha 2000.  Both are
configured with 640 MB of memory, lots of paging space and Samba
1.9.17p3.

At certain points during the day, the clients simply don't allow the
users to log on.  Error messages include: 
	- "You have not logged in before..." - didn't get our registry stuff
	- Windows goes back to the logon screen
	- "The network could not validate..."
	- Windows presents the "local" Windows logon after asking for a
	network logon

The servers are *not* busy in terms of disc i/o, cpu or virtual
memory.

So, I ran through the DIAGNOSIS.txt document and got stumped at
test number 6 (nmblookup -d 2 '*').  On the home directory server, I
get a list of a number of clients.  On the Authentication/apps server,
I get nothing.

Could this be related to my logon problem?

This morning, in fact, myself and the network admin got together and
reconfigured the networking on the apps server to the same as the
home dir server.  I still get the same result.  So, now I'm suspecting
that the problem lies with Samba.

Unfortunately, I cannot reproduce the problem at will.  It simply comes
and goes throughout the day.  Yes, that's right.  Users can't logon for
a number of minutes, say 10 -30, and then it starts working again.  Bizarre.

Anyone out there with a suggestion or two?

Thanks in advance.

-- 
Rob Naccarato           "I know I'm a lot of feathers,
Sys Admin               but not much chicken."
Sheridan College                         -KM
Oakville, Ont. Canada