[Samba] XP Home Edition - Cygwin - Samba

[joebaker]

Hello,

I'm really enjoying backing up Windows workstations
from my Linux box using smbmount to mount a password
protected share of the c drive from each of them then
I use a tool called rdiff-backup to keep changes of
all the files in specified folders.

I've run into a problem sharing the C drive with a password
on a small number of workstations that run Windows XP
Home Edition.

Here's the suggestion...

It would be cool if the Microsoft File and Printer sharing
service could be removed from the networking protocols
of XP Home edition and replaced with a Samba File and
Printer Sharing Protocol.  Novell has experience with doing
this sort of thing inside Windows.

As it is, the upgrade from Windows XP Home to the Professional
version could cost in excess of $200.

I've often thought of doing this to an old Windows 98 box
that used to be used as a file server (cough).

Well, there's the idea.  I'll look forward to hearing whether
this is a doable thing.  Particularly whether this deep of
linking into the Windows API would violate any licensing
issues.

Joe Baker
Network Administrator
NEL Frequency Controls, Inc.