[Samba] Another try: apps can't see data files until use of Win. Expl.

[Holger Krull]

> Well, the programs that start automatically and use the data files on the 
> share are not in the Startup folder.  So they're started via the 
> registry, but are run on a user-specific basis.

Are you on Windows XP? How do you start something before a user is logged in by registry?

>  Does this mean that they 
> are all neccessarily services?

No, but they should be installed as such if you want them to run without a user logged in.

> By drive letter.  I have WinXP automatically reconnect the share to N: on 
> user login.  The applications, which, as noted above, are users-specific, 
> then attempt to access data in subdirectories beneath N:\CommonData\.

Yes, Windows reconnects after user login. More specific the explorer process does. And that is not reliable. The explorer does not guarantee you the reconnect. Do an explicit net use in a startup script. Give a net use /delete before to be sure.


> and the share is reconnected to N: automatically.  nancy also has Mozilla 
> running as a service (Quick Start), and that is also started at login.  

> N:\CommonData\Mozilla\bookmarks.html.  After the WinXP login is complete 
> (no hourglass cursor) nancy opens Mozilla to find that none of her 
> bookmarks are present, yet shared drive N: is shown in Windows Explorer 
> and no complaints about failure to connect the share are seen.  After 
> browing N:\CommonData with Windows Explorer the bookmarks are available 
> in Mozilla.

No surprise here. Mozilla is faster than explorer startup. 

If you want to access a mounted drive letter, have a Programm mount it, don't rely on explorer to reconnect. Explorer only makes sure the drive is mounted if you click on it. 
But all that is not really a samba problem.