[Samba] 'credentials' file doesn't work - also observed by others

[Michael Woodhams]

Background: Linux, Debian (Sarge). I want to auto-mount an smbfs at
boot. smbmount version is 3.0.7-Debian.

With the following in my fstab, I can do the mount as root, but have to
provide a password (hence either I can't boot unattended, or can't mount
it during boot):

//<server>/<share>  /mnt/point smbfs  
user,noauto,username=<user>/<domain>,uid=<user>,gid=<user>   0   0

I can make it automount by providing the password:

//<server>/<share>  /mnt/point smbfs  
user,noauto,username=<user>/<domain>,uid=<user>,gid=<user>,password=<password>   0   0

but this is insecure. I tried using credentials:

//<server>/<share>  /mnt/point smbfs  
user,noauto,username=<user>/<domain>,uid=<user>,gid=<user>,credentials=/etc/smbpassword   0   0

where /etc/smbpassword contains

username=<user>/<domain>
password=<password>

but I get an error:
1741: session setup failed: ERRDOS - ERRnoaccess (Access denied.)
SMB connection failed

(I think '1741' is a PID - it changes each time.) 

To forstall some suggestions:

* There are no non-alphanumeric charaters in <user>, <domain>,
<password> etc.
* There is a newline at the end of /etc/smbpassword
* I've tried from the command line using 'smbmount', with the same
results - works with "password=" but not with "credentials="
* I've tried giving the credentials file liberal permissions (666)
* The password in the credentials file is correct - I've cut-and-pasted
it to command line and had it work
* I've tried (from command line) without the extra options like 'user'
and 'noauto'.
* Yes, I've googled - I found several others with the same problem, but
no solution. 
http://lists.samba.org/archive/samba/2003-November/002040.html
http://archives.mandrakelinux.com/cooker/2004-01/msg00114.php

Michael W.