[Samba] Re: Problems with Excel & MS Word files (EVEN - still ANY ideas?)

[Nathan Vidican]

Now (after applying patch from Jeremy), most of the problems with Excel and
user's files being locked have quit. However, we're still getting some files
locked out when a given smbd process hangs, it appears as though the process
itself is tied up in some sort of loop or something and becomes
un-responsive; the client tries to auto-reconnect and does so spawning a new
'duplicate' session to the first. Problem herein is two fold; first, the
smbd process they origionally conencted with is still running, and still
maintains the file locks for the file they are accessing, secondly, the smbd
process maintains 100% cpu time (as the O/S allows anyhow, not lagging the
servers thankfully).

So, we keep running into an issue (usually with Microsoft Excel or Word
documents), wherein the smbd process for a particular user jumps to 100% cpu
utilization and is apparently hung out to dry; the user already has another
duplicate session running, and a simple forceful kill (kill -9 <pid>),
removes the running program and the locked file issue(s) along with it. Any
ideas as to what exactly is causing this, it's giving users the same error
we've been encountering/patching for wherein they are prompted that the file
simply cannot be saved; in some cases Excel will not even allow the user to
save locally (to hardisk) and the (client) system requires a full reboot.

This happens with different users, on different shares, each attached from
varying physical network segments, (100mbit switched network entirely,
tree'd off from the main switch at gigabit ethernet speeds including the
actual connection to the servers). Most branches are connected via fiber
uplinks directly to transceivers connected to the main switch.

Lastly, on a related issue; posting a question about the file locks db,
(posted as new thread for others on the list to be able to gain from the
question/answer(s) as well).

--
Nathan Vidican
nvidican at wmptl.com
Windsor Match Plate & Tool Ltd.
http://www.wmptl.com/