[Samba] Disapearing Drives: Urgent help needed

Thu Feb 22 13:05:37 GMT 2007

I need help on this urgently.  Does anyone have any ideas?  Is mine the
only place that is experiencing this problem?  The suits are making
noises about getting a windows server in here, I don't want to see that
happen, but I don't know how to fix this very serious Samba problem.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ok, Unfortunately, this doesn't work.  I've tried all manner of
optimizing WINS settings on the file-server as well as on the clients,
this problem seems to be getting worse and I feel like I'm just plugging
leaks in the dike with my fingers!  When the drive disappears, the samba
logs show no errors or even connection attempts, and here's what shows
up on a tcpdump:

12:26:41.025409 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 3364121045:3364121171(126) ack
1939213 win 64417 NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.025949 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 1:40(39) ack 126 win 18194 NBT Session
Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.026751 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 126:252(126) ack 40 win 64378
NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.026863 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 40:79(39) ack 252 win 18194 NBT Session
Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.034295 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 252:378(126) ack 79 win 64339
NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.034388 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 79:118(39) ack 378 win 18194 NBT Session
Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.044727 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 378:504(126) ack 118 win 64300
NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.044816 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 118:157(39) ack 504 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.045349 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 504:630(126) ack 157 win 64261
NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.045449 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 157:196(39) ack 630 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.054110 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 630:756(126) ack 196 win 64222
NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.054372 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 196:235(39) ack 756 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.055076 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 756:882(126) ack 235 win 64183
NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.055192 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 235:274(39) ack 882 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.065061 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 882:1008(126) ack 274 win
64144 NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.065170 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 274:313(39) ack 1008 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.065785 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 1008:1134(126) ack 313 win
64105 NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.065891 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 313:352(39) ack 1134 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.074449 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 1134:1260(126) ack 352 win
65535 NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.074556 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 352:391(39) ack 1260 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.075035 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 1260:1386(126) ack 391 win
65496 NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.075143 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 391:430(39) ack 1386 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.084052 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 1386:1512(126) ack 430 win
65457 NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.084150 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 430:469(39) ack 1512 win 18194 NBT
Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.084737 IP tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046 >
tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn: P 1512:1638(126) ack 469 win
65418 NBT Session Packet: Session Message
12:26:41.084835 IP tmcsamba1.millburncorp.com.netbios-ssn >
tmc152.millburncorp.com.3046: P 469:508(39) ack

Ron Garcia-Vidal wrote:
> Wow, I can only be sure by playing the waiting game, but the WINS server 
> parameter was pointing to a machine that I'd retired long ago!  This 
> could very well be the culprit!  Thank you so much for the tip.  I'll 
> post back if this problem disappears for a few days.
> 
> 
> Josh Miller wrote:
>> When this issue occurs, what is the output from smbclient on the Samba 
>> server?
>>
>> # smbclient -L localhost
>>
>> Also, I have had this problem in the past (long ago) and it turned out 
>> to be an issue with WINS not being setup properly.  Please post the 
>> output to the following command or verify your WINS settings:
>>
>> testparm -v | grep -i wins
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Josh, RHCE
>>
>> Ron Garcia-Vidal wrote:
>>> Seriously, I realize the below post doesn't have all the necessary 
>>> info to diagnose the problem, but I'm not even sure where to look for 
>>> more info.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>>>
>>> =====================================
>>>
>>> I have been having a problem with my Samba server for about a month now
>>> and need help.  I am having users mysteriously losing access to drives
>>> during the day.  The drive will un-map itself and any further attempt to
>>> access it through wither Windows Explorer or just typing the UNC in the
>>> "Run" window will result in a "Drive or path not accessible" error.  On
>>> the samba side, nothing shows up in the logs on subsequent connections,
>>> so I'm unsure how to diagnose what the problem is.  Attempts to access
>>> the share from another machine as the same user are successful.
>>>
>>> The fix for this seems to be, either reboot the client (less preferable
>>> because the user gets upset) or restart the smbd on the server.  Either
>>> way, subsequent share access is restored.  Unfortunately, this problem
>>> is reoccurring several times a day and I find myself restarting samba
>>> about 4-5 times daily.  This has reached a crisis point, so any help
>>> would be appreciated.
>>>
>>> In terns of samba version, this problem first appeared when I upgraded
>>> to samba_3.0.23d-2+b1 (on Debian Testing).  Subsequently, I rolled back
>>> to samba_3.0.23c-1, but the problem still persisted.  I have since
>>> upgraded to samba_3.0.23d-4, and am still having this problem.  
>>> Please help!
>>>
>>