[Samba] Excel - share Access Denied after opening file

[leonardo616]

I have a strange problem with Excel + Word from an XP Pro (SP2) PC to a 
Linux Samba share (HOME).

If I 
1 - open Excel,
2 - then open a file on my Samba share HOME,
3 - any subsequent attempts to save or open a file on the HOME share                      
immediately result in an 'Access Denied' windows error message 
as soon as I select the root of the HOME share!

The same thing happens if I open a file from anywhere else 1st.

I am just using Workgroups - no Domains.
The same thing happens if I have Windows simple file sharing enabled or 
disabled.

I have tried amending various Samba options (using SWAT).
e.g. 'nt acl support', locking, dos filemode/filetimes.

There are no error messages in my samba logs or Windows Firewall.

All Windows Explorer activities work OK.


I have one other Samba server running on my network - a Linksys NSLU2.
I can successfully access shares on this device when I am denied access 
on my HOME share.


Does anyone have any idea what causes this - or how to fix it?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-


SMB.CONF - Samba version 3.0.3-5 - Fedora Core 2
========

[global]
        workgroup = DATAHOME
        netbios name = DMZ
        server string = DMZ Samba Server
        password server = None
        passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
        username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
        unix password sync = Yes
        log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
        max log size = 50
        socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
        os level = 33
        preferred master = No
        local master = No
        domain master = No
        dns proxy = No
        ldap ssl = no
        remote announce = 192.168.200.255/DATAHOME
        printer admin = miket
        nt acl support = No
        strict locking = No
        dos filemode = Yes
        dos filetimes = Yes

[homes]
        comment = Home Directories
        valid users = %S
        read only = No
        browseable = No

[printers]
        comment = All Printers
        path = /var/spool/samba
        printable = Yes
        browseable = No

[HOME]
        path = /home
        read only = No
        create mask = 0774
        force create mode = 0774
        force security mode = 0777
        directory mask = 0775
        force directory mode = 0775
        force directory security mode = 0777
        inherit permissions = Yes
        fstype = Samba
~