[Samba] The way things used to work...

[Dragan Lukic]

Hello all,

As I was instructed on #samba IRC channel, I will start new discussion here, 
about samba and a way it works.

I might call myself an experienced Linux user, and self thought admin, so 
things in Linux are not so new to me, but lacking proper (certified) 
education, I still tend to roam around issues with trial&error method.

Regarding samba, it is translated in my attempt to make things go my way, 
rather than (someone might call it) right way.

Since I work as sysadmin, surrounded with mostly computer illiterate users, my 
primary goal is to make things effortless to them... (brainless is better 
word...), and since it is mixed environment (windows&linux), and of course all 
they ever saw before is windows.... you can understand a nature of limitations 
that are in front of me.

It took me some time (again trial and error) to compile set of rules for 
smb.conf that makes things exactly as I want. Efficient and nice.
This smb.conf is working for me for more than a year now, and is still working 
at workplace, but I hit a brick wall trying to use it at home.

At work, idea is like so:
Linux user has it's home dir
inside there is Documents dir
inside that I will make shared dir
it will be published via Samba
it will available for read and write to all
this includes local user via Samba and via local access
for ownership issues, all files will be forced to create under local user and 
group mask
not to forget, it is only workgroup, not domain or any other level of network 
organisation

All these rules are matched with following smb.conf (real entries will be 
changed with foo/bar)

[global]                                                    
    workgroup = FOO
    server string = FOO Server
    security = share
    hosts allow = 192.168.125. 127.0.
    log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
    max log size = 50
    local master = no
    os level = 33
    dns proxy = no

# ==================== Share Definitions ===================
[Share]
    path = /home/foobar/Documents/Share/
    public = yes
    force user = foobar
    force group = foobar
    create mask = 0755
    force create mode = 0755
    directory mask = 0755
    force directory mode = 0755
    writable = yes
    printable = no

Of course directory /home/foobar/Documents/Share/ exists, and is set up with 
755 for user foobar and group foobar (as well as all inside contents).

Doing so, whoever puts something inside this dir via samba, creates that 
file/folder with foobar:foobar ownership and 755 set of permissions. Which is 
exactly what I wanted. Of course, no username&password dialogue is needed, so 
my main goal of things being effortless for users is also met.

So, this works in network of mostly Windows XP-s, Mandriva 2008, and few 
Mandriva 2008.1 machines (including router/mail server). So samba versions in 
use are 3.0.25b and 3.0.28a (maybe some updated, but not important for issue).

It was also working at home, where I have desktop (that plays also router) and 
laptop connected via wlan to desktop. Recently newest Mandriva was released, 
so I decided to give it a go. After struggling with bunch of other issues, 
time came to quickly enable samba share so I can move files from laptop to 
desktop (where new Mandriva 2009 is installed). Easy job... oh how wrong was 
I...

Installed samba client and server packages.... made a backup of stock smb.conf 
and copied "old" smb.conf file. Called smb://home in Dolphin and was 
surprised... no workgroups found!! Well after some period of time (and several 
smb restarts) finally I got smb://home to show share... 
Now to enter it... errr NO
Again few restarts and lot of time later... OK... I see contents of smb://home 
and can enter... good... let's see what is inside... 
Nothing
Or to be exact, message is: The file or folder smb://hostname/Share does not 
exist

Of course it exists, all was done and set up exactly as at work... and set up 
that way it was working PRIOR latest samba installed... and at this time it 
is: samba-server-3.2.3-3mdv2009.0 (with other dependent files)

So now... I was advised to use security level set to user, and to allow guest 
user... and I did that... After lot of trials (this time refreshed via 
smbcontrol smbd reload-config) it finally got me where I want to be, with 
exclusion of all files written via samba are now owned by nobody:nogroup so it 
needs to be chowned to local user to be useful.

I am not happy with this solution and I do not use it.

Getting here took me ~3 days of reading (in fast forward mode) several 
official samba pages, numerous forums, asking around irc channels etc...

I was unpleasantly surprised with official samba examples that are not 
working, like this one here:
http://us1.samba.org/samba/docs/man/Samba-HOWTO-
Collection/FastStart.html#anon-rw

Followed it by the letter (except names) and in return got same error as 
above.

Also another quite frustrating thing... TIME.. time for new set of rules from 
smb.conf to take effect.... that eat most of last ~3 days... waiting... and 
since I was inpatient.... maybe somewhere along there was a smb.conf that 
worked as I expected it to work... but in waiting.... or better said lack of 
.. I made another change and tried it....... and again...  .. .. 

So, at the end.... I just give up..... unless I am presented with solution 
that will do exactly what I want (do mind I have it working on prior samba 
version) I just do not want to waste any more time and energy in chasing some 
... dont even know what.. 

Thank you for reading this... If I can provide any more interesting info, 
(such as logs) please tell me. There is way to much text in this post 
already...

DraxNS

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