[Samba] Win98 asks for IPC$ password <SOLVED>

[Steve Litt]

On Thursday 13 August 2009 00:59:53 John H Terpstra - Samba Team wrote:
> On 08/12/2009 11:20 PM, Steve Litt wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > After I converted my Linux desktop from Mandriva 2008.1 with Samba
> > 3.0.28a to Ubuntu 9.04 with Samba 3.3.2, my Windows 98 box could no
> > longer connect to my Linux desktop via Samba. The symptom was that
> > Windows kept asking for the IPC$ password.
>
> Steve,
>
> Samba 3.0.28a has lanman passwords enabled by default.
>
> Samba 3.2.2 has lanman passwords disabled by default.
>
> Windows 98 can only handle lanman passwords.

Thanks John, I was pulling out my hair. Your suggestions quickly solved it.

> You need to enable lanman password support on your Ubuntu Samba server:
>
> [global]
> 	...
> 	lanman auth = yes
> 	client lanman auth = yes
> 	...

My experiments indicate that "client plaintext auth = Yes" is also necessary. 
I don't know why, but the dreaded IPC$ password symptom happens if that is 
left out.

> Then make sure that your smbpasswd filee or your tdbsam file has both
> lanman and nt passwords for each user.

THIS is the crucial information. I'd already done everything you suggested, 
but not in the right order that you suggest:

1) Add the lines to smb.conf
2) Restart Samba
3) smbpasswd -a w98username
4) w98username logs out and logs back in

Am I correct in assuming the way to make sure both lanman and nt passwords are 
present is to redo smbpasswd -a w98username after adding the lines to smb.conf 
and restarting Samba, and then just for fun looking at the resulting file?

Right now I'm writing a Troubleshooters.Com article explaining exactly how to 
avoid this problem, or how to rectify it if necessary, without the 6 hour 
troubleshooting sessions I went through (I should have asked you earlier). The 
hope is this article, which I'll publicize to the search engines, will lessen 
the number of frazzled midnight emails you guys get from Win98 users who just 
upgraded to Ubuntu 9.04.

Thanks for the help and great information!

SteveT

Steve Litt
Recession Relief Package
http://www.recession-relief.US
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/stevelitt