Member Avatar for spikes

Hi All,
i have an AD win2k network with two redhat 8 boxes to run the intranet. all the win2k boxes can access the redhat boxes through samba, the problem i have is that a new machine running xp pro cant get in to samba. when i type in the username and password it replaces the username with "domain\username" and is therefore unrecognised by the samba server.

any clever ideas? is there something in the samba config that i need to change? should this post be in the windows forum?

let me know

spikes

  • 3 Contributors
  • 5 Replies
  • 223 Views
  • 2 Weeks Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by TheOgre

Dani AI

Generated

Following description and the hints from and , here is a short, practical diagnostic + fixes list that isolates whether the problem is XP’s credential handling or the Samba side, and gives concrete fixes that work in mixed Win2K/XP environments.

Try these client-side checks first (from the XP box). forcing the server as the credential domain will prove whether XP is sending the wrong domain:

net use \\SAMBAHOST\IPC$ /user:SAMBAHOST\username *
net use \\SAMBAHOST\share  /user:SAMBAHOST\username *
net use * /delete

Replace SAMBAHOST with the Samba machine NetBIOS name or IP. If using the server\username form succeeds while the plain prompt fails, XP is supplying the wrong domain by default (normal for AD-joined clients).

Server-side checks and short fixes (on the Red Hat box): test with smbclient and inspect Samba logs. Temporarily raise the log level, repro the failure, then inspect the auth messages.

smbclient //SAMBAHOST/share -U username
# on the Samba host:
cp /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf.bak
# add 'log level = 3' in [global], restart smb and smbd, then:
tail -f /var/log/samba/log.*

Two common, safe fixes:

  • Allow server-qualified credentials from XP by mapping incoming Windows names to local UNIX accounts. In smb.conf:
    [global]
username map = /etc/samba/smbusers

    and in /etc/samba/smbusers map the Windows forms to the unix account (escape the backslash if required by your Samba version). Restart Samba after editing.

  • Ensure the Samba user exists in the Samba password backend (add with smbpasswd -a unixuser or the appropriate passdb tool for your Samba version).

Notes and cautions: back up smb.conf before edits; raise log level only to debug and then lower it; username-mapping syntax can vary by Samba version (check the local man page). If server-qualified logins work but normal prompts still fail, the simplest user-side workaround is to connect using server\username from XP or store that credential so the Samba server receives the correct account.

Recommended Answers

All 5 Replies

Member Avatar for borumas

Are you using User or Share authentiction, and are you using the same workgroup names on all the PC's? I have a test RH9 server on my workbench and I've got SAMBA running using user authentication and I can access it with XP on my laptop. Normally when I access it I go to network connections, My Network Places/Entire Network then to the workgroup and click on the SAMBA server and get a logon box, once I enter my username and passwork I'm able to use it. I have my laptop dual booting Win98 and XP and have had no problems with 98 but sometimes if I access the SAMBA server with 98 then try XP I can't get in as it says and identical pc is on the network- I think it is just a dual booting issue with that.

Member Avatar for spikes

Hi,
i am using user authentication and all the computers and servers are within the same domain. its only the xp machine that cant login the win2k machines are fine. i dont think its the samba server but rather the xp machine. if you have any ideas give me a shout

spikes

Member Avatar for borumas

One quick thing, XP has the builtin firewall is yours turned off, if it is on that may be the problem. Check on it by going to the control panel/network connections and right click, select properties then then go to the advanced tab.

Member Avatar for spikes

no the firewall is off. i think i may pass this over to the windows forums, i dont think its a samba problem but maybe something more windows defualt

cheers for your help,

spikes

Member Avatar for TheOgre

Check to ensure the username you use on the XP box has an account on the samba server, or else use an account that exists on the samba box to authenticate.

For example, if I have a user account on samba.mynet called "user1" and login to my XP box with the username of "user2" and don't have "user2" on the samba box, you'll experience the exact problem you're having.

I'm going to create an updated "SAMBA HOW-TO" that will cover all the problems I've seen in this forum and elsewhere, including username maps, samba as a PDC/login server, etc., and let cscgal know when it's done so she can post it.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.