Networking :: Windows doesn't see DSL shares

I set up a share on DSL PC using Samba, I can access it from PC upstairs, running PCLINUX, or from dual boot PC downstairs, if I boot it to Linux. However if I boot it to Windows XP, I can't see the shares/DSL PC in "view workgroup computers".
Any ideas hot to find what's wrong?

I'd suggest that you post your Samba config for review. At least the shares portion.

What version of XP are you using? Home or Pro? When you start XP up do you have to "login" or "select a user name"?

If you have to select a user, let's say "Bob" when you start XP, I think that information gets passed to DSL-samba and it has to know what "Bob" is allowed to do.

I am using XP professional....

I can see DSL PC when I boot my downstairs PC to Linux (Mandrake), but not Windows XP. Linux and XP have the same user accounts and passwords!!!

I changed following lines of smb.conf:

workgroup = MYGROUP
security = user
hosts allow =john bill 127.0.0.1

[tmp]
comment = Temporary file space
path = /tmp
read only = no
public = yes

While we're waiting for someone who knows more than me to answer I'll post this message....

I have an XPhome machine that can see my DSL-Samba setup. This is a small how-to that I put together to explain it to someone else. I don't think I've ever posted it on the forum before. Line wraps might cause some harsh reading but it works. When I put it together I didn't care much about how 'Secure' it was.

In addition to this you should search the forum for all the Samba references or check the documentation pages (there's a link from the home page).

- Good luck
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Getting an XPHome machine to talk with a DSL (version 9.1) Samba Server

In my case I have an XPhome SP2 machine that has multiple users. The users do not have passwords, you select your user id from a list when XPhome starts.

When I set Samba up I was able to see the box from XPhome but not open it to view the shares. I was able to open and view the shares from other Linux boxes.

I came across this post in the Boot Camp message in the forum. Thanks ico2.

=======================================================================================================================
Posted by ico2 on Oct. 19 2004,13:01
(Q) how do i network my windows 95/98/98se/me/2k/xp to my linux box and share files?

(A) here goes:
get and install samba.dsl from the mydsl repository,
right-click and go system, net setup, net card config and for the ip, broadcast and subnet mask, leave it as the default, for the rest it is a good idea to delete the contents of the boxes.
go sudo smbd and sudo nmbd, now at a dos prompt on the windows machine go ping box (or sometimes \\box depending on version of windows) you should get replies :}
if you have an hdinstall then in emelfm goto bootlocal.sh and open-with sudo scite, and at the bottom of the file type :
ifup -a
sudo smbd
sudo nmbd
now when you reboot, it will still work.
now open /etc/samba/smb.conf the same way.
at the top change the workgroup to whatever your like
now, to share some files for xp and some other versions of windows u may need to uncomment the encrypt passwords option and make sure it is set to on,
scroll down to the subheading [homes] and set browsable = yes.
if you have windows 98 then typing \\box in explorer, but for most others you will first need to create an account with the same name as the user of the windows machine, to do this:
in xterm type sudo useradd -m -G users -c "name of user" "login name"
then sudo passwd "login name"
you will be asked to type a password twice, it must be the same as that of the account on the windows machine.
then type sudo smbpasswd -a "user name"
enter the password again and again.
now, you can put stuff you want to share in the home directory of the new user. or if you like: delete the folder and create a symlink of your own home directory.
you can share the whole file system by editing the [other] heading in smb.conf to share /

whew, finished.
====================================================================================================================

The big things that helped me...

1) copy the /etc/Samba/smb.conf file to a backup file before you start mucking around with it.

2) in the smb.conf for XPhome make sure you have "encrypt passwords = yes" even if you don't use passwords in XP

3) Add the user name that you log into XPhome to your DSL users
Right-click desktop....System....ADDUSER
add your XPHome user id ( "Bob")
if you use a password in XPhome then put one here also (the same one !)
if you don't use a password in XPhome then put a single blank space in for the password

4) Add the user:

sudo smbpasswd -a Bob

New SMB password: <--- I just hit carriage return without entering anything
Retype new SMB password: <--- Once again I just hit carriage return

User Bob does not exist in system password file (usually /etc/passwd). Cannot add account without a valid local system user.
Failed to modify password entry for user Bob

Bummer! It didn't work

I then started up Super User emelFM and made a copy of /etc/passwd to /etc/passwd.bak
Then went into edit on /etc/passwd
I copied the last line, the one for user DSL and made it
Bob:x:1001:50:Bob User:/home/dsl:/bin/bash
Maybe I should have changed the User:/home/dsl to User:/home/Bob but I didn't
Save all changes and exit emelFM

dsl@DSL9:~$ sudo smbpasswd -a Bob

New SMB password: <--- Carriage Return
Retype new SMB password: <--- Carriage Return

unable to open passdb database.
Added user Bob.

5) Restart Samba
dsl@DSL9:~$ sudo smbd stop
dsl@DSL9:~$ sudo nmbd stop

dsl@DSL9:~$ sudo nmbd start
dsl@DSL9:~$ sudo smbd start

6) Enable the user
dsl@DSL9:~$ sudo smbpasswd -e Bob
Enabled user Bob.

===================================================================================
Here is a copy of my /etc/samba/smb.conf file without all the comments to save space

#======================= Global Settings =====================================
[global]

workgroup = WG34987
server string = Samba Server
hosts allow = 192.168.1.
log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
log level = 2
max log size = 50
security = user
dns proxy = no
encrypt passwords = yes
load printers = yes
#============================ Share Definitions ==============================
[homes]
comment = Home Directories
browseable = yes
writable = yes
valid users = %S
[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /usr/spool/samba
browseable = no
guest ok = no
writable = no
printable = yes
[tmp]
comment = Temporary file space
browseable = yes
path = /tmp
read only = no
public = yes
[music]
comment=DSL9music
browseable = yes
guest ok = yes
path = /mnt/hda6
read only = no
public = yes
[data]
comment=DSL9data
browseable = yes
guest ok = yes
path = /mnt/hda7
read only = no
public = yes

original here.