LinuxQuestions.org - [SOLVED] accessing a samba server (top level) from win7

hello everyone,
this has been bugging me for months, years really.

I have setup my samba server with security user. this enables accessing shares by providing credentials - so far i always had to provide the credentials PRIOR to my first access on any of the shares.
so if i navigate to my samba server (through 'network') from win7 client pc, i will have to input my creds and then the shares will be listed.

Here I am though sitting in front of the same win7 pc and accessing a Western digital network disk. If i navigate to the WD in the same way, i'll get the list of the shares!!! if i click on any of these shares that is not public, i'll get the creds window - this is fine and expected.

I have checked again and again the 2 smb.conf files for ANY variables I don't know about and have googled endlessly to find a cure.

My smb.conf as is now, works as I would like it too in windows XP. but not in windows 7. The WD disk works in both win7 and winXP clients fine.

I am dumping both configs here and pray that you have a solution :) - samba mailing list has not been helpful.

Code:

[global]

        workgroup = SKAILS

        netbios aliases = starpool

        server string = Samba Server

        security = user

        map to guest = Bad User

        null passwords = Yes

        encrypt passwords = yes

#      client NTLMv2 auth = Yes

        log file = /var/log/samba/samba.%m

        max log size = 50

#      min protocol = LANMAN1

        unix extensions = No

        socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=65536 SO_SNDBUF=65536

        load printers = No

        os level = 33

        preferred master = Yes

        wins proxy = Yes

        wins support = Yes

        hide special files = Yes

        wide links = Yes

        public = yes



[Public]

        comment = a public for all folder

        path = /mnt/lvm/public

        force group = shares

        read only = No

        acl group control = Yes

        create mask = 0644

        directory mask = 0775

        inherit acls = Yes

        guest ok = Yes

        vfs objects = recycle

        recycle:keeptree = yes

        recycle:touch = yes

        recycle:exclude = *.tmp

        recycle:repository = /mnt/lvm/netrecbin/public

        recycle:versions = yes



[netRecycleBin]

        comment = Network Recycle Bin

        path = /mnt/lvm/netrecbin



[winmx]

        path = /mnt/hd/data/winmx

        force group = shares

        valid users = @shares

        write list = @shares

        read only = No

        acl group control = Yes

        directory mask = 0775

        inherit permissions = Yes

        inherit acls = Yes

        inherit owner = Yes



[homes]

        comment = home directories

        read only = No

        browseable = No

        vfs objects = recycle

        recycle:keeptree = yes

        recycle:touch = yes

        recycle:exclude = *.tmp

        recycle:repository = /mnt/lvm/netrecbin/homes

        recycle:versions = yes



[applications]

        comment = Application binaries

        path = /mnt/hd/data/appz

        guest ok = Yes



[photos]

        comment = Photographs

        path = /mnt/hd/data/photos

        guest ok = Yes



[Music]

        comment = Mp3's

        path = /mnt/hd/data/music

        guest ok = Yes

this is the WD disk smb.conf (and an included file follows)

Code:

[global]

  workgroup = SKAILS

  realm = SKAILS

  netbios name = TeraTsom

  server string = NAS-WDworldEditionI

  load printers = no

  printing = bsd

  printcap name = /dev/null

  disable spoolss = yes

  log file = /var/log/samba/log.smbd

  max log size = 50

  max xmit = 65536

  dead time = 15

  security = user

  auth methods = guest, sam_ignoredomain, winbind:ntdomain

  encrypt passwords = yes

  create mask = 0664

  directory mask = 0775

  local master = no

  socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=65536 SO_SNDBUF=65536

  use mmap = yes

  use sendfile = yes

  dns proxy = no

  idmap uid = 10000-65000

  idmap gid = 10000-65000

  dont descend = /proc,/dev,/etc

  admin users =

  null passwords = yes

  map to guest = bad user

  guest account = nobody

  include = /usr/private/user_smb_conf/.overall_share

[Configuration]

  path = /Configuration

  comment = System Configuration

  public = yes

  browseable = yes

  writable = no

  guest ok = yes

this is the included file of the WD smb.conf

Code:

[Download]

  path = /DataVolume/Download

  comment = Download Share

  preallocate = yes

  public = yes

  browseable = yes

  writable = yes

  guest ok = yes

  map read only = no

[Public]

  path = /DataVolume/Public

  comment = Public Share

  preallocate = yes

  public = yes

  browseable = yes

  writable = yes

  guest ok = yes

  map read only = no

[backup]

  path = /DataVolume/backup

  comment =

  preallocate = yes

  public = yes

  browseable = yes

  writable = yes

  guest ok = yes

  map read only = no

[off_backup]

  path = /DataVolume/off_backup

  comment =

  preallocate = yes

  public = yes

  browseable = yes

  writable = yes

  guest ok = yes

  map read only = no

Thank you in advance for your time