Hey All,

I have been playing with Linux for the last few months - in particular a copy of RHEL 5 that I "obtained". I have just completed a fresh reinstall as my first attempt when very wrong as I was installing everything from Source (not very successfully) - did not know about RPM I think that RHEL may not be the best distro for me due to my very limited knowledge & experience with Linux. I have also previously used Clark Connect & Ubuntu Server.

My Hardware - Dell SC440 Server - CERC SATA Raid Card - 1GB Ram - 4 x 200GB HDD - DVD+/-RW - SB Live Card

My Aim - To have an easy to use & manage home server with the following features;

Windows File Shares - so I can store files & transfer across my network
Amarok or similar music program - want to encode all my CD's into a decent quality, use it as a library with complete ID Tag automation - also want to share music collection across network
Ushare or similar program - to share video files (including DIVX) to my Xbox 360
Torrentflux - to download bittorent
Backup program - automated & easy way to backup files from 3 windows machines
Web server - may want to host my own photo collection web site
Flexibility - ability to add other programs as I get more comfortable.

Problems I have had with RHEL;

CD drive does not recognise Audio CD's - When I put in a data disk, it is automounted. When I put in an audio disk, I can play the audio through amarok, but cannot encode. Can also not access this through Konquer or the standard CD Audio Encoder - gives error - No CD-Rom found
Tried to configure Samba through K Control Panel - made all the changes in the Samba config GUI - but cannot access any shares
Would really appreciate any ideas / suggestions?

Can't help on the sound front, so let's talk Samba.

What exactly is going on. Samba logs to /var/log/samba, so post some error messages.

I have no idea what the K Control Panel is, but Samba is best configured manually anyway.

Post /etc/samba/smb.conf here so we can have a look

Rgds

Thanks Billy, here is my smb.conf. I have checked /var/log/samba but dont know what I should be posting?

# This is the main Samba configuration file. You should read the
# smb.conf(5) manual page in order to understand the options listed
# here. Samba has a huge number of configurable options (perhaps too
# many!) most of which are not shown in this example
#
# For a step to step guide on installing, configuring and using samba,
# read the Samba-HOWTO-Collection. This may be obtained from:
# http://www.samba.org/samba/docs/Samb...Collection.pdf
#
# Many working examples of smb.conf files can be found in the
# Samba-Guide which is generated daily and can be downloaded from:
# http://www.samba.org/samba/docs/Samba-Guide.pdf
#
# Any line which starts with a ; (semi-colon) or a # (hash)
# is a comment and is ignored. In this example we will use a #
# for commentry and a ; for parts of the config file that you
# may wish to enable
#
# NOTE: Whenever you modify this file you should run the command "testparm"
# to check that you have not made any basic syntactic errors.
#
#---------------
# SELINUX NOTES:
#
# If you want to use the useradd/groupadd family of binaries please run:
# setsebool -P samba_domain_controller on
#
# If you want to share home directories via samba please run:
# setsebool -P samba_enable_home_dirs on
#
# If you create a new directory you want to share you should mark it as
# "samba-share_t" so that selinux will let you write into it.
# Make sure not to do that on system directories as they may already have
# been marked with othe SELinux labels.
#
# Use ls -ldZ /path to see which context a directory has
#
# Set labels only on directories you created!
# To set a label use the following: chcon -t samba_share_t /path
#
# If you need to share a system created directory you can use one of the
# following (read-only/read-write):
# setsebool -P samba_export_all_ro on
# or
# setsebool -P samba_export_all_rw on
#
# If you want to run scripts (preexec/root prexec/print command/...) please
# put them into the /var/lib/samba/scripts directory so that smbd will be
# allowed to run them.
# Make sure you COPY them and not MOVE them so that the right SELinux context
# is applied, to check all is ok use restorecon -R -v /var/lib/samba/scripts
#
#--------------
#
#======================= Global Settings =====================================

[global]

# ----------------------- Netwrok Related Options -------------------------
#
# workgroup = NT-Domain-Name or Workgroup-Name, eg: MIDEARTH
#
# server string is the equivalent of the NT Description field
#
# netbios name can be used to specify a server name not tied to the hostname
#
# Interfaces lets you configure Samba to use multiple interfaces
# If you have multiple network interfaces then you can list the ones
# you want to listen on (never omit localhost)
#
# Hosts Allow/Hosts Deny lets you restrict who can connect, and you can
# specifiy it as a per share option as well
#
workgroup = mshome
server string = Samba Server Version %v

; netbios name = MYSERVER

; interfaces = lo eth0 192.168.12.2/24 192.168.13.2/24
; hosts allow = 127. 192.168.12. 192.168.13.

# --------------------------- Logging Options -----------------------------
#
# Log File let you specify where to put logs and how to split them up.
#
# Max Log Size let you specify the max size log files should reach

# logs split per machine
; log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
# max 50KB per log file, then rotate
; max log size = 50

# ----------------------- Standalone Server Options ------------------------
#
# Scurity can be set to user, share(deprecated) or server(deprecated)
#
# Backend to store user information in. New installations should
# use either tdbsam or ldapsam. smbpasswd is available for backwards
# compatibility. tdbsam requires no further configuration.

security = share
;passdb backend = tdbsam


# ----------------------- Domain Members Options ------------------------
#
# Security must be set to domain or ads
#
# Use the realm option only with security = ads
# Specifies the Active Directory realm the host is part of
#
# Backend to store user information in. New installations should
# use either tdbsam or ldapsam. smbpasswd is available for backwards
# compatibility. tdbsam requires no further configuration.
#
# Use password server option only with security = server or if you can't
# use the DNS to locate Domain Controllers
# The argument list may include:
# password server = My_PDC_Name [My_BDC_Name] [My_Next_BDC_Name]
# or to auto-locate the domain controller/s
# password server = *


; security = domain
; passdb backend = tdbsam
; realm = MY_REALM

; password server = <NT-Server-Name>

# ----------------------- Domain Controller Options ------------------------
#
# Security must be set to user for domain controllers
#
# Backend to store user information in. New installations should
# use either tdbsam or ldapsam. smbpasswd is available for backwards
# compatibility. tdbsam requires no further configuration.
#
# Domain Master specifies Samba to be the Domain Master Browser. This
# allows Samba to collate browse lists between subnets. Don't use this
# if you already have a Windows NT domain controller doing this job
#
# Domain Logons let Samba be a domain logon server for Windows workstations.
#
# Logon Scrpit let yuou specify a script to be run at login time on the client
# You need to provide it in a share called NETLOGON
#
# Logon Path let you specify where user profiles are stored (UNC path)
#
# Various scripts can be used on a domain controller or stand-alone
# machine to add or delete corresponding unix accounts
#
; security = user
; passdb backend = tdbsam

; domain master = yes
; domain logons = yes

# the login script name depends on the machine name
; logon script = %m.bat
# the login script name depends on the unix user used
; logon script = %u.bat
; logon path = \\%L\Profiles\%u
# disables profiles support by specifing an empty path
; logon path =

; add user script = /usr/sbin/useradd "%u" -n -g users
; add group script = /usr/sbin/groupadd "%g"
; add machine script = /usr/sbin/useradd -n -c "Workstation (%u)" -M -d /nohome -s /bin/false "%u"
; delete user script = /usr/sbin/userdel "%u"
; delete user from group script = /usr/sbin/userdel "%u" "%g"
; delete group script = /usr/sbin/groupdel "%g"


# ----------------------- Browser Control Options ----------------------------
#
# set local master to no if you don't want Samba to become a master
# browser on your network. Otherwise the normal election rules apply
#
# OS Level determines the precedence of this server in master browser
# elections. The default value should be reasonable
#
# Preferred Master causes Samba to force a local browser election on startup
# and gives it a slightly higher chance of winning the election
; local master = no
; os level = 33
; preferred master = yes

#----------------------------- Name Resolution -------------------------------
# Windows Internet Name Serving Support Section:
# Note: Samba can be either a WINS Server, or a WINS Client, but NOT both
#
# - WINS Support: Tells the NMBD component of Samba to enable it's WINS Server
#
# - WINS Server: Tells the NMBD components of Samba to be a WINS Client
#
# - WINS Proxy: Tells Samba to answer name resolution queries on
# behalf of a non WINS capable client, for this to work there must be
# at least one WINS Server on the network. The default is NO.
#
# DNS Proxy - tells Samba whether or not to try to resolve NetBIOS names
# via DNS nslookups.

; wins support = yes
; wins server = w.x.y.z
; wins proxy = yes

; dns proxy = yes

# --------------------------- Printing Options -----------------------------
#
# Load Printers let you load automatically the list of printers rather
# than setting them up individually
#
# Cups Options let you pass the cups libs custom options, setting it to raw
# for example will let you use drivers on your Windows clients
#
# Printcap Name let you specify an alternative printcap file
#
# You can choose a non default printing system using the Printing option

; load printers = yes
cups options = raw
restrict anonymous = no
domain master = no
preferred master = no
max protocol = NT
acl compatibility = winnt
ldap ssl = No
server signing = Auto
netbios name = Serenity
; encrypt passwords = yes
; guest ok = no
; guest account = nobody

; printcap name = /etc/printcap
#obtain list of printers automatically on SystemV
; printcap name = lpstat
; printing = cups

# --------------------------- Filesystem Options ---------------------------
#
# The following options can be uncommented if the filesystem supports
# Extended Attributes and they are enabled (usually by the mount option
# user_xattr). Thess options will let the admin store the DOS attributes
# in an EA and make samba not mess with the permission bits.
#
# Note: these options can also be set just per share, setting them in global
# makes them the default for all shares

; map archive = no
; map hidden = no
; map read only = no
; map system = no
; store dos attributes = yes


#============================ Share Definitions ==============================

[homes]
comment = Home Directories
browseable = no
writeable = yes
; valid users = %S
; valid users = MYDOMAIN\%S

[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/spool/samba
browseable = no
; guest ok = no
; writeable = no
printable = yes

[media]
case sensitive = no
strict locking = no
guest ok = yes
msdfs proxy = no
comment = media
path = /home/media
writeable = yes
; browseable = yes

[share]
case sensitive = no
strict locking = no
guest ok = yes
msdfs proxy = no
writeable = yes
comment = share
path = /home/share
; browseable = yes

From a terminal, try

ln -l /var/log/samba

to see what is update when you generate an error. Then post the output of

tail /var/log/samba/file_from_previous_step.log

Also describe what is happening when you try and connect from Windows

when I type ln -l /var/log/samba - I get "ln: invalid option -- l Try `ln --help' for more information."

Sorry - ls not ln

ok - I get;
[root@localhost ben]# ls -l /var/log/samba
total 60
drwx------ 4 root root 4096 May 8 18:33 cores
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 3163 May 13 18:59 nmbd.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15111 May 11 15:38 nmbd.log.1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1260 May 13 19:34 smbd.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 10983 May 11 15:38 smbd.log.1
[root@localhost ben]#

which log file should I use for tail /var/log/samba/?

get the following log when I type tail /var/log/samba/smbd.log

[2008/05/13 19:02:19, 0] smbd/negprot.c:reply_nt1(317)
reply_nt1: smb signing is incompatible with share level security !
[2008/05/13 19:34:19, 0] smbd/negprot.c:reply_nt1(317)
reply_nt1: smb signing is incompatible with share level security !
[2008/05/13 19:45:20, 0] smbd/negprot.c:reply_nt1(317)
reply_nt1: smb signing is incompatible with share level security !
[2008/05/13 19:45:20, 0] smbd/negprot.c:reply_nt1(317)
reply_nt1: smb signing is incompatible with share level security !
[2008/05/13 19:45:22, 0] smbd/negprot.c:reply_nt1(317)
reply_nt1: smb signing is incompatible with share level security !

I'd guess you need to comment out the server signing line or not use share security

sorry, I dont totally understand. I would like some sort of security - but thought share was the easiest way. I cant see the server signing line you reffer to? what does that do?

What I would love would be 2 share folders;

Private - folder that can only be accessed & viewed by myself
Share - folder that can be read/write by anyone
Backup - folder that can be ready by anyone - written only by myself.

How could I achieve that?

I also tried to change the security level to user - get the same error on windows machine;

\\Serenity\media is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Please contact the admin blah blah blah

The network path was not found

If you want to do that, I think you will need user level security. You should be able to set up a guest user for the shares and your user for your access.

I'd suggest you start by looking at the samba by example document on the samba site http://us3.samba.org/samba/docs/man/Samba-Guide/

Note that samba doesn't use normal users - you will need to create samba user (smbpasswd)