Let me say sorry up front because I am not very proficient in Linux and sorry for this being so long but I know that too much information is always better than too little information.

I am working with a Linux computer that doesn't have access to the internet, and I have it networked to a Windows computer. The Windows computer only has a slow dial-up internet connection, a high speed internet connection is not available.

I have installed Ubuntu versions 10.10 and 13.10 when I try to share a folder so that the Windows computer can see the Linux computer I get errors (below) and can't share. Sharing works fine if just running Linux off of a CD but it doesn't work from Linux installed on the computer.

After installing Ubuntu, both Ubuntu and Windows can ping their loopback address and ping the router connecting them together and also ping each other. The Ubuntu computer can see the Windows computer and has access to it, Ubuntu can add or remove or read any of the Windows files. But the Windows computer can't see the Ubuntu computer.

What am I doing wrong?

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In Ubuntu 13.10 when I try to share I get:

Sharing service is not installed
You need to install the Windows networks sharing service in order to share your folders.

If I choose "install service" I then get this:

Package 'samba' is virtual.

The only button is the close button so when I click it I get this:

Package 'libpam-sampass is virtual.

The only button is the close button so when I click it I get this:

Sharing service installation failed
Sharing service installation has failed. Would you like to retry the installation?

If I click "Retry" the whole thing repeats again and again until I press close


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In Ubuntu 10.10 when I try to share I get:

Sharing service is not installed
You need to install the Windows networks
sharing service in order to share your folders.

If I choose "install service" I then get this:

Enter your password to perform administrative tasks
The application 'Synaptic Package Manager' lets you modify essential parts of your system.
Password

I enter the password and then get this:

Sharing service installation failed
Sharing service installation has failed. Would
you like to retry the installation?

If I click "Retry" I get "Sharing service installation failed" message again until I press close.

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Thanks

I think that, by default, Ubuntu installs the samba client program, which enables it to browse shares on other computers. If you want other computers to browse shares on the Ubuntu machine, you need to install and configure Samba server. If it's not already installed, it's in the repos (software "repositories," that you can access using the Ubuntu Software Center).

You can use the command

(smbd is the name of the Samba server daemon or process) to find out whether it is installed. If /usr/bin/smbd is not returned, Samba server is not installed.

You will need an internet connection of some sort to use the Software Center, even if's only dial-up or a cellphone hotspot. If the Ubuntu computer has a modem, dial-up via Ubuntu may be an option. Alternatively, you could download the required packages to another computer and install them from a USB drive or some such device. This is the least desirable alternative, because you will need to find and download all the "dependencies" (libraries that Samba server needs to run).

It would be easiest to take the Ubuntu computer to where it can have an internet connection to install Samba server and make sure it runs.

The most helpful Samba reference I have found is Samba by Example. It presents various scenarios, starting with very simple and moving to quite complex, and explains how to configure Samba for each one.

I can't take the Ubuntu computer anywhere, it also does not have a modem. There is no high speed internet connection available, there is no cellphone service, not even one bar of signal. Think of it like this "The far side of the Moon" that is what it feels like.

This is what I got from the command:
Why does it share when running from the Linux CD but won't share from the installed Linux?
If it shares from the CD wouldn't the "required packages" or "dependencies" or whatever be on the CD?

I've noticed that (Ubuntu-based) LiveCDs usually come with a bunch of services running, but the services don't actually get installed.

Would there be a way to use the LiveCD itself as a package repo? I've never tried anything like this, but I know that Debian can do it. The LiveCD apparently has Samba installed, so maybe it has the actual packages?

If worst comes to worst, you can go to your Windows computer, look up Samba and all of its dependencies, download the .deb files, move them to the Ubuntu box, then install them like that. As mentioned above, this is the least preferred method, but it should work.

One of the questions that distro face is slimming down the installation so as to keep the *.iso small. They often choose to omit packages for that reason.

Some distros don't do that. Your best bet under the circumstances you have described might be to replace Ubuntu with something that includes a complete Samba install in the default image.

I know that Slackware installs with Samba server as well as Samba client, but I wouldn't recommend Slackware in this circumstance, as you need something to work and work quickly without much learning curve. Perhaps others might suggest alternatives in this thread.

Another alternative--this is a shot in the dark--is to boot to the install CD on a computer that has internet captivity and tell the Software Center to download the packages for Samba but not install them, then transport those packages, perhaps via USB stick, to the Ubuntu computer and try to install from removable media. Again, I invite others to comment on this, as I have no personal experience with it.

I fixed it, sharing works great now. I had to make/add the CD-ROM/DVD to the repositories and then I searched for anything samba related and then I had to install only one package (I think that is what they are called) at a time.

Now my next question(s) are: There are so many more things that I see listed now that are not install that are on the disc, what should I install next? Should I install everything that is not installed?


I think these are the packages I installed samba, samba-doc, samba-doc-pdf, winbind, libpam-smbpass.

Thanks....

1 members found this post helpful.

Cool! Nice troubleshooting!

I can think of one: The GIMP (Gnu Image Manupulation Program). It's an image editor; I use it almost daily to edit photos. Several years ago there was a big fuss when Ubuntu removed it from their base install to save room so they could fit on a CD. If it's not installed, you should certainly consider it, if you are a photographer. It's a big complicated program, but you can find excellent tutorials here.

I would only install stuff if you're sure you need it (I prefer an uncluttered system; YMMV).
After all, now you've figured out how to use the repo on the DVD, you can always add stuff later.