Novell Client for Linux

whatch · 06-25-2010, 08:17 AM

We have a lab at our school that has DevonIT thin clients. We want to connect to Ubuntu via xdmcp or freenx from these clients, and we want users to be able to connect to our Novell file server from these clients. I can't find instructions on how to install the client, which I found at KDE-Apps.org. It is a tar.gz file. I'm not new to Linux, but rarely install apps from source. Could someone walk me through it, keeping in mind I do not use the command line much? Thanks.

http://kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=43179

ShadowCat8 · 06-25-2010, 12:50 PM

Well,

First, do you have 'ncpfs' available on your Ubuntu system?

From the link you gave:

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://kde-apps.org/

"You need ncpfs installed in your PC"

Now, if you are using thin clients booting from an Ubuntu server, then the server would need to have ncpfs available. I just checked one of our Ubuntu server configs at the office and while it didn't show the ncpfs filesystem available in /proc/filesystems, checking /boot/config-2.6.32-22-server has the following:

Code:

CONFIG_NCP_FS=m
CONFIG_NCPFS_PACKET_SIGNING=y
CONFIG_NCPFS_IOCTL_LOCKING=y
CONFIG_NCPFS_STRONG=y
CONFIG_NCPFS_NFS_NS=y
CONFIG_NCPFS_OS2_NS=y

So, doing a 'modprobe ncpfs' now gets the following entry in /proc/filesystems:

Code:

nodev   ncpfs

Then, of course, with the package on that site, you just need to do the following:

Code:

 $ tar xvzf 43179-nwcl.tar.gz
install/
install/system/
install/system/Novell.desktop
install/install.sh
install/buttons_tips.pdf
install/moduly/
install/moduly/Novell.zip
 $ sudo ./install/install.sh

HTH. Let us know.

whatch · 06-25-2010, 05:15 PM

Thanks for the great response. I will try your suggestions asap. I tried to get this going on a test box that runs Mint8. I installed ncpfs via synaptic, and I installed Kommander via synaptic. That seemed to go fine. It was installing the tar.gz file that I didn't do correctly; like I said, not good with command line. I'll follow your instructions and see what happens, then get back to you. Thanks again!

whatch · 06-26-2010, 10:31 AM

I downloaded the tar.gz file, saved it to my home directory, followed the instructions to install that you gave ShadowCat8, and this is what the terminal window says. I don't know what to make of this, or how to proceed.

======================================
Novell Client for Linux were installed
======================================

./install/install.sh: 28: Syntax error: word unexpected (expecting ")")

ShadowCat8 · 07-01-2010, 06:16 PM

LOL...

Okay, well, then the package is installed.

For everyone's edification, the error your system was complaining about was a part of the code in that install script:

Code:

23. echo
24. echo ======================================
25. echo Novell Client for Linux were installed
26. echo ======================================
27. echo
28. echo (c) REMONT Software
29. echo Bc. Rene Baran
30. echo E-mail: <snip>
31. echo WEB: <snip>
32. echo ICQ: <snip>
33. echo Skype: <snip>
34. echo
35. echo ----------------------------------
36. echo

As you can see, I added line numbers and clipped the author's contact information. If you need help from the author, just do a:

Code:

~ $ less ./install/install.sh

and scroll to the bottom of the script to get his contact info. (I won't leave someone's contact info on a site that is regularly scanned by search engine bots... At least not without permission.

)

The system was complaining about the copyright 'symbol'.

Have you given it a try yet? Can you see the Novell shares?

HTH. Let us know.

whatch · 07-02-2010, 09:27 AM

Inside ofthe filesystem's home folder is: /programy/novell

It does appear to have installed. Now I have to figure out how to configure it to connect to the Novell fileserver, and make it easily accessible to users who log onto the Ubuntu server via thin clients. Thanks for the help and any continued advice.