I am running Red Hat 9, and trying to get it to network with a WinXP machine. I installed Samba, and I can see the linux machine in the workgroup. I edited the samba.conf file and set the workgroup as the same as the the other Windows machines. In the server config, according to Samba, I have 2 shares that are set up. I added myself as a user and as root. I chmoded the permissions on the share folders to 777. This is the thing that really baffles me. Just the other night, I was able to connect from the XP machine to the Linux machine, make a test directory and send over 2 test files. I was able to access my XP machine from the Linux box using the same test. NOW, I see the Linux machine only after I reboot it, and that's only for about 30 minutes. When I do see it in the workgroup, I can't access it. I can, however, access the XP machine for the brief time that I see Linux box in the workgroup. Well, I was going to reboot the Linux machine to see the exact error that I have, but it seems like it has taken itself COMPLETLY off the workgroup. I can see both of my windows machines from the Linux box, but now I can't see the Linux bom anywhere on the windows network. I can access every file to the other 2 windows systems from the linux machine. I am starting to wonder, if getting a linux OS to function like a workgroup member in a windows workgroup is getting a little too much to ask. I would appreciate any help that anyone would be able to give me.

Hehehe, never mind, I figured it out, and it was kind of a no brainer. I got it working just the way it should be. Got a network drive mapped and everything. Now, all I got to do is figure out if there is some way of remotely controlling the desktop from the XP machine...

Can you explain what you did to correct the problem b/c I'm having the same one. I can see my Linux network from the windows machine, it's named Mygroup but I can't map to the machine name, which is "Localhost", even though I have shared folders and files. The windows network can be seen and accessed from the Linux machine with no problem.

I also have the same problem.
I set up samba and set up shared folders and added users.
I set up zone alarm to allow connections from my Linux box.
I can access shares on the WInXp box from my linux box.
However, I can not connect to my linux box from winXp.
I know my shares are running correctly because i can use smbclient to map the shares on the linux box. smbclient prompts me for a password and then connects without a hitch.

Here are some details on the problem:
I can see the linux box in my network neighborhood. Yet the map drive option is disabled, and when I try to connect to the linux box it gives me an error saying that I may not have the right permissions and says that the network path is not found.

Also, I can not ping the linux box from my winXp box. So I figure it must be a firewall problem on linux. I used the command "iptables -F" to try and clear the firewall for the session, but that does not seem to help.

Well, I am pretty new to linux so I do not know much about the firewall in it. I believe shorewall is installed. I am running Mandrake 9.1. I am trying get WinXp to read the shares in my linux box. These two computers are connected via a D-Link router which is connected to the internet.

Any info on this issue will be greatly appreciated.

Thanx in advance

-Steven