No SMB/Samba support on Windows Home Editions

[Derek Ragona]

At 03:49 PM 4/27/2007, L Goodwin wrote:
>I've been working feverishly to set up a Samba share
>on FreeBSD 6.2 server to provide file storage for
>clients running Windows XP Pro and Windows Vista Home
>Premium.
>
>I just had a long talk with the ISP's tech support,
>and was told a number of things that I would like to
>confirm or deny:
>
>1) Windows "Home" editions (including XP and Vista)
>have support for SMB protocol disabled in Active
>Directory Domain Connections functionality!
>Is this true?

Not exactly.  Home edition CANNOT log into a domain or active 
directory.  If you need that functionality, upgrade to XP Pro.


>2) The only way to make Samba work for Windows Home
>editions is to change the Samba server's domain
>configuration to "peer-to-peer".
>Is this true? If YES, how do I do that?
>Could not find reference it in the Official Samba-3
>HOW TO and Reference Guide.

I've never done that so am no help.


>3) Other options discussed:
>
>1) Replace Vista Home with Windows XP Pro (or Vista
>Pro) or exchange computer for one with a "Pro"
>edition.

Vista licenses can be downgraded to XP.  You need to check on which 
versions can be downgraded to XP Pro.


>2) Repartition the RAID 1 Mirror/Duplex as NTFS (or
>DOS) partitions (and don't use Samba)? Feedback and
>reference on a good "how to" appreciated.

I assume you mean just setup a windows box.  You can do that, but your 
hardware is so slow it won't perform well under windows.


>3) Change FreeBSD server to a Windows server (ugh).
>
>Can anyone address these assertions and/or provide
>assistance in other ways to use FreeBSD as a
>fileserver for Windows "Home" (and Pro) clients?
>
>He also cited a recent InfoWorld survey in which 30%
>of companies responding plan to never implement Vista,
>that they consider it an "interim" version that will
>be used as an excuse for dropping legacy support.

No one I know is jumping to vista until service pack one ships.

         -Derek

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