No SMB/Samba support on Windows Home Editions

[L Goodwin]

--- Derek Ragona <derek at computinginnovations.com>
wrote:
> 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.

I want to implement Samba in the way that best suits
this situation -- just don't know yet what that is.

Am trying to implement Samba "incrementally". 
First priority is to get to the point where Windows
clients can mount the share (without authentication)
and read/write files to/from it.
Was planning to read up on things like access control
later, with the hope that I can utilize non-Windows.

> >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.

I was wondering about that. Good to know...

> >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.

It looks like I won't need to do that. We'll see once
I get the DHCP/hostname issue resolved on the FreeBSD
box. Just about everything that can go wrong has gone
wrong on this project. I always try to get the client
to see the advantage of subdividing big projects into
a series of smaller projects, but they rarely listen
(sigh)...

> >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.

Yeah. I recommended Windows XP Pro SP2, but they went
with Vista Home Premium anyway...


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com