XP and Samba - Annoying problem SOLVED

[kpzani]

This is more of a windows xp question I think, but I'll ask it anyway.

I have a RH8 box running Samba as a PDC for my Windows XP clients. I have everything set-up pretty well except for one problem. No one on the windows boxes can install any fonts. when opening the fonts folder the usual font specific menu options are not there. Dragging fonts into the folder does not register them. I have created a group on the linux box and added my users into it then added this group to the domain admins option in the smb.conf. The users can install hardware, software etc and are set with local administrative rights on the clients.

I have checked for an option in the local security policy and cannot find one.

The only thing strange thing that I did was to create a default user profile in the NETLOGON share of the SAMBA server using the default user profile from one of the clients. I did this coz my roaming user profiles weren't working.

Any ideas? All help appreciated as it is really annoying. Our company logo uses an obscure font which I need to get access to.

Thanks in advance

Kris

Edit -
Solved. Problems with desktop.ini hidden files in roaming user profiles. These files govern the customisation of the explorer shell thingy.

[captain insano]

Kris I have a weird problem with my XP clients. Whe I log on after my system is booted and the desktop comes up the desktop ini file is open and has some text in it. I am at work so I don't have the file with me. Have you ever seen anything like that in your dealings with XP cleints? I was using roaming clients but have since disabled them and the problem has disappeared. I am running redhat 8. Thanks for any insight you may be able to give me.

[kpzani]

Yes I had exactly the same problem. This led me to delete all desktop.ini files on the clients. As on first attempt they appeared to make no difference.

Each system folder contains a desktop.ini file which is used to display the custom tasks in the explorer shell and also customise its appearance and function.

The startup folder is one such folder!

<Start Guessing> I think that the XP uses some of the file properties in addition to the hidden file flag to govern when to display these files. As you don't see them when browsing the hard drive locally - even when show all files is turned on. </End Guessing>

There are some options which can be set in the smb.conf to tell samba how to use certain windows file system flags to do stuff. I located the section in a samba book. However, I am unable to test it coz I deleted all my desktop.ini files and haven't yet restored any except the font one. I will track it down for you tomorrow and post the settings.

If you crack this first then let me know.

Cheers

Kris

[kpzani]

I think I have fixed it.

Set the following options in the smb.conf file and restart samba.

***************************
map system = yes

map archive = yes

map hidden = yes



***************************
archive is mapped onto linux - user execute bit

hidden is mapped onto linux - world execute bit

system is mapped onto linux group execute bit



then make any desktop.ini files hidden in windows and relogon. Seems to work so far for me on one pc which I restored the desktop.ini files on.



However, I seem to find I cause more problems fixing stuff than living with the problems in the first place. Good Luck. please let me know if you try it.