Re: [tlug] Changing a file server from XP to Ubuntu

[Pier Fumagalli <pier@example.com>]

On Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 19:55, Dave M G <dave@example.com> wrote:

[...]

Do you think I can get Linux to take over the position of the file
server and set up a shared drive that all the Windows machines will see
without knowing that it isn't the same shared drive it's always been?

It should be possible. I've recently successfully replaced a LaCie Ethernet Disk running Windows XP embedded with a Ubuntu Server install, without having to reconfigure any of the Windows clients..

 

If anyone has any tips on how I could do this, I'd really appreciate it.

The major things to look for are related to domains and authentication. First of all, ensure whether the XP box is a member of a domain (and thus uses the user list from the primary domain controller) or it's a simple workgroup (and therefore it has local users).

If you're using a domain (and user accounts centrally managed by a Windows Server), unfortunately, it'll be a bit complicated to replicate the same exact setup. You can follow some docs on how to get Samba to act as a domain member here, I've done it a couple of times with somehow some success, but it's not as straightforward as with a workgroup install.

If your XP is working in "Workgroup" mode, then the standard Ubuntu install should suffice.

Just remember to put the server in the correct workgroup in ("workgroup" in "smb.conf"), have the server name precisely as it was before ("netbios name" in "smb.conf"), and also preserve the share names exactly in the same way (the names in the brackets). The man page for "smb.conf" will point you to the right places where to put everything in.

Also, make sure whether the client machines are connecting to the XP share using the guest (anonymous) account, or they specify a pre-determined user. If they are using the guest/anonymous account, you should be good with using some (slightly unsafe) defaults in your share:

[mysharename]

    comment = This is a comment that will appear in the Details view of windows

    path = /the/path/to/the/directory/to/share

    guest ok = yes

    writable = yes

    public = yes

    printable = no

    create mask = 0774

    directory mask = 0775

If on the other hand, they connect with a pre-determined user (or users), you'll have to create that user on the Ubuntu Samba server (look at the man page for "smbpasswd", that should do the trick).

If you need to create a user, even if you preserve the same password, the other windows clients might complain and prompt the users to re-enter the password again upon reconnection the first time when you switch from XP to Ubuntu/Samba. This should happen only once (if it does) and it happens because of the changes in the encryption tokens after the reinstall (much like when re-installing a SSH server, without preserving the host keys).

I hope it helps! G'luck

    Pier