samba - Nov 2004 - Why some WinXP machines won't reconnect on reboot

Hi Samba list. 

Here is my scenario. I have 10 Windows XP machines that use a Linux box as a 
file server. Running Mandrake 10 (more or less), 2.6, Samba 3.03. We have 
hundreds of individual shares defined -- but users only see their own shares (we
use the "include=smb.%U.conf" setting in Global settings, and define
the shares
in individual conf files for each user.) 

When we use the "map network drive" function on our Windows XP
clients,
typically we select "reconnect at logon". 

When we reboot the Windows machines, SOME of the machines will automatically 
reconnect on every reboot. In other words, we can open an application on the 
Windows machine that wants to read a file from one of the Linux shares, and we 
can instantly open the files. 

But on some of the Windows machines, when we try to do what I have just 
described above, the network drive can't be found. We have to actually click
on the
share a couple of times in Explore or My Computer to force the reconnection. 
On the first click, we will get a message that says "Network resource
can't be
found. Maybe you don't have permission to access this resource" (or
something
like that). Then, on the next click,  we are logged on and we can access the 
share. 

Does anybody understand why we see this difference in behavior between the 
two Windows machines? Is there something I can configure on the Windows machines
so this doesn't happen? 

Andy Liebman

The machines are pretty much identical. Most have XP SP1. One has SP2 (but it 
HAS the reconnecting problem like many of the SP1 machines, so it's not 
specific to either Service Pack). 

I get the same red X over the network drives on many of my Windows XP 
machines, and when I click I too get access. But there must be something
configured
differently on some of my XP machines that makes them NOT have this problem. 

Come on Samba gurus. Somebody must know what's going on here. 
Are these two computers identical with the others in regards to speed and
size?
Are the network settings identical as well.
Did you install xp sp2 on them, I have heard some problems regarding this?

I know on my machine (win xp), when I reboot, I will often get a red x over
the network drives for samba, but once I click on them I can get access and
the x goes away.

Good luck.





-----Original Message-----
From: samba-bounces+joelsn=csdca.com@lists.samba.org
[mailto:samba-bounces+joelsn=csdca.com@lists.samba.org]On Behalf Of
AndyLiebman@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 9:39 AM
To: samba@lists.samba.org
Subject: [Samba] Why some WinXP machines won't reconnect on reboot


Hi Samba list. 

Here is my scenario. I have 10 Windows XP machines that use a Linux box as a

file server. Running Mandrake 10 (more or less), 2.6, Samba 3.03. We have 
hundreds of individual shares defined -- but users only see their own shares
(we 
use the "include=smb.%U.conf" setting in Global settings, and define
the
shares 
in individual conf files for each user.) 

When we use the "map network drive" function on our Windows XP
clients,
typically we select "reconnect at logon". 

When we reboot the Windows machines, SOME of the machines will automatically

reconnect on every reboot. In other words, we can open an application on the

Windows machine that wants to read a file from one of the Linux shares, and
we 
can instantly open the files. 

But on some of the Windows machines, when we try to do what I have just 
described above, the network drive can't be found. We have to actually click
on the 
share a couple of times in Explore or My Computer to force the reconnection.

On the first click, we will get a message that says "Network resource
can't
be 
found. Maybe you don't have permission to access this resource" (or
something 
like that). Then, on the next click,  we are logged on and we can access the

share. 

Does anybody understand why we see this difference in behavior between the 
two Windows machines? Is there something I can configure on the Windows
machines 
so this doesn't happen? 

Andy Liebman