Samba error : unable to open passdb database

[dysharmonic]

Hi

I'm trying to have Samba working on these 2 PCs here.

The server is RHL 7.3
The client is Windows 98.

Setup the Win98 TCP/IP settings as instructed, btw I'm using a book on Linux Networking and following the steps in there.

The funny thing is it asks to create a user account on this Linux system that matches the user account used to gain access to network on the Win98 system.

This is just a peer-to-peer connection, as such, I didnt have any accnt on this Win98 system. As a workaround I used the User applet in Win98 control panel, to create a user which now matches a user on the Linux server :D

All samba daemons are running on this server (smbd and nmbd).

Configured /etc/samba/smb.conf accordingly and
# testparm /etc/samba/smb.conf looks fine.


Gave this command:

# cat /etc/passwd | /usr/bin/mksmbpasswd.sh > /usr/local/samba/private/smbpasswd

# pico /usr/local/samba/private/smbpasswd and removed all entries except Fahrenheit451.

I was asked to give a new samba passwd:

# smbpasswd Fahrenheit451
New SMB password:
Retype new SMB password:
unable to open passdb database.
Failed to find entry for user Fahrenheit451.
Failed to modify password entry for user Fahrenheit451

When I dbl-clicked on the N/work neighborhood in win98, the Samba server is there, but upon dbl-clicking on it, it asks to enter a passwd, which I'm pretty much sure should be the new Samba passwd I'm having problem creating.

I guess there's something wrong w/ the passwd db.

Any help appreciated :)

Thanx.

[jpmythic]

Yep... simple mistake.. it means Samba is not set to accept anonymous users, (Which is usually good). You also haven't setup the user password database on the Linux Server for Samba.
1: (LinuxBox) as root run, smbpasswd with
smbpasswd -a [username windows] [password]

2: Decide if you want domain logins or just simple samba share use... (This can run into a hornets nest if your new to it....)

I use domain logins for myself and my family from the Windows box and have Samba setup as a Domain/Login server with hidden profiles in their home directory so they are backed up on the Linux box, (Windows does CRASH so often and corrupt files).

The main thing is that Windows will also try to encrypt it's passwd's it sends and Samba doesn't like the version... There are much more complex fixes but the simplest is to turn off the Encrypted Passwd Windows Sends...

this link shows you how to modify Win98 for just that... Disable Win98 Encrypt Passwd (http://http://www.netsys.com/sunmgr/1999-03/msg00103.html)

Hope this helps

[dysharmonic]

Glad to have your help, but too bad I no longer have access to that second system. It's not mine anyway, just using it to satisfy my curiosity abt samba.

I got around the samba passwrd thing, and was able to mount the Win98 shares on the Linux server, but only as root. A local user trying to mount them produced some sort of error.

Untill I have another system, I wont be able to play w/ it again.

Anyways, thanx a lot for valuable info :)

(I'll keep the link to this thread for future questions :D)