Conflicting Sambas on Mac

Dear All,

I've been required to configure an smb server on a Mac OS X 10.6. I am running a "normal" Snow Leopard OS, not the server version.

Having never used a Mac before, it took me some time to get my way around the configuration files. So far, I've been relying on various webistes and howtos in order to get the server running, but I'm afraid I've arrived to a point where I've exhausted all non-specific available support.

As I understand it, Mac OS X runs samba ab initio. The smb.conf file is located under smb.conf. I noticed that this file is automatically generated and contains the configuration set up through the "System Preference" tab. The smb.conf file then includes /var/db/smb.conf and /var/db/samba/smb.shares for preference settings and share configuration.

Yet, most HowTos I bumped into, suggested installing Samba3 via ports. I thus succesfully install the program along with webmin in order to set up a user-friendly configuration system for my colleagues (this is all benevolent work for an NGO).

Now, my issue is the following. As it turns out, I have three smb.conf files that seem to be either competing or working simultaneously. For instance, the webmin refers to the /private/etc/smb.conf; whereas the testparm refers to the /opt/local/etc/samba3/smb.conf file. Likewise, the smbpasswd file located on webmin refers to /private/var/db/samba/smbpasswd whereas the smbpasswd command refers to /opt/local/var/db/smb/smbpasswd. Last but not the least, the command smbcontrol nmbd reload-config echoes "Can't find pid for destination 'nsmbd'".

To sum up, I've got the impression I've got three smb servers running where I would only like to have one configurable and operational smb server. I would thus like to know :

1. how to disable the other smb server and only keep one;
2. which one you recommend to keep;
3. how to ensure that I can configure it through webmin.

Thank you very much and sorry for such a long post,

Jyer

Hi,

Does nobody in the big world out there have any clue on how I should proceed ?

A easier question may be : is it worth keeping the samba3 version I installed via macports ? i.e. : should I simply use the integrated samba server delivered with Mac OS X 10.6 ? Is there any difference between them ?

Best,

Jean-René

Hi again,

Well, I deleted the samba3 I installed via macports. So now I only have one smb.conf file located in /etc/private which is linked to the one in /etc

Yet, a new issue roused, when I try to configure the users on the mac with the smb users. In fact, I cannot modify the smb users with webmin and the command adduser or useradd does not work in the terminal.

What now ??? Any hint can be useful...

It seems to me you may be going about it the hard way - but have you tried:

when logged in on an account that has administrative privileges, open System Preferences and add users as "share only" users

Create the shared folders, share them in finder, and in System Preferences, assign the appropriate "share only" users access to the folder, and remove the "Everyone" access if not necessary?