sharing files between Windows XP and Lubuntu

[E James]

On 24/03/2015 15:38, Marlon Ng wrote:
> Hi guys. This is what I did.
> 
> 1. sudo apt-get install samba
> ---- having trouble accessing shared files on Lubuntu system from Windows XP, so
> 
> 2. sudo apt-get remove samba (or something like that)
> ----- the directory etc/samba was still there, so I used sudo to open the file manager, then deleted that directory. It was deleted without going to the TRASH.
> 
> 3. Followed someone's advice to install the samba GUI, system-config-samba. Installed it through Synaptic Package Manager.
> 
> 4. When I open it, a window appears for a split second only. GUI could not be opened.
> 
> 5. Uninstalled it using Synaptic. Reinstalled. Same thing.
> 
> 6. Uninstalled and reinstalled using Software Center. Same thing.
> 
> I feel it has something to do with installing the non-GUI samba thru [sudo apt-get install samba], then uninstalling, then installing the GUI version.
> Because a similar thing happened to me with ndiswrapper. Installed the non-GUI, uninstalled, installed GUI, then GUI won't open.
> 
> With the ndiswrapper, I ran out of ideas so I just reinstalled the entire Lubuntu OS, then ndiswrapper worked. But please don't suggest that I do the same, I'm tired of reinstalling the entire OS just to fix one problem, it is overkill.
> 
> I'm thinking of going to Synaptic, type in "samba" in the search bar, remove everything that has to do with samba that is currently installed, THEN installing the GUI samba.
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> On Fri, Mar 20, 2015 at 6:58 PM, Marlon Ng <guikaye at gmail.com <mailto:guikaye at gmail.com>> wrote:
> 
>     Hi guys. I tried sharing files between two desktop computers, one of which is running Lubuntu LTS, the other is Windows XP.
> 
>     When I'm using Lubuntu on one desktop computer, I'm able to access the shared files in Windows XP on the other desktop computer, using this:
>     sudo apt-get install cifs-utils
> 
>     For vice versa, I used this:
>     sudo apt-get install samba
> 
>     Windows XP sees the shared folders on the Lubuntu Machine thru "My Network", but in order to access the files within those folders, I have to type a username and password. I assume this is the password that I use when running the sudo command in terminal, correct?
> 
>     The problem is even if I type in the username and password, I just can't get to the files. The username and password entry box keep coming up.
> 
>     Any suggestions?
> 
> 
> 
> 


I am definitely not a linux expert but I just might have an idea. I have two PCs running Lubuntu 13.10 and one running Lubuntu 14.04. I just did a quick experiment on one of the 13.10s and it behaved much as you describe. I renamed the file smb.conf in /etc/samba/ to smbx.conf and the Samba gui application wouldn't start. I suggest that, in your case, either smb.conf or smbusers is missing or corrupt so I therefore suggest that you remove all samba applications using Synaptic (complete removal) and then delete any files in /etc/samba/. Reinstalling samba should create any necessary files uncorrupted and then, hopefully, the gui should work. As far as I am aware, the gui application "system-config-samba" is just a convenient frontend which makes it easier to add valid entries to the smb.conf and smbusers files.