Ubuntu 8.04.2 LTSP sees Windows hosts but not shares

[David Christensen]

ubuntu-users:

I would like to replace a small installation (~6 machines) of Windows XP 
Professional desktops using Windows Workgroup networking by installing 
LTSP on one machine and converting the others to diskless thin clients.


Windows Workgroup networking support is absolutely required both during 
and after the migration.


I tried ubuntu-8.10-alternate-i386 last October/ November, but gave up 
when an update broke multimedia.


I tried ubuntu-9.04-alternate-i386 last week, and gave up because of 
video, sound, and desktop crash-out issues on the client.


I was hoping ubuntu-8.04.2-alternate-i386 will work, as it is the 
current "Long Term Support" flavor of Ubuntu.


The server has all available updates (System -> Administration -> Update 
Manager) as of:

     2009-05-18 23:22:57 dpchrist at p43400e ~
     $ date -R
     Mon, 18 May 2009 23:22:59 -0700


When I choose Places -> Network on the server (client untested), I can 
see icons for various Windows hosts and an icon named "Windows Network":

1.  If I double-click on a host icon, I see a spinning clock mouse 
pointer for a few seconds, then nothing.  I'm not being prompted for a 
username/ password.  (I was expecting to be prompted.)  I'm not seeing 
the shared resources (folders, printers, etc.) available on the host, 
just a blank area.  (I was expecting to see the shared resources.)

2.  If I double-click on the Windows Network icon, I see the clock 
pointer and then a WORKGROUP icon is displayed.  If I double-click on 
that, I see the clock and then host icons.  If I double-click on a host 
icon, I get the same results as #1, above.

3.  If I choose Places -> Connect to Server, set "Service type" to 
"Windows share", enter a valid Windows host name for "Server", enter a 
valid share name on that host for "Share", and select "Connect", a File 
Browser window opens with the right contents and an icon appears on the 
desktop named "<share name> on <host name>".  (So, at least I have a 
work-around while I continue attempting the migration.)


STFW, other people have reported similar (the same?) problems on Ubuntu 
and other Linux distributions.  This thread is informative:

http://www.mailinglistarchive.com/ubuntu-devel@lists.ubuntu.com/msg26725.html

http://www.mailinglistarchive.com/ubuntu-devel@lists.ubuntu.com/msg26729.html

http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=524485

but not encouraging.


Does anybody know how to fix the problem?


Do the developers/ leaders of Ubuntu/ Gnome/ whatever know if/ when it 
can/ will be fixed?


Is there another Ubuntu version and/ or Linux distribution that has 
working LTSP OOTB?


Is this problem only on LTSP, or does it affect the desktop 
distributions as well?   (e.g. is switching to ~6 Linux desktops a 
possibility?)


This is a show-stopper issue for my project.  We have a Microsoft 
licensing deadline that will force decisions very soon...


TIA,

David