Howto: Fix Windows share browsing issues

[ppafford]

Thanks to Marco over at: http://chat.meta.stackoverflow.com/rooms/181/ubuntu

Here is the package I was missing: sudo apt-get install gvfs-backends

http://ubuntu.stackexchange.com/

[Flos Headford]

Hello, dmizer!
I've been lurking on this thread for some time: fascinating reading, and a grand display of kindness and civility it is. I've implemented all of your Post No. 1 tips, and several more besides. I've now graduated to the point where I have a (possibly) interesting query:
I'm running Lucid and have two other Win2k boxes, all wired into my router. I can open a shared folder on one Win2k box, but not the other. I get the error:

Unable to mount location
DBus error org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NoReply: Message did not receive a reply (timeout by message bus)

Have you any pointers for this, please?
Thanks,
Phil

[dmizer]

Hello, dmizer!
I've been lurking on this thread for some time: fascinating reading, and a grand display of kindness and civility it is. I've implemented all of your Post No. 1 tips, and several more besides. I've now graduated to the point where I have a (possibly) interesting query:
I'm running Lucid and have two other Win2k boxes, all wired into my router. I can open a shared folder on one Win2k box, but not the other. I get the error:

Unable to mount location
DBus error org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NoReply: Message did not receive a reply (timeout by message bus)

Have you any pointers for this, please?
Thanks,
Phil

Dunno for sure how that happens when attempting to mount a Samba share. It's possible that the error is incorrect. Either way, make sure your machine is up to date:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get full-upgrade

Also try rebooting.

[turqoisehex]

Thanks for the in depth solutions, but most of them seem to be targeted at issues between Ubuntu and Win. What about problems with Ubuntu browsing Ubuntu?

[dmizer]

Thanks for the in depth solutions, but most of them seem to be targeted at issues between Ubuntu and Win. What about problems with Ubuntu browsing Ubuntu?

This is a problem I've yet to solve reliably. I'm open to suggestions. Generally, I would suggest using an alternate file sharing method for sharing files between Ubuntu servers and clients. For example, something like NFS is much less finicky, and requires far less time to configure than Samba.

Alternatively, you can use the CIFS mount method as outlined in the 2nd link in my sig.

[turqoisehex]

I read your sig links #2 and #4, both were very useful and well written. Thanks again ^__^

[WildeBeest]

dmizer,

I have 2 problems with browsing shares between Ubuntu and Windows.

I have 6 nodes on my home network.
3 Desktop PCs, 1 XP Pro, 1 - Jaunty, 1 - Lucid
3 Laptops, 2 XP Pro, 1 Win7 Home edition.

Problem 1
I can't browse any shares unless the lucid machine is on. No shares show up on the Win7 machine either.

Problem 2.
I followed your guide on setting up Win7 shares, but still can't browse them from the Ubuntu machines.
I can however browse the shares from the XP machines.

Any help is appreciated

[dmizer]

dmizer,

I have 2 problems with browsing shares between Ubuntu and Windows.

I have 6 nodes on my home network.
3 Desktop PCs, 1 XP Pro, 1 - Jaunty, 1 - Lucid
3 Laptops, 2 XP Pro, 1 Win7 Home edition.

Problem 1
I can't browse any shares unless the lucid machine is on. No shares show up on the Win7 machine either.

Have you configured the Lucid machine to be the domain master browser? If that's the case, then this is expected behavior. The same could be true if your Lucid box is also acting as a local DNS server or as a NAT gateway.

Problem 2.
I followed your guide on setting up Win7 shares, but still can't browse them from the Ubuntu machines.
I can however browse the shares from the XP machines.

Any help is appreciated

Are you able to connect to the Win7 shares by going to Places > connect to server ... and manually entering the Win7 connection information? While I understand that this is not as desirable as browsing the shares, it's better than nothing and could give me a better idea of what might be wrong.

[WildeBeest]

Have you configured the Lucid machine to be the domain master browser?  If that's the case, then this is expected behavior. The same could be  true if your Lucid box is also acting as a local DNS server or as a NAT  gateway.

How do I tell? I configured Samba the same as my Jaunty machine. Only my router should be the DNS server.

Are you able to connect to the Win7 shares by going to Places >  connect to server ... and manually entering the Win7 connection  information? While I understand that this is not as desirable as  browsing the shares, it's better than nothing and could give me a better  idea of what might be wrong.

This doesn't work either. I enter the same user name/password I use to logon to the Win7 machine.

[dmizer]

How do I tell? I configured Samba the same as my Jaunty machine. Only my router should be the DNS server.

If you had, you would know. It's not a simple matter, so I have honestly no idea why nothing would work on any machine unless the Lucid box is turned on. Perhaps if you posted the /etc/samba/smb.conf file from the Lucid box, it may shed some light on that.

This doesn't work either. I enter the same user name/password I use to logon to the Win7 machine.

Try logging on as user guest, and no password.

If that doesn't work then double check for any firewalls or an anti-virus which may be interfering with the connection.