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Re: [LUG] Linux serving Windows machines...

 

Grant

This link [1] points to a solution to a problem I had connecting Vista 
to Samba for shares only. I expect you'll need this as part of your PDC 
solution which I was under the impression was possible but have no 
direct experience of as yet.

Historically, I've swapped out Vista installs for XP installs using the 
Vista downgrade rights.

[1] http://www.crc.id.au/2006/11/23/windows-vista-and-samba-shares/

Regs
Martin

Grant Sewell wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm looking to install a server at work that will serve Windows
> machines.  I'm in two minds about the best way to approach this.
>
> Essentially all they *need* is a central point for emails and file
> storage (with security in mind too, though), but they would *like* to
> have a hotdesk capability - so any user info is stored on the server
> and the server acts as a central point of authentication.
>
> They have Windows XP and Windows Vista Business machines.
>
> In VirtualBox on my Ubuntu laptop I installed a virtual Windows XP and
> a virtual Debian Stable.  On the virtual Debian I installed Samba and
> configured it to be a Windows PDC.  After a little tweaking on the XP
> front (modifying a single registry entry), the virtual XP now
> authenticates against Samba and loads up a roaming profile nicely (and
> creates one if no existing profile exists).
>
> Vista Business, however, doesn't.  I've tweaked the same registry entry
> on Vista that made XP work, but to no avail.
>
> So, I'm now in three minds as to how to proceed.
>
> One side of me is saying "stick to Samba as PDC with Dovecot and other
> things and figure out why Vista won't load roaming profiles from Samba".
>
> Another side of me is saying "look for a Linux distro that sorts this
> out for you".
>
> The final side of me says "they don't actually *need* roaming profiles
> or hotdesking, so don't worry about the PDC thing at all".
>
> Now, ideally I'd like to find option 2, and if that doesn't exist,
> option 1 (mainly because I like a challenge and don't like quitting
> when something becomes awkward).
>
> So, does anyone know of a distro that allows you to quickly set up as
> a central point of authentication for Windows machines (I don't mind if
> it's not a "Window Domain Controller" - as long as it lets Windows
> machines auth against it)?
>
> If not, does anyone have experience getting Vista machines to join,
> auth against and load roaming profiles from a Samba PDC?
>
> Cheers all.
> Grant. :)
>
>   

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