Samba failure

[Joerg]

Sorry if double-posting but initially I tacked this on to a 2018 thread with same topic. However, no responses back then and none now. What happened:

Yesterday I started setting Samba shares via System -> Samba menu. Some shares worked, some never did. Now nothing works anymore, Windows computers see the MX Linux computer but error with "cannot access". This is new because before they could access and get to the shared /home directory (but none of the others I shared). Calling up System -> Samba on the MX Linux computer still results in the usual authentication box, root password is accepted but then ... it blitzes off. The Samba setup GUI never opens anymore. Without any Samba shares the computer isn't very useful.

What could have happened? How can I fix this?

The computer is an older Dell Vostro 200 Mini Tower but upgraded to 6GB of RAM. Works nicely otherwise.

Regards,

Joerg

[dolphin_oracle]

there are several things possibly at play.

1. I suppose its possible that your samba server isn't running. smbd is the daemon in question.

2. If you are talking about windows 10, its possible an update has made it harder for the windows pc to see the linux hosted shares. I actually have this problem and I haven't figured a solution yet. Linux to windows is fine, windows to linux is not (so far).

3. you can try direct addressing via IP address in windows that would be \\IP.ADD.RESS\sharename

I'm a little puzzled why the samba config utility isn't starting. try starting from terminal and see if there are any messages.

Code: Select all

sudo system-config-samba

[Joerg]

I tried smbd and nmbd restarts to no avail. It's a PC in a Windows 7 boot that I need to be able to see, and to see from. Direct addressing result in "cannot see" as well.

Here is what system-config-samba resulted in. I am not a SW specialist but it doesn't look good:

root@Vostro:~# system-config-samba
/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/gtk-2.0/gtk/__init__.py:57: GtkWarning: could not open display
warnings.warn(str(e), _gtk.Warning)
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: Warning: invalid (NULL) pointer instance
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: Warning: g_signal_connect_data: assertion 'G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE (instance)' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: GtkWarning: IA__gtk_settings_get_for_screen: assertion 'GDK_IS_SCREEN (screen)' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: Warning: g_object_get: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: GtkWarning: IA__gdk_pango_context_get_for_screen: assertion 'GDK_IS_SCREEN (screen)' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: PangoWarning: pango_context_set_font_description: assertion 'context != NULL' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: PangoWarning: pango_context_set_base_dir: assertion 'context != NULL' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: PangoWarning: pango_context_set_language: assertion 'context != NULL' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: PangoWarning: pango_layout_new: assertion 'context != NULL' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: PangoWarning: pango_layout_set_attributes: assertion 'layout != NULL' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: PangoWarning: pango_layout_set_text: assertion 'layout != NULL' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: PangoWarning: pango_layout_get_unknown_glyphs_count: assertion 'PANGO_IS_LAYOUT (layout)' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: Warning: g_object_unref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: GtkWarning: IA__gdk_screen_get_display: assertion 'GDK_IS_SCREEN (screen)' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
/usr/share/system-config-samba/mainWindow.py:62: GtkWarning: IA__gdk_keymap_get_for_display: assertion 'GDK_IS_DISPLAY (display)' failed
self.xml = gtk.glade.XML ("/usr/share/system-config-samba/system-config-samba.glade", domain="system-config-samba")
Segmentation fault

[Joerg]

The plot thickens. I tried to uninstall and re-install Samba via Synaptic. Re-install failed with this message:

E: samba: installed samba package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1

What does that mean? How can I fix it?

Now there is no more Samba menu item under "System". If there is no recovery from this, is there a way to re-install the whole MX-19 OS without losing everything else? Most importantly the VM setup which was tricky (I had to hand-edit the UUID in several places).

[dolphin_oracle]

posting all the output might help. I just removed and resinstalled samba without issue.

the "samba' in the menu is system-config-samba. its just a python frontend for samba sharing.

[Joerg]

Interesting, this time I tried from the terminal and it did install but with several error messages that I don't quite understand. Mainly those were

Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused

(dpkg-preconfigure:7284): Gtk-WARNING **: 11:29:05.140: cannot open display:

Failed to preset unit, unit /etc/systemd/system/samba-ad-dc.service is masked.

(frontend:7403): Gtk-WARNING **: 11:29:34.776: cannot open display:
debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Gnome

Can they be ignored?

Below is the whole output. Sorry, I haven't yet figured out how to post such results in a scrollable separate box:


joerg@Vostro:~
$ sudo apt install system-config-samba
[sudo] password for joerg:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
libaribb24-0 libbasicusageenvironment1 libcdio-cdda2 libcdio-paranoia2
libdvbpsi10 libebml4v5 libgdata-common libgdata22 libgoa-1.0-0b
libgoa-1.0-common libgroupsock8 libixml10 liblirc-client0 liblivemedia64
libmatroska6v5 libmicrodns0 libnfs12 liboauth0 libopenmpt-modplug1
libplacebo7 libprotobuf-lite17 libresid-builder0c2a libsdl-image1.2
libsidplay2 libspatialaudio0 libupnp13 libusageenvironment3 libvlc-bin
libvlc5 libvlccore9 libxcb-xv0 vlc-bin vlc-l10n vlc-plugin-base
vlc-plugin-notify vlc-plugin-qt vlc-plugin-skins2 vlc-plugin-video-output
vlc-plugin-video-splitter vlc-plugin-visualization
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following additional packages will be installed:
libsmbclient python-samba python-smbc samba samba-common samba-common-bin
samba-libs
Suggested packages:
bind9 bind9utils ctdb ldb-tools smbldap-tools winbind heimdal-clients
Recommended packages:
python-gpg attr samba-dsdb-modules samba-vfs-modules
The following NEW packages will be installed:
libsmbclient python-samba python-smbc samba samba-common samba-common-bin
samba-libs system-config-samba
0 upgraded, 8 newly installed, 0 to remove and 24 not upgraded.
Need to get 8,965 kB/10.0 MB of archives.
After this operation, 68.6 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates/main amd64 samba-libs amd64 2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1 [5,563 kB]
Get:2 http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo buster/main amd64 system-config-samba all 1.2.63-1mx17+1 [275 kB]
Get:3 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates/main amd64 libsmbclient amd64 2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1 [160 kB]
Get:4 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates/main amd64 python-samba amd64 2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1 [2,163 kB]
Get:5 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates/main amd64 samba-common all 2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1 [170 kB]
Get:6 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates/main amd64 samba-common-bin amd64 2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1 [615 kB]
Get:7 http://deb.debian.org/debian buster/main amd64 python-smbc amd64 1.0.15.6-1+b2 [18.2 kB]
Fetched 8,965 kB in 1s (7,135 kB/s)
Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused

(dpkg-preconfigure:7284): Gtk-WARNING **: 11:29:05.140: cannot open display:
debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Gnome
debconf: (DISPLAY problem?)
debconf: falling back to frontend: Dialog
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package samba-libs:amd64.
(Reading database ... 293885 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../0-samba-libs_2%3a4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking samba-libs:amd64 (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libsmbclient:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../1-libsmbclient_2%3a4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libsmbclient:amd64 (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package python-samba.
Preparing to unpack .../2-python-samba_2%3a4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking python-samba (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package samba-common.
Preparing to unpack .../3-samba-common_2%3a4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1_all.deb ...
Unpacking samba-common (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package samba-common-bin.
Preparing to unpack .../4-samba-common-bin_2%3a4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking samba-common-bin (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package samba.
Preparing to unpack .../5-samba_2%3a4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking samba (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package python-smbc.
Preparing to unpack .../6-python-smbc_1.0.15.6-1+b2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking python-smbc (1.0.15.6-1+b2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package system-config-samba.
Preparing to unpack .../7-system-config-samba_1.2.63-1mx17+1_all.deb ...
Unpacking system-config-samba (1.2.63-1mx17+1) ...
Setting up samba-libs:amd64 (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Setting up samba-common (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused

(frontend:7403): Gtk-WARNING **: 11:29:34.776: cannot open display:
debconf: unable to initialize frontend: Gnome
debconf: (DISPLAY problem?)
debconf: falling back to frontend: Dialog

Creating config file /etc/samba/smb.conf with new version
Setting up libsmbclient:amd64 (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Setting up python-samba (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Setting up python-smbc (1.0.15.6-1+b2) ...
Setting up samba-common-bin (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Checking smb.conf with testparm
Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf
Loaded services file OK.
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE

Done
Setting up samba (2:4.9.5+dfsg-5+deb10u1) ...
Samba is not being run as an AD Domain Controller: Masking samba-ad-dc.service
Please ignore the following error about deb-systemd-helper not finding those services.
(samba-ad-dc.service masked)
[ ok ] Starting SMB/CIFS daemon: smbd.
[ ok ] Starting NetBIOS name server: nmbd.
Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/nmbd.service → /lib/systemd/system/nmbd.service.
Failed to preset unit, unit /etc/systemd/system/samba-ad-dc.service is masked.
/usr/bin/deb-systemd-helper: error: systemctl preset failed on samba-ad-dc.service: No such file or directory
Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/smbd.service → /lib/systemd/system/smbd.service.
Setting up system-config-samba (1.2.63-1mx17+1) ...
Processing triggers for ufw (0.36-1) ...
Processing triggers for systemd (1:241-7~deb10u3+mx19) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.5-2) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.23-4) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.62) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.28-10) ...

[dolphin_oracle]

that seems ok.

you can use the code tags for posting such output. that will give you the scrollable box..

[ code ] text [ /code ]

without the spaces in the brackets.

[Joerg]

Thank you, Dolphin, this was all very helpful and now at least Samba is running. NTFS-formatted drives do not work though. They show up on the network but access is denied. However, I guess that is not an MX-Linux specific issue but more generic, Linux seems not to like NTFS. The shares in the Samba config look ok to me and only the first (joerg, is ext4 formatted) works:

[joerg]
<------>path = /home/joerg
<------>writeable = yes
;<----->browseable = yes
<------>guest ok = yes

[3FAC40601C047529]
<------>path = /media/joerg/3FAC40601C047529
<------>writeable = yes
;<----->browseable = yes
<------>guest ok = yes

[NTFS Data]
<------>path = /media/joerg/NTFS Data
<------>writeable = yes
;<----->browseable = yes
<------>guest ok = yes

[Data]
<------>path = /media/joerg/3FAC40601C047529/Data
<------>writeable = yes
;<----->browseable = yes
<------>guest ok = yes

[dolphin_oracle]

you probably need to ensure that the ntfs drive is mounted with appropriate permissions for whoever is accessing the drive, be it local or remote. samba does not override local permissions. you can also use forceuser and forcegroup in the smb.conf file to specify user and group permissions. or create mask even (example: create mask = 0775) to force permissions on a given share.

[esbeeb]

Linux seems not to like NTFS. The shares in the Samba config look ok to me and only the first (joerg, is ext4 formatted) works:

Jeorg, I would suggest, please consider just doing the straightforward thing, and serve your data from a Linux filesystem, such as BTRFS, or EXT4.

Dolphin Oracle, I have tremendous respect for you, however I feel it's fair to point out that using NTFS-formatted drives to serve data out of is sort of an oddball thing to do in Linux. Even if that serving-out is done by Samba. It will always make for tough-to-support scenarios. The smoother path will always be to "go with the flow" of using Linux-native, open-source filesystems to serve data out of, on a Linux server.

I've administered Samba for years, on several different servers. The sense that I came away with was this: always just do the most common, simple thing which the documentation, or Distro suggests. Any time I tried to do anything "fancy" with Samba, I regretted that, as it was difficult to support longer term. It became a thorn in my side. Simplicity translates into lower maintenance, longer term.

BTW: filesystems like BTRFS have huge technical advantages over NTFS. It performs faster, supports snapshotting, checksumming, etc. It's a quantum leap ahead of NTFS (which harkens from like 1997 or so). BTRFS takes time to get to know, but is likeable, once you warm up to tools like "snapper" to do automated snapshots for you. Just don't do RAID5 with BTRFS!