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Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems

Offline NathanLundholm

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #15 on: June 07, 2019, 10:34:16 PM »
Yes.  I did put the files in the admin's personal directory rather than an ibay.
This was before I read the documentation.

Offline ReetP

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #16 on: June 07, 2019, 11:47:25 PM »
Yes.  I did put the files in the admin's personal directory rather than an ibay.
This was before I read the documentation.

Ah ok.

Well, it's possible to move files, and that will need doing as it isn't that clever using the admin account for file sharing as you are possibly starting to realise (I blame M$ for dumbing down stuff. Hey ho)

So to recap.

You can login to server-manager using the user admin and the admin/root password, correct?

You can browse, login and see shares from Win 7 as user x with their user password setup in SME, correct?

You can't login and see shares from Win 7 as user admin with your admin/root password, correct? This throws a bad username/password error?



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Offline NathanLundholm

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #17 on: June 08, 2019, 01:15:49 AM »
Correct on all three counts.

And because I COULD access shares on it before the format, but only from one PC, I'm wondering if it's got them tied to one distinct PC (which is no longer recognized due to reformat/reinstall of Windows) for security reasons maybe.
« Last Edit: June 08, 2019, 01:30:50 AM by NathanLundholm »

Offline ReetP

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #18 on: June 08, 2019, 02:03:18 AM »
Correct on all three counts.

OK

Quote
And because I COULD access shares on it before the format, but only from one PC, I'm wondering if it's got them tied to one distinct PC (which is no longer recognized due to reformat/reinstall of Windows) for security reasons maybe.

Unlikely.

Shares on SME don't work like that. Access is via user/password. It doesn't care which machine you are coming in from.

Assuming you haven't 'Saved Password' when connecting to the server from any of your machines, ANY of them can login with ANY user password with permission on SME (this is NOT the same as doing Domain Logons)

So, can you access the server using the admin user & password from a different machine, or is that account blocked on them all?

You may need to reboot between attempts.

Now, that got me thinking. I wonder if somehow, somewhere, you mis-typed that admin password and it has been remembered by this cantankerous PC of yours?

There are any number of howtos online about removing stored password eg

https://www.faqforge.com/windows/how-delete-saved-passwords-for-network-drives-in-windows/

Try that (just trying to eliminate stuff... do this slowly and methodically so we can try and find out what does work, and what does not)

Also - can you check that you have:

a) added the Win 7 registry fixes - see docs
Available in https://your.server.net/server-resources/regedit/

2) SMBv1 is installed and running

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2. Read the Wiki
3. Don't ask for support on Unsupported versions of software
4. I have a job, wife, and kids and do this in my spare time. If you want something fixed, please help.

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Offline NathanLundholm

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #19 on: June 08, 2019, 06:08:40 AM »
I HAVE applied the registry fixes.  I know the password isn't mistyped because I use it to get into server manager and ssh and both of those are working.  Access to admin file directory is blocked on all systems.  Windows 7 registry edits HAVE been applied, but will apply them again.  Smb1 I am pretty sure is installed and running.  How do I find out for sure?

EDIT: Problem solved and I'm not sure exactly how or exactly what's going on.

1. I KNOW the password wasn't mistyped when I programmed it in.
2. I KNOW the password wasn't mistyped every time I tried to log in.
3. Due to the combination of facts 1 and 2, I KNOW I was typing the password accurately, yet it wasn't letting me in due to bad password.
4. Changing the password (a little experiment) caused it to work.  I'm now able to get in with the new password.  This points to the original password being mistyped, yet I know I wasn't mistyping it.

Spock from Star Trek would NOT enjoy this illogical matter, but anyway it's solved with a new password and a severe lack of logic as far as I'm concerned, but thanks both of you.

Hmm.  Is it possible the old password became corrupted, not in server manager or in the admin system, but just in samba?
« Last Edit: June 08, 2019, 06:27:42 AM by NathanLundholm »

Online TerryF

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #20 on: June 08, 2019, 06:25:33 AM »
What John is suggesting is if you may have mistyped the admin password on a windows PC and it has saved the credentials. Clear the password and credentials that may have been saved on the windows PC, John posted a link to a how to, or google how to remove windows 7/10 credentials

Re smb1, you said you were able to access shares using a users details, ergo smb1 must be working, it has been windows 10 that has issues with the protocol etc windows 7 has been trouble free in that regard


Added: post prior to mine must have been posting as I was typing, alls well that ends that way :-)
« Last Edit: June 08, 2019, 06:36:50 AM by TerryF »
--
qui scribit bis legit

Offline NathanLundholm

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #21 on: June 08, 2019, 06:30:12 AM »
As mentioned in my previous post, changing the admin password for the server in its entirety fixed the problem... which is illogical as I KNOW the password was being typed correctly and the Windows system didn't have it saved, I was typing it manually each time and couldn't have been typing it wrong each time.
But now it's working.
Can passwords get corrupted in samba config somewhere?  I'm flummoxed.  But at least it's working... satisfactory conclusion.

Offline ReetP

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #22 on: June 08, 2019, 05:29:17 PM »
As mentioned in my previous post, changing the admin password for the server in its entirety fixed the problem... which is illogical as I KNOW the password was being typed correctly and the Windows system didn't have it saved, I was typing it manually each time and couldn't have been typing it wrong each time.

I'm afraid the answer is yes you can... I have watched users do it before. And swear blind they were typing it right.

And hence my chain of questioning.....

Quote
But now it's working.

That's the most important thing. Followed by moving your files from the admin personal directory to a proper shared directory (and NOT using the admin account for anything BUT Administration)

Quote
Can passwords get corrupted in samba config somewhere?  I'm flummoxed.  But at least it's working... satisfactory conclusion.

Passwords can 'potentially' get corrupted.

However.

Unless you went and tried to manually change something on your server via Putty and didn't tell us, it is extremely unlikely.

And SME syncs your standard user and SMB passwords automatically so it is unlikely that things went awry there.

So when you reset your admin password via the server-manager, it also updated your SMB password too.

« Last Edit: June 08, 2019, 05:35:11 PM by ReetP »
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Offline NathanLundholm

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #23 on: June 09, 2019, 01:50:10 AM »
Here's the thing.  I once used a personal (non-admin) folder to store files.  I was unable to access it via FTP.  If this occurs again, I will be needing assistance again with that issue.  But at least this issue is solved.  I will move my files at earliest convenience.

In the article does it say WHY not to use admin folder for my files?I am the administrator and it seemed the simplest solution for keeping them out of the hands of other users of my server.

Offline ReetP

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Re: Can't access SMEserver shares from windows 7 authentication problems
« Reply #24 on: June 09, 2019, 01:00:04 PM »
Here's the thing.  I once used a personal (non-admin) folder to store files.  I was unable to access it via FTP.  If this occurs again, I will be needing assistance again with that issue.  But at least this issue is solved.  I will move my files at earliest convenience.

You might have better chance of understanding if you follow this up by reading the entire manual. And have a good read around the wiki, and about linux servers in general.

It is just a case of the correct permissions. You may also be better off using say SCP which is more secure than FTP which is pretty insecure. There are other methods of accessing file remotely as well. The Wiki is your friend.

As long as you have SME set up correctly you should have no need of the admin account for files. You can have your own user directory available only to you, and shared directories available to anyone with the correct permissions.

If you get stuck then please ask - it is better to find the correct method than trying to bodge around it with the wrong one. That is the path to disaster.

Quote
In the article does it say WHY not to use admin folder for my files?I am the administrator and it seemed the simplest solution for keeping them out of the hands of other users of my server.

Because this is not a Windows world where you were blindly encouraged to just use an admin account and hell with the consequences.

In Linux you have a 'root' account which is god and can do anything. But it is clearly dangerous and lots of bad stuff can go wrong. For some long and complicated reasons buried in the mists of time, SME has an admin account as well that is very similar to the root account.

In Linux you are encouraged to keep those accounts special and treat them with the respect that they deserve. Just because you 'Administrate' the server, it doesn't automatically translate to being an administrative, user day to day.

Save your administrative powers for when you need to administrate.

You should do all your 'normal' day to day stuff with a normal user account that you can set restricted permissions so it can't do so much damage if things go wrong.

You can then add users to groups and give both user and group permissions on what they can and cannot see. A much more sensible and refined idea. There is a wealth of information online about permissions.

That is all extremely simple, and much much safer. You just need to learn how.
...
1. Read the Manual
2. Read the Wiki
3. Don't ask for support on Unsupported versions of software
4. I have a job, wife, and kids and do this in my spare time. If you want something fixed, please help.

Bugs are easier than you think: http://wiki.contribs.org/Bugzilla_Help

If you love SME and don't want to lose it, join in: http://wiki.contribs.org/Koozali_Foundation