SambaServer

From MyLinuxNotes

After an upgrade I got this error mailed to root:

The Samba 'panic action' script, /usr/share/samba/panic-action,
was called for PID 5843 (/usr/sbin/smbd).

This means there was a problem with the program, such as a segfault.
Below is a backtrace for this process generated with gdb, which shows
the state of the program at the time the error occurred.  The Samba log
files may contain additional information about the problem.

If the problem persists, you are encouraged to first install the
samba-dbg package, which contains the debugging symbols for the Samba
binaries.  Then submit the provided information as a bug report to
Debian.  For information about the procedure for submitting bug reports,
please see http://www.debian.org/Bugs/Reporting or the reportbug(1)
manual page.

(no debugging symbols found)
Using host libthread_db library "/lib/tls/i686/cmov/libthread_db.so.1".
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
[New Thread -1481218368 (LWP 5843)]
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
(no debugging symbols found)
0xffffe410 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
#0  0xffffe410 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
#1  0xa7c730f3 in waitpid () from /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6
#2  0xa7c1b629 in strtold_l () from /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6
#3  0xa7daaaad in system () from /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread.so.0
#4  0x0822b8ba in smb_panic ()
#5  0x081ea941 in make_pdb_method_name ()
#6  0x081ea98e in initialize_password_db ()
#7  0x082c1cd1 in main ()

The fix is very simple as described in this bug report. All that it was was a comma where it shouldn't have been.

Swat

Swat is the Samba Web Administration Tool. I recommend using Swat to configure your server, it's much easier and has online help. If you are using RedHat it may or maynot be installed. If not install the RPM. It gets installed disabled. To enable it you need to edit /etc/xinetd.d/swat and make sure it reads:

 service swat
 {
         port    = 901
         socket_type     = stream
         wait    = no
         only_from = 127.0.0.1
         user    = root
         server  = /usr/sbin/swat
         log_on_failure  += USERID
         disable = no
 }

Here is what my /etc/samba/smb.conf created with Swat looks like:

  # Samba config file created using SWAT
  # from Greyson (127.0.0.1)
  # Date: 2002/10/18 15:02:46

  # Global parameters
  [global]
          workgroup = SIMPLE
          server string = Samba Server
          interfaces = eth1 vmnet1 vmnet8
          encrypt passwords = Yes
          log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
          max log size = 50
          socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192
          preferred master = True
          domain master = True
          dns proxy = No
          wins support = Yes
          hosts allow = 192.168.0.
          printing = lprng
 
  [printers]
          comment = All Printers
          path = /var/spool/samba
          printable = Yes
          browseable = No

  [case_files]
          path = /home/stuff
          read only = No

  [shared_files]
          path = /home/shared_files
          read only = No
 

The majority of the values above are defaults.

If you don't have a WINS server make sure you use wins support = Yes otherwise you'll probably have trouble seeing machines in Network Neighborhood. A WINS server is for internal NetBios name resolution. ( i.e., propritary window$ crap ).