Computer Systems > Self Administered Systems > Mounting Samba Windows Vista

Mounting Samba from Windows Vista

Please READ this first

Editing the registry or using the security configuration tools in Vista can have devastating consequences. Please do so at your own risk. If you do not feel comfortable changing these settings, please get in touch with your Point of Contact (PoC).

• Thanks.

END OF WARNING

The issue with Samba and Vista is that Vista no longer permits LM or NTLM authentication by default; only NTLMv2. We are in the process of upgrading our Samba server but for the moment, here is the workaround.

Vista Business

Start>Run>secpol.msc [enter] Click on "Local Policies" --> "Security Options" Navigate to the policy "Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level" and double-click it to get its Properties. By default Windows Vista sets the policy to "NTVLM2 responses only". Use the drop-down arrow to change this to "LM and NTLM - use NTLMV2 session security if negotiated".

Vista Home

• Run the registry editor and open this key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa

• If it doesn't already exist, create a DWORD value named LmCompatibilityLevel

• Set the value to 1
• Reboot

How to Mount Samba

Go to the Start bubble and select Computer

On the top menu, select Map Network Drive

in the Folder drop down menu type \\smb\'YOUR_USERNAME'

When prompted give your username and password.

Known Problems

1. If you receive an error message, the chances are that there is a problem with your password.
2. If your password is longer than 8 characters, only supply the first 8 characters.
3. If your password does contain an '[' or a ']', change it so that it does not. SAMBA can balk when offered such passwords.
4. If this still does not work, you might have to resynch your password with our SAMBA password file. The easiest way to do this is to reset your password via passwd. Wait 30 minutes and try again.