Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

Hi, has anyone here had any experience of setting up Linux with Samba as a Primary Domain Controller for Windows XP systems and been sucessful? I would love to hear from you as I am trying to set it up right now, when trying to join the domain I get a box pop up asking for a username and password so I enter

username: graham
password: ****************************

and I get the error message:

---------------------------
Computer Name Changes
---------------------------
The following error occurred attempting to join the domain "HOME":
The RPC server is unavailable.
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
It's obviously detecting the PDC there as Its asking for the username and password, and Im also able to get files off of it through My Network Places or by mapping a drive so my username and password must be correct. Has anyone any idea what is going on? smbd, nmbd and winbindd are the services running.

Thanks

Zeph

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

I don't know much about setting it up as a PDC (having never tried it, lol), but have you tried the autoconfiguration program called SWAT? It runs from a web browser and there are lots of nice wizards and so on to help you set it up.

From memory, I think you can get to it by going to http://localhost:901, but SWAT needs to be running as a service first (I use xinetd in SuSE to do it, although in other distros I think it may be different).

Sorry I don't know anything more, hopefully this may be of some use :)

P

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

Yup ive tried SWAT, and Samba reckons its running as a PDC but I cant join the Domain :(

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

Its a long shot but you could give this a try, when xp tries to connect to a samba domain controller it kind of gets upset with security channels.
On the xp machine just edit the registry with the following key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Netlogon\Parameters]
"requiresignorseal"=dword:00000000
fingers crossed that should help.
If not have a nosey in your windows event logs and see if there is owt under there :)

DJ

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

OK this is odd, I already tried the above by the way but looking in my Event log I have the following:

Quote:

Error -DHCP Your computer has lost the lease to its IP address 192.168.2.5 on the Network Card with network address 000D6107B0B9. For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Both occur when I try to connect to the domain, any ideas? Why would joining an NT domain affect my DHCP configuration?

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

possible silly question but have you tried a static IP on the xp machine??

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

Woooooohooooo I love you DJ! :D Why does that work then?

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

doyou have a router serving your ip addys, is so could be that causing samba to hiccup.

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

It must have been, as it's working now with a static address.

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

You may find that your linux samba box - win xp cant do the security unless linux is used as the DHCP server or you use static ip addys... im just guessing as never used samba before, always use windows for my PDC's

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

OK next question maybe someone can help with?

How can I create a user called "Administrator" or whatever that has Administrator rights on the domain and on all the workstations?

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

Well as far as i remeber, if you are connected to the domain, the local machine picks up your user level from A/D (or whatevar samba uses) so if you are domain admin you will also be admin on that pc if looged on as such....

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

...I think only if Domain Admins are in the local admins group (which I think they are by default)

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

Hmm no cant get it to work :(

Any more input please?

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

What cant you get to work zeph... mind reading is not one of my skills.... is it the logging in problem still? if so whats hpaeening

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

Basically I want admins to have machine level Administrator clearance on each Workstation and for the Domain, but there doesn't seem to be such a setting in Samba, is there a Linux Bod out there!?

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

Above my knowledge im afraid... windows server man myself

Re: Using Linux & Samba as a PDC
 

I've sorted it, it consisted of putting the Administrator user from my domain into the Administrators group on the local system.