Using SAMBA with NT

Using SAMBA with NT

SAMBA makes some of our networked Unix disks and directories - such as Unix home directories - available on Windows machines, appearing as normal Windows shares (networked disks). It also makes Unix printers available to Windows machines. This is done using the Windows SMB network file-sharing protocol, hence the name SAMBA.

Other resources are available through SMB too - for example, you can access the SMB service of SunSite UK by mounting \\sn.doc.ic.ac.uk\Archive.

Accessing Unix Disks & Directories · Accessing Printers

Accessing Unix Disks & Directories

Two sorts of directory are currently available through SAMBA: Unix home directories, and shared archives of Windows-related software and files. (Please mail support for permission to use the SAMBA shared directories.)

Your Unix home directory can be accessed either graphically or via the command line, using the net use command. Here are some examples:

net use k: \\smbhost\user: mount user's home directory on drive k:
net use * \\smbhost\user: mount user's home directory, on the next available drive letter
net use: shows which disks have already been mounted

To do this graphically, right-click My Computer, choose Map Network Drive, and type in the Path (\\smbhost\user for user's home directory), or navigate through the hosts available. (The SAMBA host smbhost is in the DCSUNIX workgroup.) When prompted for a username and password, enter your Unix ones.

The shared NT archive directories can be accessed in a similar way. These are the paths to use:

\\smbhost\applications%user: NT Application programs, ready for installation to your PC
\\smbhost\docs%user: NT Documentation
\\smbhost\developer%user: Things for programmers
\\smbhost\system%user: System-related files, for example device drivers.

In all cases user is your Unix login.

By default, mounts such as this are persistent. When you next login, NT will attempt to re-mount the disk, and will prompt you for a password if necessary. To get rid of the mount, use the /delete option, like this:

net use f: /delete: unmount drive f:
net use \\smbhost\user /delete: unmount user's home directory

or graphically, open My Computer, right-click the network disk, and Disconnect.

There are more options. To find out more:

net use /help | more

Accessing Printers

The department's printers can be accessed from NT; but access to each printer has to be set up first, using this procedure:

Check that you know the exact model number of the printer you want to set up. For example, when this was written, hp24 was an HP LaserJet 5Si MX PS. Mail support if you have difficulty here, and explain the situation to them.
Make sure that you have access to the shared disks available through SAMBA (see above). You may need to install printer device drivers. These have been provided for you on the system disk in the drivers\printers directory.
Login as administrator.
Enable a printer on your machine using the Add Printer wizard. Open My Computer; open Printers; and start Add Printer.
Choose Network Printer Server.
Navigate to your chosen printer. Our printers are available from smbhost in the DCSUNIX workgroup.
Choose whether or not this is to be your default printer. You can choose Yes or No, but it helps to have one printer as your default.
If NT already has a device driver for the printer, then the Add Printer wizard finishes here. If the device driver is not present, then you are prompted for a location to find the device driver. Navigate to these directories on the system disk to find device drivers for the printers (these examples assume that \\smbhost\system is mounted on the J: disk):

hp24
J:\drivers\printers\hp24
cl16
J:\drivers\printers\cl16
other printers
J:\drivers\printers\nt4.0
When prompted with a list of printer models to choose from, choose the one closest to the exact model number which you obtained earlier.
Once the Add Printer wizard has finished, you should find a new printer icon in your Printers directory.
One or two changes will be needed before you can print to the printer. Right-click the icon and choose Document Defaults.
The most important change to make here is to double-click PostScript Options (under Document Options), highlight Generate Job Control Code, and switch this to No.
Other changes (such as turning Duplex on or off) can be made to your own taste.
Test the printer. You can print either from an application program, or by dropping a document onto the printer icon.

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