Linux and Windows
How to get Linux and Windows machines on speaking terms
I suggest you read everything before trying to do anything
These instructions may look intimidating, but
you probably don't need to do most of the steps described here.
Background
These documents are based on my experience with RedHat Linux 5.1 - 9.0, Fedora Core 1 - 6, Mandrake Linux 7.0 - 2006, Windows for Work Groups 3.11, and Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP. I have hardly used Windows ME (I hear it ought to be called Windows 98, 3rd Edition). These instructions work, for me at least, for any out-of-the-box installation of Windows (any version).
Be aware, however, that things can get complicated and may not work as described here, IF:
- your network involves a domain controller, proxy server, NT server, or firewall
- you use another version of Linux, i.e., not RedHat/Fedora or Mandrake; other versions may have slightly different commands, file names, or file locations. Check your documentation. To learn how to search for files in Linux, click
here.
Note also that there are various versions of Samba; for example, the one you get with FreeBSD (Unix) is slightly different to install and configure, and the files aren't in the same place as with Red Hat and Mandrake Linux.
Installing and configuring Samba to deal with Windows for Work Groups and Windows 95 is identical. Microsoft made certain changes regarding passwords and security to Windows versions 98 and later. The changes make it a little more complicated to connect Windows 98+ to a Linux box. The initial setup is the same as for Windows 3.11 and 95, but several additional steps might be required.
Strange Glitches I Have Seen
- Windows 9x machines may be invisible to Linux machines if they do not have NetBEUI installed; this should not be the case, but...I've seen it happen
- Linux machines may reject passwords from Windows 2000 and XP machines for no apparent reason; changing your password to something else (anything), then changing it back, or rebooting Windows, fixes this for me. Go figure. If it doesn't, I have no ideas.
- Windows XP may give an error message about printers on Linux machines having the wrong drivers, but printing works anyway.
- Windows XP may say a network printer on a Linux machine cannot be contacted, but printing works anyway.