Error on accessing Microsoft Access File from Samba

[TAMILVANAN]

Hi all,
I have a system running HP-UX 11.0 with Samba Server Version 2.0.9. In my samba share there are some Microsoft Access database files. When I map from WinNT/Win2k I could able to see all the file. But I am unable to open the Microsoft Access Files.My NT system throws Disk/Network Error.
Can somebody throw some light on this issue.
Thanx & Regards,
V.Tamilvanan

[Mike Hassell · Accepted solution]

Tamilvanan,

I've heard about this problem in the past and I think is due to the way that M$ Access locks the database files. This even occurs on native NT shares, so it's not really a samba problem, but it can be fixed from the samba side.

M$ Access has a weird way of locking the .mdb file when accessing any network share. This means that if the network share, in this case a samba share is showing up as a mapped drive on the client, but takes an actual refresh (for example smb_trans2_request), then Access pukes and gives you the sort of error your seeing.

To resolve this problem, I would start by playing around with your smb.conf to enable the following paramters:

socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_KEEPALIVE

This should keep the shares active from the client side and hopefully do away with the error message your seeing.

Of course this is a trial and error type thing. You may want to even check M$ support for a knowledge base article on this as it may be of some assistance as well.

Hope that helps.

-Mike

[TAMILVANAN]

Hi All,
Thank you very much for Mike who sent a detailed description and cause for the problem.
The same M$ Access file is working fine with the Samba Version 2.0.3 on HP-UX 10.20. But I am finding problem with Samba Version 2.0.9 on HP-UX 11.0. If I see the smb.conf configuration of both the server.It looks same.
Moreover the system which is having this M$ Access Problem is so critical one and I cannot restart the Samba unless I have a concrete solution for the problem.
Can some one send me there smb.conf file where theey don't have problem in accessing MS Access which is running on above said version.
Thanx & regards,
V.Tamilvanan.