Trying to access files on Windows server
I have a shared folder on XP, which I can access using OSX using SMB. The problem is it locks the files and won't let any of the other PC's open the file. Multiple P.C.'s can open the file, but then the Mac can't because it is "locked"
Anyone have any idea whats going on or what I have to do?
Thanks.
Anyone have any idea whats going on or what I have to do?
Thanks.
Comments
Jamie Kettlewell believes that it is double-logons that cause this problem.
I can confirm that I get occasional issues with any one of my three Mac OS X clients being unable to delete or move folders on the Windows 2003 server.
From what I can ascertain, the problem occurs when one of the OS X clients gets a double login or login session. This generally means that one of the sessions gets read locks on the '._' files and then subsequently these files cannot be moved or deleted until I close the open file lock.
This does seem to ONLY happen with MAC logins that get 2 login sessions. As I write this, I am looking at the server and again, one of the MAC users has a double login; this will no doubt cause a phone call sometime this afternoon due to one of them being not able to move or delete a file or folder.
Either there is an intermittent bug in OS X which stops the double login or the double login IS the bug. Either way, the off shoot of this is that '._' files are left locked and subsequently stops folders being moved or deleted.
A better solution
September 12, 2005 -- Branko Collin offers a workaround for the problem of "._" files left on SMB servers locking up real files, and where folders can't be moved or deleted:
I don't know if this has been solved yet, but some of your readers pointed out that the only way to solve the problem of the extraneous file locks is to reboot the Windows Server.
Windows 2003 has a tool called File Server Administration (or something similar; I translated this from its Dutch name) that will allow you to delete the file locks. No reboots necessary.
(Of course one has to be careful with this; you probably do not want to delete legitimate file locks.)
September 16, 2005
Matt Bogen clarifies the fix:
I was glad to see this tip on MacWindows this morning; I actually only discovered this workaround late last week, myself.
Just to clarify what Mr. Collin had noted: The tool is called "File Server Management" (I access it by clicking the "manage this file server" link on the Manage Your Server pop-up windows that comes up by default when you log onto a Win2003 server). One of the options on the left-hand side of this tool is "Open Files (Local)." Click there, and from the resulting file list, select all ._ files that are causing problems. Click the "Close Open File" link that can be found to the left of the list of those filenames. After you do this, you can delete the ._ files, and more importantly, OS X users can then rename files, save files, and do other things they weren't able to do because of the file lock.
I've been doing this as a preventative maintenance step each morning since I found out how to do this. We have about a dozen Mac OS X users hitting a Win 2003 file server, and it saves time and stress during the day just to clear all ._ files before they even get on their workstations in the morning.
http://www.macwindows.com/panther.html
Windows Server 2003 does seem to support AFP. Can't you use ftp?
OK - I just found out that we need to connect to the P.C. using AFP instead of SMB. Unfortunately, from what I've learned - you can't log into XP via AFP - we would need to upgrade to 2003 server - is this true, or does anyone have any other suggestions?
Access via SMB should work fine, there is no need to worry about AFP on a Windows box. Just make sure the users know what "forbidden characters" they shouldn't use in file names (i.e. : or \\ or / or | or * or ? or " or < or >).
I have a shared folder on XP, which I can access using OSX using SMB. The problem is it locks the files and won't let any of the other PC's open the file. Multiple P.C.'s can open the file, but then the Mac can't because it is "locked"
Anyone have any idea whats going on or what I have to do?
Thanks.
You mean: when the Mac opens a specific file (e.g. Excel spreadsheet) first, a PC would give the error that the file can't be opened because access to that file is denied? If on the other hand, the PC opens the file first, it gets opened by the Mac as read-only (I tried this both with Excel and Word documents; my file server runs on Win XP as well).
This might be a "problem" specific to Microsoft Office (you are talking about MS Office, right?), and has nothing to do with the fact that the files are stored on a Windows XP network share. I wouldn't call it a "problem", though, because it prevents errors caused by simultaneous write access to a single file. Example: A deletes part x and B was just reformatting part y, both save at the same time or shortly one after the other: what should be saved then? Should the other person see the changes the first person made, too? And when? This shouldn't happen at all and that's probably why it is not possible to open the same file on several computers at once.
Try this experiment: If a second PC tries to open a Word or Excel file, it asks whether the file should be opened read-only of if a local copy should be created. If two Macs try to access the same Word file for example, the second Mac denies access to that file as well because it is already opened. So it is no wonder that error messages pop up when trying cross-platform access to the same file...
So the answer is: two computers shouldn't be able to open the same file at the same time with write access. If this happens anyway, the application designer made a fatal error permitting this. Solution: if people really, really need to access the same information, they should copy that file to their desktop (and of course they shouldn't edit that file!!!).
Access via SMB should work fine, there is no need to worry about AFP on a Windows box. Just make sure the users know what "forbidden characters" they shouldn't use in file names (i.e. : or \\ or / or | or * or ? or " or < or >).
The files we are having problems with are Multiledger files. It is a multi-user application, and all the P.C.'s on the network can open it fine. However, when we open the file with a Mac, it locks it and no other computers can open the file.
I emailed Multiledger tech support, and they said to try AFP - but from what I can tell, you need Server 2003 to be able to log in with AFP.
Definitely no illegal characters in the files.
Is this similar to what you get via SMB?:
Windows Server 2003 does seem to support AFP. Can't you use ftp?
Thanks, I found that article. Currently we are using XP, and I was hoping not to have to upgrade to Server 2003 since it's $400 or so.
The files we are having problems with are Multiledger files. It is a multi-user application, and all the P.C.'s on the network can open it fine. However, when we open the file with a Mac, it locks it and no other computers can open the file.
I emailed Multiledger tech support, and they said to try AFP - but from what I can tell, you need Server 2003 to be able to log in with AFP.
Definitely no illegal characters in the files.
Ah, alright, Multiledger files. For getting AFP access (if that really helps), you should first try PC MacLan by Computer Associates (was Miramar before) before rushing out and buy Win Server 2003. CA offers a 30-day trial version, too.
product: http://ca.miramar.com/Products/PC_MACLAN/
trial version: http://www.my-etrust.com/SubscriptCe...ialcenter.aspx
Ah, alright, Multiledger files. For getting AFP access (if that really helps), you should first try PC MacLan by Computer Associates (was Miramar before) before rushing out and buy Win Server 2003. CA offers a 30-day trial version, too.
product: http://ca.miramar.com/Products/PC_MACLAN/
trial version: http://www.my-etrust.com/SubscriptCe...ialcenter.aspx
Thanks MAN!!!!
Unfortunately, the trial only works for NT - but they said if I bought it and it didn't work then I could get a refund.