Using Samba and Kubuntu 10.04

[Annorax]

Hi all,

I have Kubuntu 10.04 in VirutalBox running on Windows XP. It's up and running well.

I would like to be able to, in Windows, browse my Kubuntu hard drive. I am attempting to install Samba using this site as a guide: http://kubuntuguide.org/Lucid#Samba_File_Sharing

I have done the below

sudo apt-get install samba samba-tools system-config-samba

and restarted. I see a Samba icon in my System menu, but clicking it does nothing. If I right click on a folder in Dolphin and try to configure file sharing there, the button prompts me for a password but does nothing.

Is there something I am missing?

[oshunluvr]

Re: Using Samba and Kubuntu 10.04

Your kubuntu "hard drive" isn't a hard drive - it's a virtual hard drive. Unless you're attempting to access it from another computer - not the host computer - you can't get to it that way. You have to set up Shared Folders with VirtualBox.

[Annorax]

Re: Using Samba and Kubuntu 10.04

I do have Shared Folders configured, and that lets me see from guest to host. But I would like my host to see my guest, hence why I am trying Samba.

I actually do have it working now via that website I linked, but I had to edit the files manually. The "Samba" menu item does not do anything, nor does File Permissions when right clicking on a folder. Does anyone know why that may be the case?

[oshunluvr]

Re: Using Samba and Kubuntu 10.04

I pretty sure you can't use samba from host to guest since both share the same network IP. I think I might be unclear on exactly what you're trying to do. A VirtualBox shared folder is a subdirectory on your host that your guest can access - by default then, since the files actually reside on your host, your host can access them as well. You can freely move files from your guest to host by copying or moving to the shared directory and your guest can access any file you put in the host folder.

It seems you want to connect to the virtual kubuntu hard drive like it was a windows directory or drive. I don't know of any way to that. If kubuntu is running in vbox on your windows machine, you are "browsing" the kubuntu drive from windows. I'm unclear on the benefit of an additional way to access the virtual drive.

As far as samba:
Open your System Settings and goto Advanced > Samba (near the bottom) there's dozens more options there. If there's not - you may not have samba-server running. The client settings are in System Settings > Networking and Connectivity > Sharing but there you can only enter your samba username and password.

Basically, to completely share files in both directions, both computers have to be configured as samba host and client. Changing file permissions remotely would require the security level to do so. Giving a client permission to access your entire drive without security is not normal practice for linux and likely difficult to do.