Samba Print Sharing Stopped Working

DJOtaku · 09-28-2008, 11:52 PM

I was doing some work on my Debian machine and updated the samba packages. That was broken for a while and then I got it working again. Then I noticed that I couldn't print from anywhere - not in Linux nor in Windows! I tried an apt-get upgrade and a whole bunch of ppackages were held back. I hate when that happens. How do I just tell it to go ahead anyway?

So I noticed that one of the held back packages was cups. I got that installed and now I can print from Linux again, but I still can't print from Windows.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think Windows can see the printers, but can't send anything to print. It just remains in the print queue in Windows.

Here are the relevant parts of my smb.conf:

Code:

[global]
	security = SHARE
	guest account = smbprint
	max log size = 1000
	printcap name = cups

[printers]
	comment = All Printers
	path = /home/smbprint
	read only = No
	create mask = 0700
	guest only = Yes
	guest ok = Yes
	printable = Yes
	use client driver = Yes
	browseable = No

[print$]
	comment = Printer Drivers
	path = /var/lib/samba/printers
	guest ok = Yes

I tried for the past two hours to figure this out, but I'm getting sleepy.

The output above is what I ran through testparm -s and one thing I'd like to know is why it says browseable = No if I have browseable = Yes in my smb.conf. Here's what it looks like in my smb.conf:

Code:

[printers]
   comment = All Printers
   browseable = yes
#   path = /tmp
   path = /var/spool/samba
   printable = yes
   public = yes
   writable = yes
   create mode = 0700
   guest only = yes
   guest account = smbprint
   path = /home/smbprint
   use client driver = yes

I know that's not the complete source of my problems - or maybe it is? I'm not sure. Also, I'm using Samba 3.2.3.

DJOtaku · 09-29-2008, 08:13 PM

Spent another two hours and I don't seem to be any closer to figuring this out than before. I did an apt-get dist-upgrade in case some of the held back packages were causing the problem. Still nothing that could possibly be the problem.

This is really annoying the heck out of me. I've googled every possible thing I can from the log files and I can't find any answers. My smb.conf file should be working according to every single thing I've read on the net.

I know cups isn't broken because I can print from Linux. And Samba is working because I can access my file shares. Basically something got borked with the communication between Samba and Cups. At least that's how it seems.

Any ideas?

DJOtaku · 09-29-2008, 08:32 PM

here's my latest testparm -s in case I've changed anything major:

Code:

Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf
Processing section "[homes]"
Processing section "[printers]"
Processing section "[print$]"
Processing section "[files]"
Loaded services file OK.
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE
[global]
	workgroup = MSHOME
	server string = %h server (Samba %v)
	security = SHARE
	obey pam restrictions = Yes
	passdb backend = tdbsam
	guest account = smbprint
	passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
	passwd chat = *Enter\snew\sUNIX\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\sUNIX\spassword:* %n\n .
	syslog = 0
	log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
	max log size = 1000
	printcap name = cups
	dns proxy = No
	panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d
	invalid users = root

[homes]
	comment = Home Directories
	create mask = 0700
	directory mask = 0700
	browseable = No

[printers]
	comment = All Printers
	path = /var/spool/samba
	read only = No
	create mask = 0700
	guest only = Yes
	guest ok = Yes
	printable = Yes
	use client driver = Yes
	browseable = No

[print$]
	comment = Printer Drivers
	path = /var/lib/samba/printers
	guest ok = Yes

[files]
	comment = LinBackup
	path = /media/external/shares
	read only = No
	guest ok = Yes

DJOtaku · 09-29-2008, 09:52 PM

OK! Finally solved this! I found thsi page

http://www.linuxtopia.org/online_boo...nting_105.html

which gave me the idea to try rpcclient and then I googled THAT and came to

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...33#post5879333

And when I added

display charset = UTF8

to my smb.conf, it worked! w00t w00t!