missing alias target and connecting to a Windows PC

dmg · Feb 14th, 2005, 05:18 PM

Hello everyone and thanks in advance. :-)

I'm running 10.3.8 although this problem predates the update.

When I slecect 'Network' in the left pane of a Finder window, I see two icons: a 'Servers' alias and an alias for the Windows PC I'm trying to connect to.

When I double-click the PC alias, the SMB authentication dialogue box opens and I enter the correct user/password information.

I then get an error message saying the alias cannot be opened because the original item cannot be found.

Indeed, when I open a terminal window and go looking around I find the following:

/Network$ - shows the two aliases

When I try to delete the alias for the Windows PC from the Finder, I get an error saying I don't have sufficient privilages.

When I try to delete the alias for the Windows PC from the Terminal using:

sudo rm Alias

I get a message saying 'Operation not permitted'

So the alias I have doesn't work and I can't delete it to re-create it.

It appears that the target of the alias is missing which explains why it can't be found.

Any ideas?

Thanks again,
dmg.

mclenaghan · Feb 14th, 2005, 05:27 PM

I am not sure but did you check and make sure that the Windows PC has it sharing activated so that you can connect to it. Also make sure that the Windows PC is up and running and not sleeping "hibernating". I know I can't access the other computers on our home network if they are sleeping.
I hope this helps.

Mark

dmg · Feb 15th, 2005, 12:29 AM

Thanks Mark, but that's not it. I can connect from the Windows PC to my Mac and view all my files.

I believe the problem is a UNIX one and has to do with the fact somewhere a file became corrupted or deleted, namely the target of the alias. The fact that the SMB security dialoge opens probably has more to do with the alias itself but at this point I'm just guessing.

I really need a UNIX geek to help me out here. I think. :-)

dmg

gordguide · Feb 15th, 2005, 01:39 AM

Look in the Recent Servers folder (/users/library/recent servers) and delete what you find there.

Re-establish the connections and see if the symlink works again.

You might want to check out O'Reilly's Samba article, although it's a little out of date right now. Still, it might point you in the right direction.

dmg · Feb 15th, 2005, 01:03 PM

Thanks, but /users/library/recent servers is already empty.

dmg

dmpP · Feb 15th, 2005, 03:12 PM

try this....

go to your desktop....

hit cmd-shift-k

go and recreate the shortcut in your finder..... see if that does it....

gordguide · Feb 15th, 2005, 08:42 PM

Have you tried connecting via the Finder: Go: Connect to Server menu? Try the browse button, or re-enter the address manually as per the Samba instructions.

What OS is the Windows box? Lots of things change from version to version of Windows when it comes to sharing and networking.

sccoaire · Feb 15th, 2005, 11:14 PM

I experienced the same problems with a lot of frustration with my home network. I can connect to my Mac from my PC, but I would get the same error message when trying to connect to the PC share icon in Finder, even after entering a username and password.

If running XP Pro on the PC, make sure your XP account requires a password login. If it boots straight in XP, meaning you have only one account with no password, you won't be able to map from the Mac. If running XP Home, it's not an issue.

As soon as I put in a password on my XP Pro account, then I could connect from the Mac, entering the same username/password. Also make sure both Mac and PC are configured for the same workgroup name, seems to make a difference.

If you already know all of this stuff and tried, sorry, just trying to help.

Good luck.

SkyHook · Feb 16th, 2005, 04:17 AM

.

sccoaire · Feb 16th, 2005, 07:08 PM

It all has to do with how WinXP Pro manages network security as opposed to XP Home, which allows "true" anonymous access if you tell it to.