Windows Won't remember network password.

[Jonah86]

I just got upgraded (finally) to Windows XP Pro. We've been using 2000 forever. I'm running SP3.

The servers I need to access are running Linux, and with 2000 I was asked for a password for each server I was mapped to upon logging into Windows. Now with XP Pro it just won't connect to the servers without me manually opening each mapped drive and typing in a password. This even happens without me logging out sometimes. It's not terrible, it's just very annoying.

Also, I have multiple drives mapped to the same server (different directories of course) that don't all connect upon my logging into that server. The one drive I click on will connect, but the others need to be connected as well. It's not that I have to type a password in each time, just that applications won't access those drives and "NET USE" shows them as "unavailable" until I've opened them. Very annoying.

So in short, every time I log in and sometimes just randomly, I have to double click on each mapped drive individually before I can go about actually DOING anything that requires my mapped drives.

Is this normal? Is it just because they're Linux servers? The network admin just doesn't seem to care since he doesn't run Windows, but it's incredibly frustrating.

Thanks for reading my book

Hope someone has some idea.

 

[linney]

When you created your mapped drives did you tick the check box that allows for reconnection at logon?

There is a "Manage Passwords" section obtained via typing Control Userpasswords2 in the Start Run box. In the resulting window you will get to it via the Advanced tab.

See if there is anything mentioned in "Manage Passwords" that you can use to remember credentials?

Another thing you can look at is this -

306992 - HOW TO: Manage Stored User Names and Passwords on a Computer in a Domain in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306992&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

306541 - HOW TO: Manage Stored User Names and Passwords on a Computer That Is Not in a Domain in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306541&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Behavior of stored user names and passwords

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281660/?FR=1

Share-level mapped network drives are not connected after you restart your computer

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283492&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Set cached domain credentials to never expire?
thread779-1401787

 

[Jonah86]

That's the odd thing. I check the "reconnect at log on" box. I check the "remember my password" box when I log on to the server. I've done the whole manage passwords deal, and added the server/username/passowrd. It just won't work.

Like I said before, Windows 2000 didn't really remember my password either as it would prompt me for multiple passwords at log-on, but at least it was more convenient than this.

Thanks for your help though. I still need to read through all of those articles. Maybe there is something in there that can explain it.

 

[LeeMason]

I believe that if you go into Control Panel/User Accounts and open your user account there is a link in to upper left of that Windows to manager network passwords (or something like that). Sorry but using an XP machine at the moment so I can only work with my faulty memory!


Lee Mason
Optimal Projects Ltd

http://www.opl.co.uk

http://www.backupsanywhere.com

 

[Jonah86]

Well it is an XP machine, and I have done that already. It lets me enter the server name, the user name and password, but it doesn't work. I still have to log in to the network manually after I log in to Windows.

I'm thinking it must be something about connecting to Linux servers. Probably a lost cause.

 

[smah]

Oh I missed the earlier part about the server being Samba. How are the samba users authenticated? If the Samba username (and password) is not the same as the Windows username & password, this will happen. Does your smb.conf file (on the linux server) use the username map = option?

See also forum865, since this condition is really due to your Samba configuration, not Windows.

 

[Jonah86]

Unfortunately I'm not the network admin, though I'm trying to learn. Out network admin doesn't really show much concern over this.

I checked out the smb.conf file and the username map is set to /etc/samba/smbusers. I cat the smbusers file and it lists root and guest.

Is that something that can be edited? Should it be?

I use the same username and password to log on to Windows as I do the server...so there's that.

Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Jonah86]

Well here's an odd thing.

We have a generic user named "user" on our network. I created a "user" account on my XP box with the proper password, and behold, it was able to connect to the server and map drives without logging in an additional time.

I asked the network admin about it and he shrugged at me.

Are all Linux geeks that cranky?

I kid...I kid

Seriously though. The smbusers file didn't mention the "user" user...any idea what's up?

 

[smah]

What is happening, is a result of a combination of things. The first of which is how samba is actually authenticating users. In smb.conf file, this is set by several items in the [Global] section, particularly the security = option. No we're not that cranky, but since you've confirmed that this is due to the samba configuration, not Windows, we should be continue the discussion in forum865.

 

[linney]

If you go to the Samba Forum, can you post the link here so others may follow any discussion. Thanks in advance.