SBS 2011 clients cannot access FreeNAS share

[Tuxson]

This is a very unusual problem that has me completely stumped.

After running FreeNas 8 for several years as an adjunct to other backup on a SBS 2003 server, I upgraded to SBS 2011. The FreeNas went off-line for awhile, but when I attempted to bring it back it was not recognized. After multiple reloads of different versions of FreeNas (including 9.2.1.3) and slowly attempting various configurations, I finally discovered the my client computers running Win 7 Pro could not do anything more than see the FreeNAS as a network computer, but could not open the share.

Oddly, my SBS 2011 OS server sees, opens, saves to, etc. the FreeNAS box just fine.

Any thoughts on which setting/service/etc. allows full access to FreeNAS under Server 2008 OS, but not Windows 7 Pro??

Thanks!

 

[dlavigne]

Were you able to find a solution to this?

 

[Tuxson]

I believe I solved the problem using the credentials manager. I had to delete everything and then manually add a new credential on each Windows 7 client computer. I did not change anything on the SBS 2011 server.

Steps: Control_Panel>Credential_Manager>Remove_from_Vault>Add_a_Windows_Credential.

Although it worked, I had a second problem with very slow CIFS response whenever the directory was read. Windows Explorer would freeze for 2+ minutes if I attempted to access a subfolder more than 2 deep. After evaluating a variety of potential fixes (and assessing the risk of the FreeNAS hooks into DNS damaging my AD on the SBS server), I decided to use iSCSI. Since I only have one user at a time, I could avoid some of the known problems with iSCSI. iSCSI works as advertised.

I am still curious why CIFS would not work whereas it functioned fine for 3+ years uses SBS 2003 and FreeNAS 8+, but there is only so much time one can devote to solving a problem.

Hope this is helpful.