Hi,

All I wonder if someone can help me. I'm trying to connect a mac to a sbs 2003 network. I downloaded the MS guide and was proceeding fine until the section regarding adding a new GPO for the SMB. When I went to do this I got an access denied message even though I'm logged on as the administrator? Anyone got any ideas, I've come to a halt on this as the mac cant authenticate.

Thanks in advance.

Hey Jason.

 

I've not reviewed the MS doc recently, and I think it's changed since the last time I looked it over, so I can't attest to its accuracy currently. However, I can attest to the accuracy of this doc: 

 

You might also want to look at the document for the entire process: 

 

All of this and more is also documented in Chapter 17 of Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 Unleashed from Sams Publishing. Should be on the shelves of a bookstore near you any day now.

 

HTH...

 

-Eriq

Hi Eriq, thanks for taking the time to help.
 
The problem I'm having is when I try to disable the SMB signing on the server (as per the instructions you posted and the MS document on connecting Macs to SBS)
 
On opening the console I expand Group Policy Management then right click my domain and select "Create and link a GPO here", I enter the link name as instructed then click ok. The server thinks for a moment then comes back with the message "Access Denied" and I cant proceed no further. This is really strange considering that I'm logged in as administrator?
On the Mac I can see the shares but when I try to authenticate it does'nt recognise any SBS user names. I presume because of the failure in getting the GPO step to work.
 
Any ideas why the server is giving me a access denied error?
 
Thanks again

OK, this is a bit different. I'm assuming that you're logging in with the default Administrator account, not an administrator-equivalent account, and that the account name has not been changed. Try the following:
 
Create a new user in Active Directory Users and Computers
Make the new account a member of the Domain Admins security group
Log in with the new account
Try to create the GPO following the instructions
 
If this works, there is a problem with the security settings on the Adminstrator account. If this does not work, we'll need to look in other places for the source of the problem. Take a look in the event viewer around the time you logged in with the account and around the time you tried to create the GPO and see if there are any errors reported in the Application or System logs.
 
HTH...
 
-Eriq

Hi Eriq

 

Thanks for your reply again.

 

This is strange, I've managed to create the GPO as instructed.

But rather than being logged on to the server locally I did it via a remote desktop connection?

Used the same default administrator account and I did'nt get any Access Denied messages?

I seem to recall having run into a similar situation with that, but I can't for the life of me recall what the solution was, and I haven't been able to track down any references to it.

 

Glad to know that you were able to get in and get the GPO created. I'm assuming that your Macs are able to connect to the server now...

 

-Eriq

I've managed to connect the mac to the network, can access shares, can get the user to access her

mailbox using Entourage but I haven't got the printing worked out.

Can see the shared printers but get access denied when I try to print.

The first time I've used a mac in years so I'm trying to find my way around.

Thanks and Merry Christmas

The easiest way to access printers on the Mac is to set them up as IP printers and configure them through the Printer Setup Utility that way. The Access Denied errors are coming from an authentication mismatch between the security on the printer shares and the authentication (or lack thereof) from the Macs. You could grant printing permission to the Everyone group on the printer share, and that should take care of the access denied errors from the Mac.

 

HTH...

 

-Eriq