[K12OSN] Logging into windows XP machines using same login as K12LTSP

[David Trask]

You need Samba/LDAP....you can run it on your existing K12LTSP server or
better yet...set up a second server solely for housing the users and their
data...read about it and get the smbldap-installer here  
http://web.vcs.u52.k12.me.us/smbldap/   Your situation is perfect for
this....   One username/password...one home directory...regardless of
platform....



"Support list for opensource software in schools." <k12osn at redhat.com> on
Saturday, February 26, 2005 at 12:03 PM +0000 wrote:
>A little background:
>
>Here in New Zealand I have been using K12LTSP on recycled computers for
>about six months now and it is great. I am using an AMD 2500XP desktop
>with
>1MB RAM and 120GB SATA HD as the server. We have a small school of 50 (but
>growing). So far we have had 8 clients running, but we are looking at
>having
>up to 20 clients (5 per classroom).
>
>Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to get some essential windows
>apps(e.g. Macromedia Director based multimedia CDs distributed by our
>Ministry of Education, and some educational software) running using it. 
>
>I would have liked to run everything from one server to simplify
>administration, but I haven't managed to work that out yet. I tried using
>crossover office, unsuccessfully. I have considered Windows Server 2003
>(we
>get it for almost nothing as a school), but I am not sure if the sound
>works
>properly using rdesktop and LTSP.
>I am also considering Win4Lin, but I have not had time to test it yet.
>Once
>again it is sound (and shockwave) that are the key issues. If anyone has
>any
>experience using any of these solutions I would appreciate you comments.
>
>As an immediate solution, I decided to put one windows XP workstation in
>each classroom. It seems like the easiest solution, as we have the school
>inspectors coming in a month's time, and as a teacher I don't have much
>time
>to work on computer systems right now.
>
>*********************
>Specific task at hand:
>
>I would like the kids to be able to log on to Windows XP machines with the
>same password as the one they use for K12LTSP. The "my documents" folder
>would be set to their home directory on K12LTSP. In this way they will be
>saving all their files to the same place. (I do not want any files saved
>on
>the local hard drive of the windows computer.)
>
>Issues:
>1. How do I set up user accounts for both WinXP and K12LTSP without having
>to manually enter them twice?
>2. When I map the homes directory using Samba, will all the .directories
>be
>visible. If so how do I hide them? (When I accessed my home directory from
>my WinXP laptop I had this problem but I think it is because the file
>manager is set to "Show hidden files."
>4. Will I need to use roaming profiles to map the "my documents" share?
>3. Will I have to set up the network as a domain now, or will it still be
>okay to use a workgroup as it is now? Which is better for this purpose?
>
>Notes:
>1. I am running K12LTSP with only one NIC. It seems to make samba easier
>to
>use. I had a lot of problems trying to get it to work properly when I was
>using 2 NICs. All the computers at the school are on the same subnet.
>2. I also have 4 teachers laptops and 1 office desktop. These computers
>would save most of their work locally, but shared files would be on the
>server.


David N. Trask
Technology Teacher/Coordinator
Vassalboro Community School
dtrask at vcs.u52.k12.me.us
(207)923-3100