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persistent connection to SMB shares

M

Mr. Shickadance

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 15, 2010
3
0
SOLVED

Well, I was able to solve my own issue shortly after posting this message. I don't know why my searches didn't point this out, but it was as simple as creating a symbolic link (alias in OSX terms) to the share.

For example:

$ ln -s /Volumes/STORAGE /Users/ME/STORAGE

Then, in a finder window I can drag 'n drop the STORAGE link to the devices pane on the left. Now every time I click STORAGE it brings me right to the files without any reconnecting.

Now for posterity's sake, my original post:

-----

Hello all,

I am a long time Linux user who has just taken a job doing some basic IT work for a small company. The company uses many Mac computers (mostly running 10.6.X) and has a central Windows server to host files and software.

I need to have a Windows share mounted persistently, and this has become a problem. Basically I want it to be completely transparent to the user if possible.

What I've already done

First of all, I have already added an SMB mount to the users login items, as well as essentially doing the same with automator. This is not giving me a persistent connection.

What happens now

So, with the two methods I've already tried I get a server mounted which can be seen from Finder. The main issue is that every time the server is selected in Finder, there is a delay while the computer reconnects. I understand it still needs constant communication with the server, but how do I at least minimize this delay?

What I want

On my Fedora Linux machine, I added a mount line to /etc/fstab which mounts the same shares whenever I login. Using the Gnome file manager I can select the folder where my share is mounted, and with a very small (almost non-existent) delay, all the files are shown. I can click again and there is no indication of a reconnection with the server. I want to replicate this behavior on OSX.

What can I do?

So, in the end what can I do aside from adding the mount to login items? Windows also does this easily, it is completely transparent there. Fedora Linux handles this perfectly as I already mentioned.

I have found many threads on the internet with similar questions, but only the solutions that I've already tried and don't really solve my problem. I have the shares mounting on login, but why do they have to reconnect every single time you click the server name in finder? How do I make this appear just as any other mount as I do in Linux?

Did any of this make sense?

If anyone can help me I would be ecstatic. As would any future users who find this thread.

Thanks for looking!
 
You and me both. I am in the process of finding a way to do that, as the "hide" check box in login items doesn't appear to do much. I'll be sure to post back if I find a solution.
 
Creating a symbolic link like that is PROBABLY going to cause some issues in the long run. If for some reason it can't connect to the share, the symbolic link will still work. It will just copy whatever files you move to it to a local folder on your computer, or worse, to a "blackhole" sort of file that just gets overwritten with every item you drop on the link. I have a feeling the latter is what would actually happen, which would be really really bad.
 
I'm not sure what else would work. I don't understand why this is so difficult in OSX. Being a member of this board, I am sure you have come across many similar questions. I understand leaving details under the hood, but when certain common functionality is required, it shouldn't be hidden.
 
Mr. Shickadance said:
I'm not sure what else would work. I don't understand why this is so difficult in OSX. Being a member of this board, I am sure you have come across many similar questions. I understand leaving details under the hood, but when certain common functionality is required, it shouldn't be hidden.
Click to expand...

Actually it has been discussed on this board before. The suggestion I gave was a blatant ripoff from another poster on this forum. I would have given him props, but I had already closed the window and I was too lazy to look for it again.
 
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