Sharing files and folders between Linux and Windows

Filed in archive Linux For Windows Users on December 16, 2006

It used to be difficult to configure Samba to share files and folders between your Linux box and your Windows machine. Today I present two tutorials written on Linux.com and HowToForge.

First is how to configure Samba. Linux.com's tutorial starts by defining what Samba is and what it does.

Samba is an open source project that allows Windows users to connect to a Linux server from which to share data. If you are looking for a simple, affordable home File server, or need more disk space on your office network, a Linux server with Samba is the way to go. Linux along with Samba offers a stable, secure environment that is available at no cost, along with features such as remote administration, immunity to Windows viruses, and the ability to run on low-end machines.

Then it continues to provide you with one of the quickest method of configuring it.

HowToForge outlines how to use AutoFS to simplify files and folders sharing.

You already installed Linux on your networked desktop PC and now you want to work with files stored on some other PCs in your network. This is where autofs comes into play. This tutorial shows how to configure autofs to use CIFS to access Windows or Samba shares from Linux Desktop PCs. It also includes a tailored configuration file.

So, if you still haven't removed Windows from your network, use these two tutorials for your files and folders (subdirectories) sharing. This works with Mac OS X with Windows file sharing enabled as well.