OS X desktops not appearing

[maark]

Setup - 30 mac minis OS x 10.4 and one OS server 10.4 - have had many issues despite having a "mac expert" to set initial system up for us - but thats another issue - still witholding payment.

When system was first setup users logged in with their AD domain username - these users were members of a group in Open Directory linked to a group in AD. We then had managed desktop with group folders that would appear on desktop so they could save multimedia on mac server. This worked ok.

Had a problem in that X server lost static IP address from DHCP - rebooted switch and server and got it back on to right IP in subnet - can ping between xserve and rest of network. Users can logon still so must be authenticating against AD. However customised desktop and group shares no longer appear on mini mac desktop so students can't save multimedia. They get their windows home folders ok but i don't want them to save multimedia in there.

Question is why is the customised desktop not appearing any more and how can i get it back?

Looked in various logs on client and server but still teaching myself OS X from scratch and struggling.

Any ideas gratefully welcomed,

thanks mark

[Rozzer]

It looks like they are not getting a home folder so this means no preferences and they have no where to write there preference files and data too.

 

I would get your mac expert back

[HodgeHi]

Are there any errors in the logs under directory services?

[kingswood]

Setup - 30 mac minis OS x 10.4 and one OS server 10.4 - have had many issues despite having a "mac expert" to set initial system up for us - but thats another issue - still witholding payment.

When system was first setup users logged in with their AD domain username - these users were members of a group in Open Directory linked to a group in AD. We then had managed desktop with group folders that would appear on desktop so they could save multimedia on mac server. This worked ok.

Had a problem in that X server lost static IP address from DHCP - rebooted switch and server and got it back on to right IP in subnet - can ping between xserve and rest of network. Users can logon still so must be authenticating against AD. However customised desktop and group shares no longer appear on mini mac desktop so students can't save multimedia. They get their windows home folders ok but i don't want them to save multimedia in there.

Question is why is the customised desktop not appearing any more and how can i get it back?

Looked in various logs on client and server but still teaching myself OS X from scratch and struggling.

Any ideas gratefully welcomed,

thanks mark

 

Log on as a local administrator to one of the clients and clear out (delete) the local MCX_Cache settings. Unbind from the Open Directory server (LDAPv3) and then reboot and login again as admin, this time re-binding to the OD server. See if this refreshes the MCX_Cache and gives you back your managed settings.

 

Also, make sure that your Apple Server has DNS configured correctly. In other words, it needs both a forward and reverse file in your Windows DNS Server, and you need to be able to ping both its IP address and name.

 

Other good suggestions have also been posted. Hopefully something will lead you to the right place!

 

Paul

[maark]

thanks for suggestions everyone.

Clients are just not connecting properly to xserve.

Tried deleting mcx cache and unbinding from ldap server but when i reboot and try to rebind get server did not respond - tried manual settings and then binding but get unable to contact directory to do bind.

DNS settings look ok on dns server. Can ping to name and address from client to server and vice versa.

Tried connecting xserve to different switch and rebooting but no joy.

Still trying to get mac expert back - running out of ideas logs not much help?

thanks Mark

[gaz350]

when we moved from our old ISDN net connection years ago we had LOTS of problems when we changed the IP address to our server, in the end we rebuilt it.

 

might be worth using the changeip command line tool to see if that helps. i am surprised it let you run a OD Master on DHCP, i am sure it never used to let you.

 

can you post some startup logs from the server?

Edited February 4, 2008 by gaz350

[maark]

mac enginer is coming on friday so i will post outcome then if i have not found anything beforehand,

cheers mark

[StuartC]

So what point are you at now, had a bit of trouble following the path of the thread.

 

Your users can log on, authenticated against the AD, they have correct home directories? So the only thing you don't have is custom network shares and personalised desktop?

[maark]

Hi,

mac engineer came out. Problem was firewall on mac server blocking access to LDAP directory so clients could not connect to apple server. Working now but no idea how it got switched on!

Still got issues such as had to downgrade to imovie 6 from 8 so students could save work to server. Had to image several machines as final cut express worked on some and not on others for students despite all apparently same configuration.

Got a couple of mac server books to try get my head round OS X tiger,

cheers mark

[gaz350]

1 of those d'oh moments

 

something so simple!