Novell Client for Linux 1.2

July 26, 2006

Table of Contents

1.0 Installation Issues

1.1 Install Only on 32-Bit Hardware

Novell® Client™ for Linux supports 32-bit hardware platforms only. Even though SUSE® Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) supports some 64-bit hardware platforms, Novell Client for Linux 1.2 is designed for 32-bit hardware only.

1.2 Updating from NLD 9 to SLED 10 When the Novell Client for Linux is Installed

If you are upgrading a Novell Linux Desktop 9 machine running the Novell Client for Linux 1.0 or 1.1 to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10, the update process will break the Novell Client for Linux 1.0 or 1.1 (neither of which are supported on SLED 10).

You will need to uninstall the Novell Client for Linux 1.0 or 1.1 and then install the Novell Client for Linux 1.2 on SLED 10.

1.3 Install Script Contains Error Message But Still Installs Correctly

When running the installation script, you might see the following error message, but the Novell Client for Linux installs correctly anyway.

ERROR: Module novfs is in use.

1.4 Installing from CD on SUSE Linux 10.1

When using the Add-on Product feature in YaST to install the Novell Client for Linux 1.2 on SUSE Linux 10.1, the install process displays an Import Untrusted GnuPG Key error.

Select Import to import the key. The install will complete successfully.

2.0 Login Issues

2.1 Integrated Login Now Provided

This version of Novell Client for Linux provides an integrated login experience with the initial workstation login screen. For more information, see Section 5.1: Setting Up Integrated Login in the Novell Client for Linux Installation and Administration Guide.

For Integrated Login to work, the Novell Common Authentication Services Adapter (CASA) must be installed and enabled. CASA is a common authentication and security package that provides a set of libraries for application and service developers to enable single sign-on to an enterprise network.

CASA is installed by default with SLED 10, but it is not enabled. CASA is not installed or enabled by default with SUSE Linux 10.1.

To install CASA:

  1. In the YaST Control Center, click Software in the left column, then click Software Management in the right column.

  2. Click Search in the Filter drop-down list.

  3. Type casa in the Search field, then click Search.

  4. Select the casa packages for installation, then click Accept.

  5. After all the packages have been installed, click Close to close the YaST Control Center.

To enable CASA:

  1. In the YaST Control Center, click Security and Users in the left column, then click CASA in the right column.

  2. Click Configure CASA, then click OK.

  3. Click Finish to close the CASA Configuration Wizard.

2.2 Integrated Login Does Not Work if Auto Login is Enabled

If you have already configured the Integrated Login feature and then enable GDM to automatically log in a user, Integrated Login will not work.

2.3 CN User Identifier Variable Displays the Wrong Information

If the CN user identifier variable is used in the login script, it displays the wrong information if the Other Name field is filled in. This results in drive mappings not being made. Depending on how the variable login script is used, errors might occur.

2.4 Supported MAP Command Login Script Syntax

The following is a sample of valid login script syntax for the MAP command:

map my_projects:=server/vol:path

map f:=server/vol/path

map f:=vol:path

map f:=vol:\path

map display on f:=server\vol:path

map display off f:=server\vol:path

map “my projects”:=server/vol:path

map f:=\\server\vol\path

map *1:=server\vol:\path

NOTE:Linux does not support backslashes on the command line. UNC names can be written with forward slashes. For example, map f:=//server/vol/path

2.5 Map Command Differences from Windows Behavior

The MAP command works differently based on whether you run it from a login script or at the command line. The following is a list of differences in how the MAP command behaves at the command line in Linux versus how it works at the command line in Windows*.

  • UNC names must be designated with forward slashes instead of backslashes
  • Separate map requests on a single line with a comma instead of semicolon.

    map j:=server1/vol:/path;server2/vol:path

  • map errors on/off is parsed but does not do anything
  • map ins j:=server/vol:/path the ins is ignored
  • map root j:=server/vol:/path the root is ignored
  • map change is not implemented
  • map physical is not implemented

2.6 Some Login Script Commands Not Implemented in Novell Client for Linux

The following login script commands are not currently implemented in the Novell Client for Linux.

DRIVE

MAP S1:=server/vol:/path (Search drives are not implemented but default to creating symbolic links S1..S16)

2.7 IF Statement Does Not Work without the THEN Statement

In Linux, the IF statement cannot be used without the THEN statement. This is not true in Windows. Hence, the following statement does not work in Linux:

IF MONTH=”07” 
WRITE “This is July”

To resolve this, include the THEN statement each time.

IF MONTH=”07” 
THEN WRITE “This is July”

2.8 Cannot Log In

If you are experiencing problems logging in with Novell Client for Linux, a first step is to check that the needed packages are all running. At the Console Terminal, type ps -A | grep nov.

IMPORTANT:You must have root privileges in order to run this command.

The following should appear:

novell-xregd
novfs_ST
novfsd

If one of these processes is not listed, restart the Novell Client for Linux.

/opt/novell/ncl/bin/ncl_control restart

If either of these commands displays any errors, restart the Linux machine.

In addition, /opt/novell/ncl/bin/ncl_control status shows whether the NCL drivers are loaded properly or not.

2.9 Login Requires a Server Name for Trees Not Registered with DNS

If you are logging in to a tree that does not have a registered DNS name, you must enter the server name in the Server field to log in.

2.10 Login Script Does not Run

There are rare occasions when a login script does not run. To solve this, log in again to rerun the login script.

2.11 Logging in with a Password Policy

If you log in with a password policy, grace login attempts do not decrement.

2.12 Unable to Log in Using Certain UTF-8 Characters

Some Novell Client for Linux login functions don't work (or work incorrectly) if you log in with a name containing Cyrillic characters.

3.0 File and Folder Issues

3.1 Unable to Delete Folders After They Are Copied to Another Server

In SLED when running the GNOME* desktop, you can’t delete a folder if it has been copied from one server to another and then copied back to the original server if you use the GUI. For example, if you copy and paste a folder from Server A to Server B, delete the original folder from Server A, copy the folder from Server B back to Server A, and then attempt to delete the folder from Server B, an error occurs and the folder cannot be removed. To solve this problem, delete the folder using a terminal.

3.2 Unable to Delete Files on GNOME

Users are unable to delete files on GNOME if the trash folder is set up at the root of an OES or NetWare® server volume where the users don't have rights. Users are then unable to delete files in subdirectories on the OES or NetWare servers where they do have the proper rights to create/modify/delete files. The following is also true:

  • There is no indication on the user’s desktop that items are in a Trash folder and can be permanently deleted.
  • As long as these files remain in a .Trash-user folder on a remote file system, that system cannot offer any salvage or purge options because the files still remain in an UNDELETED state.
  • If additional files of the same name are subsequently created and then deleted, GNOME complains that the file already exists and asks for a rename or overwrite as it tries to move the files to the .Trash folder.

A patch for this defect will be posted.

3.3 Files are Left Open on GNOME

GNOME is leaking file handles, which is causing files to be left open.

A patch for this defect will be posted.

3.4 Nautilus and FAM Generate High Amounts of Traffic

Nautilus and FAM generate high amounts of traffic during file operations and severely impact the performance of the Novell Client for Linux.

A patch for this defect will be posted. With this patch applied, a polling interval can be configured to improve overall performance of file I/O using NCL.

3.5 Cannot See Cluster Virtual Server Objects

Users cannot see cluster virtual server objects through SLP from the Server button. To resolve this, use the IP address instead of the server name.

3.6 Accessing The Same File from Multiple Workstations

If you log in to the same NetWare server from two different workstations (such as SLED 10 and SUSE Linux 10.1) and open the same file on both workstations, you might receive an error when you try to save the file from one of the workstations.

If you save the file again, the file will save properly.

3.7 Using gedit on SLED 10

If you save a file using gedit on SLED 10 when write file access is not given, you will receive a message saying that you can’t save the file. If you try to save the file again, gedit will die.

4.0 General Issues

4.1 FAM/iNotify Causes File Copy to Hang

During a file copy, the workstation hangs because of issues with FAM/iNotify. These issues are not directly related to Novell Client, but happen because of the way FAM validates requests. This means that in order to complete a file copy, you must remove the FAM service.

To remove a service from a runlevel, you must either delete the symbolic links manually from the folder with all the scripts for the desired runlevel, or run the following command:

insserv -r fam

This command removes the service from all runlevels.

4.2 Invalid Connections Displayed

Occasionally, non-authenticated (invalid) connections are erroneously displayed in the /var/opt/novell/nclmnt directory. When the server name is displayed along with the volumes and files, this indicates an authenticated (valid) connection.

4.3 Users Not Prompted to Change an Expired Password if it Has Expired

When a user’s password expires, the user is informed of the amount of grace logins remaining but is not prompted to change the password. When the grace logins have been exhausted, the user cannot login.

An administrator must update the password using Novell iManager or ConsoleOne®.

5.0 Legal Notices

Novell, Inc. makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents or use of this documentation, and specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, Novell, Inc. reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes to its content, at any time, without obligation to notify any person or entity of such revisions or changes.

Further, Novell, Inc. makes no representations or warranties with respect to any software, and specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, Novell, Inc. reserves the right to make changes to any and all parts of Novell software, at any time, without any obligation to notify any person or entity of such changes.

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