Windows Server 08 R2 file share File locking, OSX clients

file-permissionslockingserver-message-blockwindows-server-2008

I've spent the last two weeks banging my head against this wall. I think I'm starting to understand the problem though. I manage a design company and they have 5 macs (OSX 10.5/.6/.7) connected over SMB to a Windows 2008 R2 file server, another machine functions as Domain Controller (that might not matter).

All the macs can connect ok, no issues finding the server or logging in. For the most part things are ok. The problem is files locking up. I thought it was a permissions issue at first but it seems to be file locking. The users open a file; .ind, .pdf etc the file opens, the software reads it and closes it. That's fine, but the folder above the folder locks, it can't be moved and it can't be renamed.

Eg:

  • /Working/Project01/Imagefiles/image.pdf
  • /Finished/

The user opens image.pdf, closes it and wants to move the whole Project01 folder into Finished. It gives a username/pass dialogue and then does nothing, no error, or just does nothing. Trying to rename gives a dialogue that says you don't have permission. It looks like it's looking for permission locally, which is why I spent about a week looking at that.

Eventually I found that Finder on the macs seems to be keeping the folders open. I can work around it by Killing finder, remounting the shared drive or closing the file through the server manager but this just proves the theory it's not a solution.

Has anyone dealt with this problem?

Best Answer

Use Icon view instead of list view until Apple fix the bug.