Testing That a User Can Connect with the Server Machine

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The most recent version of MainBoss is MainBoss 4.2.4.
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This test determines if a particular user on a particular Remote machine can connect with the Server machine, and that the user has appropriate permissions to access the machine.

The user's login name and password must be the same on the Remote machine as on the Server machine. This will automatically be true if you're using domains. If you aren't using domains, have the user attempt to login to the Server machine using his/her login name and password. If this doesn't work, the login name and/or password must be changed so that they're the same on all relevant systems.

Note: If you aren't using domains, users should be warned that if they change their passwords on one computer, they should change the password on all other computers too. This is especially important on the Server machine.

It's important to note that SQL Server has its own security permissions that are separate from Windows permissions. For example, a disk may have general read/write permissions, allowing any user to read or write any file on the disk; still, SQL Server may only permit access to a limited set of users based on login name and password. If you can't connect to SQL Server, here's a way to make sure that a particular user on a Remote machine has login and password set up correctly.

Before you do this, you have to make sure that you don't have any existing connections to the Server computer. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. On the Remote computer (where you'll be doing this test), open a Command Prompt window by clicking the standard Windows Start button, clicking All Programs, expanding Accessories and clicking Command Prompt.
  2. Type net use (this displays any existing connections).
  3. If there are no connections listed to the Server computer, you don't have to do anything; just close the Command Prompt window.
  4. Otherwise, you have to delete all existing connections to the Server computer.
First, write down the information shown about connections to the Server computer. You'll need this information later in order to re-establish the connections. (You can save the output of net use in a file by using a command line of the form net use >file).
  • If a connection has a letter drive shown in the Local column (e.g. Z:), type a line of the form

    net use Z: /delete

    where you replace Z: with the letter shown.
  • If a connection doesn't have anything in the Local column, it will have a name in the Remote column of the form \\machinename\folder. Type

    net use \\machinename\folder /delete

    where you replace \\machinename\folder with the actual names shown.
  • Repeat the above for every connection to the Server computer. You do not have to delete connections to any other computer.
  • When finished, it's useful to leave the Command Prompt window open, since you can use it again later.

    • Note: The connections that you delete may be needed in order for other software to work. If this is so, you must re-establish the connections after you've done the test described in this section. We'll discuss re-connections below.

    Once you've got rid of the connections, you can do the following test:

    1. On the Server computer, use Windows Explorer to share a test folder with the rest of the network:
    In Windows Explorer, create a new folder anywhere on the Server computer's disk drive(s).
  • In Explorer's Tools menu, click Folder Options.
  • In the View section of the resulting window, go down to the bottom of the list of settings and turn off Use Sharing Wizard (on Windows 7 or Vista) or Use simple file sharing (on XP).
  • Click OK.
  • Right-click on the folder, then click Share.
  • In the Sharing section of the resulting window, click Advanced Sharing.
  • In the resulting window, checkmark Share this folder.
  • Click Permissions.
  • The resulting window shows who can access the new folder. Remove all existing permissions (if any) by clicking each name in the list, then clicking Remove.
  • Once you've removed all existing permissions, click Add.
  • Under Enter the object names to select, enter the login name of the person on the remote computer whose connectivity you're testing. (This should also be a login name on the Server computer.)
  • Click OK.
  • When you return to the previous window, checkmark Full Control under the Allow column.
  • Keep clicking OK until all windows close.
    1. On the Remote computer, have the user log in using his/her login name and password.
    2. On the Remote computer, use Windows Explorer to connect to the shared folder.
    3. On the Remote computer, attempt to create a text file in the shared folder. Add text to the file (e.g. using Notepad) and save the file.
    4. On the Remote computer, attempt to delete the file you just created.

    If you can do all this and you are never asked to enter a login name and password during the process, the user's network permissions are set up correctly. If you can't do one of these steps or if you have to type in a login name and password before one of the steps works, you don't have the right permissions. See Local Security Settings for suggestions of how to deal with the problem.

    Once you've verified that the Remote user can pass these tests, the person who created the original (shared) folder on the Server machine can delete the folder.

    Again, we emphasize that setting up a domain will avoid a lot of headaches. Microsoft recommends the use of domains with SQL Server.

    If you had to remove any connections before testing the file-sharing, you can reconnect them as follows:

    1. On the Remote computer, open a Command Prompt window (or return to the one you already had open).
    2. If the original connection had a letter drive (e.g. Z:), type the following:

      net use Z: \\machinename\folder

      where you replace Z: with the letter drive it had previously and replace \\machinename\folder with the previous value. You may be asked to enter a login name and password.
    3. If the original connection had no letter drive, type

      net use \\machinename\folder

      where you replace \\machinename\folder with the previous value. Again, you may be asked to enter a login name and password.
    4. Repeat the above for every previous connection to the Server computer.

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