Resolved File sharing broken in Server 5.2

[benny gsr]

I have a small office setup - originally Macmini 10.8 server (with server app) running a couple of shared folders and a Medical software that is necessary and that is more or less it.

Approximately 5 clients will connect sporadically during a day to get access to the server.

I have today upgraded (not clean install) the MacMini to 10.11.6, and then server to 5.2. As you can expect, I couldn't upgrade server, so had to delete the old Library/server folder and start new. No issue thus far.

Now I am having issues with sharing to the other machines - they are now all 10.11.6 as well.

• THe users who use the client machines' user names have been logged as users in Server app
• permissions set so they should be able to access required folders. I
• File sharing ON in System preferences on in all machines - SMB and AFP on.
• Permissions have additionally been set on the Folder itself.

Now one machine can access the files I need,
The other machines hit a sharepoint elevated in the hierarchy and I don't understand why (eg. after DOCUMENTS, and the sharepoint says HOME FOLDER. I then can't access this despite what I think are the correct passwrods and the finder window suddenly shuts with an alert saying the folder you were after could not be found (words to that effect)

Is there something simple I'm doing wrong?
Any help appreciated.

 

[benny gsr]

I have ended up doing a clean install on the Mac mini Server, and as the hard drive is 5 years old and constantly on, thought I'd do the install on a new hard drive (SSD).

Everything now works - sharing working well. I think there were issues with the upgrading of server, and the upgrading of 10.11 as opposed to clean install.

Additionally whilst messing with permissions thinking I was fixing everything, it appeared I'd taken permission off the admin (and only) login on the server machine - thus that I couldn't even login in the end.

Anyway, thanks for looking and hopefully this helps anyone else in the same boat - clean install much safer no doubt, and trying to save time by doing an upgrade can be a false economy.

 

[hobowankenobi]

Been my experience that with Server....clean installs usually solve most ills. Sure, it may be possible to solve with some digging, testing, and learning.

But for a simple server config, it is usually faster (and right the first time) to nuke and pave. Wish it weren't so, but it has been for me since about 10.5. Had a similar issue trying to upgrade from 10.10 to 10.11 last year. Had to start fresh.