re-establishing a managed user after a clean install

[Ben Kei]

Hello, hopefully someone can help here.

We run a managed user system here in the office with around 20 Macs all set up to work with managed user accounts.

We have interns in often and people out of the office so it makes sense to use a system that allows anyone to login on any machine.

After a clean install on a machine we now have the message "network accounts unavailable" at the start up screen.

What do we need to do to re-establish the link between this machine and our managed user accounts on the server?

Many thanks,
Ben

EDIT: The server and client machine are both running 10.4.11

 

[Sky Blue]

Have you already bound the Mac with Directory Utility?

 

[Ben Kei]

I haven't, no.

I'm no network expert!
We're currently having issues with our tech support company and so are trying to muddle through this one without their help.

From what you've said, I'm guessing you were referring to the 'Directory Access' app in applications/utilities?

I just had a look into this on my own machine, noted the configuration and compared it to the freshly formatted machine.

The difference is an extra domain in the Authentication and Contacts tabs.
My machine has a domain at /LDAPv3/(server i.p.) while the fresh machine does not.
I clicked the Add... button and it only allows me to add a /BSD/Local address and not input any of my own.

Am I doing this wrong?

Thanks for your help,
Ben

Also, is this something that has to be bound in through the server itself or the client machine?

I would assume it's the client machine and not the xserve as the home directory is untouched by wiping the users machine as it's obviously stored remotely.

Many thanks,
Ben

 

[Sky Blue]

Yes, this is on the client machine.
Confusingly, the app is called 'Directory Access' in 10.4 and earlier, and 'Directory Utility' in 10.5.

When adding to the Authentication/Contacts tabs is 'Custom Path' selected next to Search?

We don't have that LDAP path on our machines so I'm not really sure.

 

[Ben Kei]

Yes, this is on the client machine.
Confusingly, the app is called 'Directory Access' in 10.4 and earlier, and 'Directory Utility' in 10.5.

When adding to the Authentication/Contacts tabs is 'Custom Path' selected next to Search?

We don't have that LDAP path on our machines so I'm not really sure.

Custom Path is selected on my machine which is bound to the network, if I select it on the newly installed machine it still doesn't allow me to add to the list. It presents the /BSD/Local option and nothing else.

I have just noticed that on the initial Services tab you can highlight the already ticked LDAPv3 box and hit the configure button to bring up another screen which has an 'enable' tick box next to a configuration name (our server).

This screen allows me to enter a new location so I guess this is where I add the details which will then show up in the same add menu as the /BSD/Local directory.

I'll try it on the new machine later and let you know.

Thanks for your help!

Ben