Share an Ubuntu Folder with Windows via Samba

Scenario

I have two computers, one running Windows and the other Ubuntu. I use Deskflow to control both with the same keyboard and mouse and to share the clipboard, but transferring files between the two devices is still inconvenient. I therefore decided to create a shared folder in Ubuntu and add it in Windows to enable file transfers.

Ubuntu Configuration

(1) Create a shared folder

At /home/username/Public/Share, you can create the Share folder, as I did.

You can also share another folder, such as /home/usrname directly.

(2) Configure Samba

Back up the original /etc/samba/smb.conf.

sudo cp /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb_bk.conf

Edit /etc/samba/smb.conf and append the shared-directory information to the end of the file. For example, the following shares the entire user’s home directory:

[共享目录名]
	path = /path/共享目录名 
# 例如	
[share]
	path = /home/username
	browseable = yes
	writable = yes
	read = yes
	directory mask = 0775
	create mask = 0775

Create a Samba user.

sudo touch /etc/samba/smbpasswd
sudo smbpasswd -a 用户名

Then enter a password as prompted (this username and password are the credentials required to access the shared folder).

(3) Start Samba

Restart the Samba service.

sudo /etc/init.d/smbd restart

Configure the Samba service to start automatically at boot.

sudo systemctl enable smbd

Windows Configuration

(1) Method 1: Add a network location

Open 此电脑 (This PC), right-click an empty area, and select 添加一个网络位置 (Add a network location).

Enter the path in the format \\IP地址\共享目录名, as shown below:

Click Next, enter the username and password you just configured, and the connection will be established.

P.S. If a previous attempt to add the location failed, opening it this way may produce an error. In that case, you need to remove the existing connection between them.

1. Open a CMD window.
2. Run net use to view the currently established connections.
3. Run net use */delete to close all current connections.

(2) Method 2: Map it as a drive

In Windows, open This PC, click Map network drive, and enter the address \\IP\Share.

Then enter your username and password.

References:

1. weixin_58525635. Accessing an Ubuntu shared directory from Windows: insufficient permissions and unable to access the folder. CSDN
2. zhangsz_sh. Sharing a folder from Ubuntu 20.04 to Windows via Samba. CSDN