Hello, I want to have primary synchronet on Windows and other computer on Linux. I am guessing need to share data folder at least. The nodes 1-5 Windows machine and 6-10 Linux is this the way to do it? What other folders to share? Thanks

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Re: Multi OS running synchronet?
By: Punisher to All on Tue Jan 27 2026 12:59 pm

Hello, I want to have primary synchronet on Windows and other computer on Linux. I am guessing need to share data folder at least. The nodes 1-5 Windows machine and 6-10 Linux is this the way to do it? What other folders to share? Thanks

Yes, that exactly what I do. I found it's best to host/serve the files from the Linux system using Samba and have Windows be the "client" in the relationship. I've experimented with using Windows as the SMB server and the results were not good. Also, for best results, have your Linux system *mount* the Samba-shared directory and use the mounted folder (not the source/shared folder) - that way all the file and record locking between the two systems works as it should.

You pretty much need to share the entire sbbs directory hierarchy. Technically, there are some files (and very few directories) that don't need to be shared, but it's not really worth the hassle to try to describe and figure out which is which. Just share the entire sbbs directory tree.

You just need to copy your ctrl/sbbs.ini file to another name in the same directory (e.g. sbbs.hostname.ini), change the FirstNode and LastNode values (so the 2 sbbs*.ini files don't overlap with nodes) and update/check the network settings, and you should be able to run the 2 instances concurrently.

I tried the same with macOS as a client it's SMB/CIFS client sucks too hard.
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digital man (rob)

Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #76:
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I am doing something wrong. The users for sure not sharing as I tested.

I did the following:

Linux using samba and did this in smb.conf:

[Sbbs]
path = /home/sbbs/sbbs
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = no
create mask = 0775
directory mask = 0775

# Enable locking for reliability
locking = yes
strict locking = yes

In Windows made a map drive, I took windows executable and placed in map network drive. On Linux renamed sbbs.ini to sbbs.linux.ini. I ran both windows and linux tried to login after making user and says no user. Am I missing something here?

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Re: Multi OS running synchronet?
By: Tmccaf to Digital Man on Thu Jan 29 2026 12:44 pm

I am doing something wrong. The users for sure not sharing as I tested.

I did the following:

Linux using samba and did this in smb.conf:

[Sbbs]
path = /home/sbbs/sbbs
browseable = yes
read only = no
guest ok = no
create mask = 0775
directory mask = 0775

# Enable locking for reliability
locking = yes
strict locking = yes

In Windows made a map drive, I took windows executable and placed in map network drive. On Linux renamed sbbs.ini to sbbs.linux.ini. I ran both windows and linux tried to login after making user and says no user. Am I missing something here?

Probably. Do you have Synchronet also *installed* on the Windows system? Where is your SBBCTRL environment variable pointing? My guess, it's pointing to the Windwos install (e.g. C:\sbbs\ctrl) instead of the Samba share (e.g. N:\sbbs\ctrl).
--
digital man (rob)

Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #4:
ASCIIZ = NUL ('\0') terminated string/array of ASCII characters
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I think figured it out, I had to go into scfg > System > Advanced Options and change data dir etc to point to shared diretory.

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Re: Multi OS running synchronet?
By: Tmccaf to Digital Man on Thu Jan 29 2026 02:50 pm

I think figured it out, I had to go into scfg > System > Advanced Options and change data dir etc to point to shared diretory.

That sounds incorrect. Again I ask, what is your SBBSCTRL environment variable pointing to? It should be pointing to the *shared* ctrl directory, in which case the default for the data dir etc. (relative paths) would/should work as-is, no change needed. This sounds like you are *not* using the shared sbbs/ctrl directory betweeen the 2 instances of SBBS.
--
digital man (rob)

Sling Blade quote #15:
Doyle Hargraves: What'cha doin' with that lawn mower blade Karl?
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ok, i reinstalled it.
This is what I did hope this is correct now.

made samba-share folder /sbbs

mounted share:
mount -t cifs -o username=user //myip/sbbs /mnt/sbbs

went to windows explorer
\\myip\sbbs

I installed synchronet windows to that folder. It seems to be working correctly now.

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my SBBSCTRL = /mnt/sbbs I changed this is systemd sbbs.service file

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meant /mnt/sbbs/ctrl

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Nope didn't work. What I am confused about is installing windows to same folder. When I do that it messes up configuration. I have to read more.

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Re: Multi OS running synchronet?
By: Tmccaf to Digital Man on Thu Jan 29 2026 08:06 pm

Nope didn't work. What I am confused about is installing windows to same folder. When I do that it messes up configuration. I have to read more.

No, don't install to the shared drive. Install to a local drive first, copy the .exe, com and .dll files to the shared sbbs/exec directory. And then you can manually delete the local Windows sbbs tree (if you want to, to avoid confusion) - don't "uninstall" it however, or you'll lose the sbbsexec.dll file from your Windows system32 directory and the virtuarl UART/FOSSIL driver won't work any more (if you care).
--
digital man (rob)

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