Ewan Leith wrote:
The most likely problem is that your /etc/exports file has a hidden control character somewhere in it, which is messing things up. Try deleting the entire file and retyping it in.
The same /etc/exports as your email works for me, so it isn't a problem with how you've set it up.
Very good idea. But it doesn't work. Now wait till you see this, which I posted on comp.os.linux.networking: Observe the following sequence, which may reveal some clues as to what is going on: (ting is the client to export to, and server tong and client ting are on 192.168.0.0 LAN) tong:~ # mv /etc/exports /etc/exports.hide tong:~ # /etc/init.d/nfsserver stop Shutting down kernel based NFS server done tong:~ # /etc/init.d/nfsserver start Starting kernel based NFS serverexportfs: can't open /etc/exports for reading done tong:~ # exportfs ting:/ exportfs: can't open /etc/exports for reading tong:~ # touch /etc/exports I have removed /etc/exports from the picture, so now only manual exportfs commands will control NFS. But it dedmanded that I at least have an extant /etc/exports file, though empty. Ok, here we go... tong:~ # exportfs ting:/ tong:~ # exportfs -u ting:/ No problem exporting / directly to ting. tong:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/ tong:~ # exportfs -u 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/ No problem exporting / directly to the LAN. tong:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/home tong:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/ 192.168.0.11:/: Invalid argument It seems I can't export / after first exporting a subdir of /. Can I export / first, then a subdir after? tong:~ # exportfs -u 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/home tong:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/ tong:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/home 192.168.0.11:/home: Invalid argument It seems I cannot. What remains BIZARRE is that on ting's NFS server: ting:~ # mv /etc/exports /etc/exports.hide ting:~ # touch /etc/exports ting:~ # /etc/init.d/nfsserver stop Shutting down kernel based NFS server done ting:~ # /etc/init.d/nfsserver start Starting kernel based NFS server done Now we have prepared an empty /etc/exports . Now watch this: ting:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/ ting:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/home No error! And ting can in fact mount the individual exports (onto different trees) Let's undo it and try it in reverse: ting:~ # exportfs -u 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/home ting:~ # exportfs -u 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/ ting:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/home ting:~ # exportfs 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0:/ Again no error, with either sequence. It is also not a problem with the /etc/exports file, since the trouble is clearly demonstrated through manual manipulations. Now the Linux guru who can explain and/or fix the cause of *this* inconsistency get's a big chocolate fish and a gold star for the day. Good day! _____________________ Christopher R. Carlen crobc@earthlink.net Suse 7.3 Linux 2.4.10