Remote file management on a home server

[Shannon]

I did a quick search but couldn't find what I wanti, which probably has something to do with the fact I don't actually know what to search for.

Basically I have a server PC running Ubuntu connected to my home network. My main PC is running Win7. I've set up Samba and can browse and transfer files between the two machines no problem.

What I want to be able to do is move files around on the server from my Windows machine. If I try and move files around using Windows Explorer, it copies the file from the server to my Windows computer and then back again. Surely there is a way that I can perform the file operations locally on the server without having to copy the files back and forth? Any search for 'moving files on a network computer' comes up with basic network guides and how to move files between computers.

[nekkidtruth]

There seems to be more confusion than necessary in what you're wanting to do.

You are wanting to be able to move a file to either machine, correct? Is that not what it's doing? If you've networked the computers and are running Samba, I don't understand why you wouldn't be able to move files between the 2 machines. Barring any configuration issues of course.

[sc302 Veteran]

Well if it were a 2003+ windows server it wouldn't do that. To maintain integrity it has to copy locally, paste, and delete in the move operation vs just moving the table pointers from one folder to another. Remotting in and moving it on ubuntu would yield faster results.

[Shannon]

There seems to be more confusion than necessary in what you're wanting to do.

You are wanting to be able to move a file to either machine, correct? Is that not what it's doing? If you've networked the computers and are running Samba, I don't understand why you wouldn't be able to move files between the 2 machines. Barring any configuration issues of course.

I don't want to move files between the machines. The file I want to move is already on the server. All I want to do is move the file on the server to another folder on the server, but I want to do it using my Windows computer so I don't have to physically go to the server computer and do the move.

Well if it were a 2003+ windows server it wouldn't do that. To maintain integrity it has to copy locally, paste, and delete in the move operation vs just moving the table pointers from one folder to another. Remotting in and moving it on ubuntu would yield faster results.

I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean when I try to move the file remotely, Ubuntu is actually copying it to the new destination folder and then deleting the original? Is there no way for Windows to simply issue a move command to Ubuntu, and it will do whatever it would normally if I physically went to computer and dragged the file to another folder?

[farmeunit]

Just remote into the server and move the file. That would be the fastest way.

[sc302 Veteran]

When you initiate a move command you want the server to see that it is a move and just change the file pointers to another location, but in actuality what is happening when you complete a move command it is copying the file to your local computer, copying the file back onto the server in a new folder you want it in, then deleting the file. That operation is quite slow and you want it to be instant.

That is a feature of the os and something you shouldn't need to worry about. It is built into nas os'es and onto windows servers to understand moving from one local folder to another and not to copy information to the computer unless it is going to a different server.

It comes down to how the two os'es talk to each other.

[Shannon]

Just remote into the server and move the file. That would be the fastest way.

Well the server also doubles as a HTPC running XBMC in full screen. If it's possible I'd rather avoid remote desktop so I don't have to exit (or minimise) XBMC to do any file operations.

When you initiate a move command you want the server to see that it is a move and just change the file pointers to another location, but in actuality what is happening when you complete a move command it is copying the file to your local computer, copying the file back onto the server in a new folder you want it in, then deleting the file. That operation is quite slow and you want it to be instant.

That is a feature of the os and something you shouldn't need to worry about. It is built into nas os'es and onto windows servers to understand moving from one local folder to another and not to copy information to the computer unless it is going to a different server.

It comes down to how the two os'es talk to each other.

So basically it's a limitation of the communication between Ubuntu and Windows communication? I would have thought that in 2012, moving files on a network computer would be a pretty standard operation.

[sc302 Veteran]

It is, and you are able to move them right? Sounds pretty standard to me even if it doesn't meet your speed expectation.

In your case move is a standard operation no matter how long it takes, however the way you want it to move is different than what is happening now. To say that a move isn't a common operation is false. To say that moving the way it does it is asinine is true and it shouldn't happen with current technology.

[Shannon]

It is, and you are able to move them right? Sounds pretty standard to me even if it doesn't meet your speed expectation.

Yes I can move the files around just fine, it just takes a whole while longer than it should because of the double-copy process. Apart from this limitation, the network is performing flawlessly.

Anyway thanks for the clarification. Barring any solutions, it sounds like I might have to give Windows Home Server a try in the future.

[jagowar]

Just curious but why do you even have a Ubuntu server running? These days I just use a hp microserver running windows 7 as it has seamless compatibility with my other win7/win8 pc's. I use drivebender ($40) to do the homeserver thing of binding multiple drives into a single volume (and since its windows 7 it can also act as my media center server for my Xbox's which is one less box I need to be running)

[Shannon]

Like I said earlier, it doubles as a HTPC running XBMC. I should probably say it's actually a HTPC that doubles as a server, as it does more video playback then it does file serving. Anyway, when I put the machine together only the Linux version of XBMC supported hardware accelerated video playback.

[DrScouse]

Im not a ubuntu user but there must be away to automate this, a script or app that watches a folder, then automatically moves or syncs the files somewhere else... When I have dabbled iwth linux I did use FreeNX to remote control the pc.

I am using Windows Home Server 2011, like you, my primary use of this server is XBMC HTPC, works great.. What are the files you are moving about? If they are media downloads, can you not simply change the destination folder??

[CPressland]

The next best solution for something like this would be to simply SSH in and issue the mv command.

[+BudMan MVC]

^ yup just ssh to the linux box and do whatever you want for moving files around. Or if running a desktop gui, just remote into that (different that the console session) so you don't mess up anything going with what I assume your doing on the console session with your media stuff.

Or run a web interface file manager, for example webmin has ability to move files around on the machine.

[Miuku.]

On every Samba setup I have seen in the last few years the move operation does not copy anything to the local machine no matter what the client OS you are using is in question.

For example I have an SLES (SuSE Linux Enterprise Server) running Samba 3.6.3 and from a Win2k3 server via windows explorer any move operating performed is instantaneous, no matter how large the file in question is.