encrypt passwords, or you tell linux to encrypt them, - at present I have it set so that win 98 is still encrypted (although Chris on the list has sent me a utility to turn it off) and I have the line in smbconf encrypted passwords = yes...I haven't got the link to the smbpasswd file in the conf file though....don't even know if i have the passwd file, I'll check tonight (actually have the time to poke about because - YES! - it's the weekend!). I have downloaded the O Reilly book, thanks whoever supplied the link there - I obviously haven't come to the bit about passwords yet. I may try turning the encryption on the win98 machine OFF first. So little time...... Hope I'm not bugging anyone making all these posts on one topic, BTW, not sure what the etiquette is as this is my first mailing group. :-) Let me know if I am! Jenny.