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Alaskamac · Sep 21, 2008, 09:09 PM

I finally got our office IT Administrator to allow me to get my MacBook on the office network. No problem doing that (from Finder go to "GO", then "Connect to Server") and voila, there I am. The problem is I can only read document files. I was told to go to the Media department to check out some photo files and my computer does not even show them as existing. Is there something I have to enable or disable in order to read files other than documents over this PC based server network?

dimmer · Sep 22, 2008, 01:03 AM

That's very odd. Can you see the non-doc files in Finder? What server version is your IT group running?

No, there's nothing on your side to enable/disable.

Alaskamac · Sep 22, 2008, 08:25 AM

The only files I see in the finder are unix executable files, Word, Excel, and PDF. (I have the MS Office Suite installed).

Interestingly I cannot open any of them. If I try to open I get "error code -1401". If I try "Open with" as I move through the finder to identify the correct program, it does not show the obvious choice under recommendations, I have to tell it to enable all applications, but even when I identify the correct one, it still gives the same error code, -1401.

I do notice that the files are Word 97, and I am running Office 2004, but I still don't understand why that would 1) make a difference, and 2) not enable me to see the other files on the network, whether I can open them or not.

I don't know what server version is being run yet, the IT guys is on vacation, but I am going to try and track him down by email.

dimmer · Sep 24, 2008, 12:58 AM

It does sound like a problem on the server side. Let us know what the IT guy(s) tells you.

Alaskamac · Sep 24, 2008, 08:32 AM

Okay, I'm on the road, he's on the road, but check back. He is not all that excited about serving a Mac user, so the more I can solve on my own and demonstrate to him that we can work together, the better.

I would hate to have to resort to using Bootcamp or Parallel or something like that...seems to defeat the purpose of having a Mac to begin with.

Alaskamac · Sep 30, 2008, 07:51 AM

Here is the server information: Windows Server 2003 Standard

Does that help at all?

I may resolve to just run Windows on my machine just to save the hassle.

besson3c · Sep 30, 2008, 08:36 AM

What are the file extensions of the files you cannot open?

Alaskamac · Oct 6, 2008, 03:47 PM

I cannot open ANY files. I can see those with unix executable, .doc, or .xls extensions, but I cannot open anything, I keep getting the same error code, -1401.

seanc · Oct 6, 2008, 04:10 PM

What happens if you copy one to the desktop and try to open it from within Word?

Alaskamac · Oct 14, 2008, 03:37 PM

Okay, this is all academic now, we are just going to get Fusion and XP and do it that way.

Thanks for the help anyway, and I am going to try seanr's suggestion to see if I can copy to a desktop and read it within Word, but not until I have some breathing space here. If I learn anything, I will report back.

Thanks for the help.

seanc · Oct 15, 2008, 11:34 AM

I really don't believe that you need Fusion.

I use my MacBook on my companies network all the time and have a problem with no file formats. It sounds like a permissions problem, are you authenticating with your company username & password before you connect to the server?

dimmer · Oct 16, 2008, 04:27 AM

I agree with Seanc: there's no rational reason why you can't open cross-platform documents under OS X, and having to buy both Fusion and Windows (and probably Office) just sounds like your IT support want to move everyone to Vista or XP:

Do let us know what you find out: should be interesting.