Symbolic links on HP CIFS/Samba 3.5.4

using symlinks on HP CIFS/Samba 3.5.4 can be an issue if the parameter unix extensions = yes (which is the default). Look up the man page for smb.conf for more info on it.

use the testparm -v command (-v = verbose), this will show ALL settings (built-in defaults) along with all the custom settings from your config file.

Since "unix extensions" only helps when using HP CIFS clients, IMO it should be disabled by default. so do this in the global section of smb.conf

unix extensions = no