[Bug 428129] [NEW] fstab mounted CIFS share causes stalls when offline

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Hello, I mounted an OS X Samba share on Linux Mint 7 using smbfs. 
I added to the fstab-
//server/share /media/share cifs credentials=credentialsfile,file_mode=0777,dir_mode=0777   0   0

This works, and is the preferred method in Ubuntu (as GNOME doesn't
mount shares as a filesystem for other programs to access and it doesn't
automount). However, if the server goes offline for any reason (restart,
shutdown, router unplugged, etc.), programs in Mint gradually stall
(stop responding). I had a WINE program stall, then Firefox, then
Nautilus. I tried to reproduce it by shutting down the server again, and
only nautilus stalled. They come back to life when the server boots back
up. There may be an eventual timeout, but I didn't reach it. CIFS does
not have a timeout option listed in the manual.

I realize it's expected that a fstab-listed filesystem will respond all the time, but network shares don't. I realize this won't be a Mint-only issue, but I wouldn't know who to submit it to (gnome nautilus, smbfs, CIFS-VFS, or all of them). I think this behaviour is too fragile. Please forward this bug wherever it's supposed to go. I did find this old mailinglist email, but it does not mention other programs stalling-
http://lists.samba.org/archive/linux-cifs-client/2005-February/000686.html

Thanks for the help!

** Affects: cifs-utils (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: Incomplete

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fstab mounted CIFS share causes stalls when offline
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/428129
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