Build platform was fresh install of FreeBSD 5.2.1 Source tree was NFS mounted from LAN /usr/ports/LOCAL collection. Note: I don't know that this affects all platforms, but from the nature of the fix, I suspect that it can affect any nfs file system. On running ./configure, it barfs partway through, "Unable to create locking method" or some such. I can reproduce the error and send you config.log on request. Workaround: Copy source tree to local disk. Possible solutions: ./configure should verify local disk. (E.g. /tmp is nearly always local) OR Install commentary should tell people that it should be built on a local partition. OR configure flag to use local partition for testing lock files. (Note in passing: Sysadmins with multiple OS to support really like having a single tree that they can use for keeping all versions up to date.)
You should be able to configure and build samba out of tree although it isn't something that developers do very often so is sometimes broken. For example: $ mkdir /tmp/samba && cd /tmp/samba $ /usr/local/src/samba-3.0.7/source/configure --with-foo $ make Does this help out? I'm not sure there is a portable way to work out whether you are trying to configure samba on a NFS mounted partition.
tpot's right.