Version 10.7.4 of Lion, Lion Server contain SMB, AD fixes

Apple released version 10.7.4 maintenance updates to Lion, Lion Server, and the Server Admin Tools. The Lion client update fixes a problem that "may prevent files from being saved to an SMB server," according to Apple, and improves printing to an SMB print queue. The update also improves the "reliability of binding and logging into Active Directory accounts." Version 10.7.4 also plugs a security hole in the FileVault data encryption feature. The updates aren't as significant as the 10.7.3 updates, however, which came with a long list of bug fixes.

The SMB file and print sharing issues are problems that readers have previous reported, including a reader report today. Since Lion was released, readers have also reported problems Active Directory binding problems, but that the 10.7.3 release fixed most of the problems.

SMB file sharing is also improved in the server version, Lion Server 10.7.4 update, which Apple refers to as increases in "general reliability of SMB file services." The server update also contains several dozen other bug fixes to Profile Manager, Web Server, and Mail Server, as well as some fixes for DNS problems. (You can find Lion Server tips and reports here.) The Server Admin Tools 10.7.4 update enables administrators to set DNS done data expiration to more than 9 hours. Server Admin Tools is a separate download from Lion Server.

The Server Admin Tools 10.7.3 update was a more major update that made the DNS log visible, among other improvements.

Please let us know whether or not the 10.7.4 fixes problems for you.