NFS trys following remote symlinks as if local!

[Adam Warner <lists@consulting.net.nz>]

Hi all,

I've come across this crazy problem and I hope someone knows what's
going on.

I am using kernel-level NFS. Debian unstable. 2.4.14. I have exported /

I can mount the remote filesystem on my client machine no problem. But
if I try to change to a remote symlinked directory I get, for example:

bash: cd: backup2: No such file or directory

Because that directory doesn't exist on my _local_ machine.

If I "cd backup" I am changed into the directory on my local machine
(because it exists). Not only is this surreal but it's dangerous if I
think I'm in the directory of a remote computer when I'm actually in a
local one.

I haven't turned up this problem through searching for a solution.  The
mount package version is 2.11m-1.

To date I've always avoided NFS and used Samba so I'm inexperienced at
this. Samba can't provide the remote file permissions I wish to also
store for backup purposes.

Thanks,
Adam