Issue
Why do two different CIFS clients show different values of inodes for the same files?
Below messages are observed during issue:
Raw
CIFS VFS: Autodisabling the use of server inode numbers on [share].
CIFS VFS: The server doesn't seem to support them properly or the files might be on different servers (DFS).
CIFS VFS: Hardlinks will not be recognized on this mount. Consider mounting with the "noserverino" option to silence this message.
Resolution
These messages indicate that the CIFS server does not support returning inode numbers or the CIFS client detects an inode collision. Then the CIFS client enables noserverino option, and will generate unique ids as inode numbers.
Check with the CIFS server vendor why returning inode numbers are not supported or inode numbers are duplicated.
Workaround option 1: Remount the share to enable serverino option again.
Workaround option 2: Mount the share with the noserverino option to prevent the messages.
Root Cause
The serverino option is disabled and noserverino is enabled because the CIFS server does not support returning inode numbers or the CIFS client detects an inode collision, and an unique ids which is generated temporary on the client side will be used as inode numbers.
For more details of the options, please refer to MOUNT.CIFS(8):
Raw
serverino
Use inode numbers (unique persistent file identifiers) returned
by the server instead of automatically generating temporary
inode numbers on the client. Although server inode numbers make
it easier to spot hardlinked files (as they will have the same
inode numbers) and inode numbers may be persistent (which is
useful for some software), the server does not guarantee that
the inode numbers are unique if multiple server side mounts are
exported under a single share (since inode numbers on the
servers might not be unique if multiple filesystems are mounted
under the same shared higher level directory). Note that not all
servers support returning server inode numbers, although those
that support the CIFS Unix Extensions, and Windows 2000 and
later servers typically do support this (although not necessar‐
ily on every local server filesystem). Parameter has no effect
if the server lacks support for returning inode numbers or
equivalent. This behavior is enabled by default.
noserverino
Client generates inode numbers itself rather than using the
actual ones from the server.
See section INODE NUMBERS for more information.