After update from 10.04 to 10.10 not able to mount windows share folder

if you press ALT+F2 and run:

smb://servername/sharename

replace servername with the host name of the remote server
replace sharename with the name of the share you want access to

Should be ok.

Thanks for the answer and please excuse my ignorance, but I am not able to follow your instruction. I don't know distinction between servername, hostname and sharename. The data I have are: IP address of server, servername (never used in ubuntu), domain and of course my username and password.
Trying to follow your instruction, when I press ALT+F2 and run:

a) smb://192.168.100.2/ (192.168.100.2 being IP address of my windows server)
then Nautilus opens and all folders located on server are visible
then, when I click on shared folders I get error message "Unable to mount location" and "Failed to mount windows share".

b) smb://192.168.100.2/nameofthefolder
I get error message "Could not open location smb://......" and "Failed to mount windows share"

Any idea what to do?

I have a similar problem with a new install of 10.10. I have file sharing working fine on a computer running 10.04. I used the method described in the following link:
http://reformedmusings.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/samba-file-sharing-in-ubuntu-lucid-10-04-lts/
This essentially sets up samba shares using system-config-samba.
I can view/change Windows and Ubuntu 10.04 shares on another Ubuntu 10.04 and Windows computer and visa versa.
It works perfectly.

I now loaded 10.10 on one of those computers and tried to follow the same directions.
I can use personal file sharing, but when I try to view the network with nautilus, I get the "workgroup" displayed but when I try to open the workgroup, It says "unable to mount location, failed to retrieve share list."
When I tried the suggestion of entering smb://servername/sharename in "go to location",
I get "Could not display "smb://htpc/remotes/"." and
"Error: Failed to mount Windows share
Try another viewer and try again"
The Windows computer and the 10.04 Ubuntu computer can only see the personal file sharing folder on the 10.10 computer.
The 10.10 computer can't see anything.
I am not sure if this is a bug or my error. T

Opita:
  This solved my problem:
In a terminal window enter:
sudo gedit edit /etc/nsswitch.conf

Then find the following line:
hosts: files mdns4_minimal [NOTFOUND=return] dns mdns4

add "wins" so the it now reads as follows:
hosts: files mdns4_minimal [NOTFOUND=return] wins dns mdns4

save

Let me know if this works for you.
Would the lack of this parameter in a new installation be considered a bug?

@ John Gerardi

I had the same problem. Also navigating with Nautilus I got error described by Optia. Sometimes simply again trying to navigate to the server solved the problem, but sometimes not. On my server I have directories coupled to the users, and a general area. Getting in touch with that general area never was a problem. After navigating to this general area you do the following in Nautilus; Go | Location... and then replace the share name of the general area with that of the user share, it also worked. Uhhn?

Explain that to the wife!

After following your "wins" suggestion, it now runs like a (Swiss) clockwork. The only this I ask myself is why I use SMB to hook up two Ubuntu machines.

Thank you and I'd mark this one [SOLVED]