Re: [Sheflug] Oh gloom

["Chris J" <xxxxx [at] xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> Okay, I understand all that, thanks. SuSE actually uses mgetty but the 
> added problem is that when I boot into single user mode and enter the root 
> password at the login prompt, it just reprints the login prompt line again. 
> It doesn't say login failed or anything like that so I seem to be in 
> somewhat of a cleft stick methinks :-(
> 

Not entirely ...

Get a boot CD (or some other rescue disk like tomsrtbt), boot that and get to 
a shell. Once there, mount the root fs of your linux system under /mnt, then 
check things like /mnt/etc/inittab.

It does sound like there's a missing/broken library though. See if you can 
run /mnt/bin/bash ... if so find the startup scripts (/etc/rc.* IIRC on SuSE) 
and find the one that prompts for the root password (I think the command is 
sulogin). Comment that out and stick /bin/bash instead.

Reboot.

It might totally fall over this time, depending on what libs are missing. 
Alternativly it might throw you straight to a prompt. The latter is preferred 
:) If you /do/ get a bash prompt, you can start playing/investigating from 
there. If not then you'll have some fun and games...

So reboot with rescue CD, see if you can copy the libs that /bin/bash needs 
from rescue disk/CD onto your system disk. Make backups of existing libs if 
it looks like you're going to overwrite. Now reboot without rescue disk.

The basic premise is to get a working shell in single user as from there, 
things are straightforward in comparison to doing everything from a rescue 
disk. Especially if its a library screw up.

Disaster recover is always fun :)

Chris...

-- 
\ Chris Johnson           \ NP: The Cure - 06. A Strange Day
 \ cej [at] nightwolf.org.uk    ~-----,   
  \ http://cej.nightwolf.org.uk/  ~-----------------------------------, 
   \ Redclaw chat - http://redclaw.org.uk - telnet redclaw.org.uk 2000 \____


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