CDE won't start after fresh HPUX 11i v2 install

[James Simmons_3]

I did a cold install of HPUX 11i (May 2005) on 2 rx2600 servers. Took all defaults except I set the host name, IP address, and other IP related params as required. System works fine and is accessible via the network. Xterm sessions seem to work fine.

However, I cannot start CDE sessions either from the integrated VGA/USB console logging in as root or from remote systems logging in as root or a valid user. After entering id and passwiord on the CDE login, I get the pop up saying the Desktop messaging system cannot be started. Says to check hosts file, make sure CDE is properly installed, etc. The desktop does load and display properly, but when I OK the popup message, it shuts down and returns to the login prompt.

Since this is a fresh OS install, I have to assume CDE is properly installed and that there is some other configuration issue preventing operation.

I have checked the /etc/hosts file and it is set up properly with the IP address of the server, a FQDN, and a shortname alias. The server is properly registered in a DSN server. The server does resolve names properly thru the default DNS server.

I studied the CDE manuals, Googled, etc. but so far nothing I've found has helped. I looked at the errorlog and startlog in the .dt folder and it appears that the ToolTalk service is not starting up for some reason.

I'm really at a loss here. I'm sure its my inexperience with HPUX/CDE and figure it must be something silly since this is a fresh, virtually vanilla install of the 11i foundation OS.

Any help would be appreciated as it'll save me untold hours trying to figure it out.

[Eknath]

Hi James,

try this out...

The CDE login session uses rpc calls for communication, so rpcbind must be running!
Try to start rpcbind, the CDE problem will be solved. rpcbind can be started by /sbin/init.d/nfs.core start

Stopping nfs.core for any reason will result in the CDE hangs.

Cheers!!!
eknath

[James Simmons_3]

Thanks for the quick response. I'll check this out and respond with the results.

[James Simmons_3]

I took a quick look:

Value of TERM has been set to "xterm".
WARNING: YOU ARE SUPERUSER !!

# ps -eaf | grep rpcb
root 787 1 0 Aug 4 ? 0:00 /usr/sbin/rpcbind
#
#


Looks like rpcbind IS running already. Any other things to look at?

[James Simmons_3]

I just found something that may be related. My servers are registered in a DNS server and forward lookup by hostname works fine. But apparently the DNS admin failed to add PTR records so reverse lookups fail.

Could this be why CDE won't start?

BTW if I run nslookup and enter the IP address, it is resolved, but not in DNS or NIS. It is resolved via the /etc/hosts file.

[James Simmons_3]

I believe I have solved the problem.

Given that reverse DNS lookup (ie resolving by ip address) was failing in the DSN server, I changed the search order in /etc/nsswitch.conf to make files (/etc/hosts) first and DNS second. Now CDE starts properly without any errors.

This seems strange to me because reverse lookups were succeeding previously, but the search had to fail in DNS then succeed in /etc/hosts. Seems that this is insufficient for CDE to work, though.

Once I get the PTR records added into our DNS server, I will switch back to the HPUX default search order and I suspect it will still work.

Hopefully this will help someone else down the road.

[James Simmons_3]

Update - After our DNS admin added PTR records to the DNS server, CDE starts without problem.

So having the server hostname and ip address in the local hosts file is not enough. CDE needs the DNS server set up for BOTH forward and reverse lookups.

[Florian Heigl (new acc)]

I bet You don't have reverse lookup for Your host available or it points to a slightly different hostname.

I've fallen into this trap numerous times :)

[Florian Heigl (new acc)]

Oups - I didn't notice Your last posts where You already found it!

Thanks very much for posting back with the solution.

For Your information: the DCE or RPC-Calls coming out and into sometimes really need the reverse records to function.

(all the widgety stuff like mail notification, screensaver startup and this, I'd say)