Can't login as root via Console;

[OFC_EDM]

I have a system where I want to restrict root login by creating a /etc/securetty file.

Before creating the file I connected to the server via the GSP console using Telnet. And attempted a root login. I cannot login as root. I have to login as a user and su to root.

This is the behaviour I want. BUT!! I don't know why it's working. THERE ISN'T a /etc/securetty file on the system.

FYI: It's a basic HP-UX 11.11 system.

Any ideas what else could be restricting root login??

[Arunvijai_4]

Hello,

If this is a trusted system, and if you would have tried with wrong password, root account might have disabled. To enable it again,

# /usr/lbin/modprpw -k root

-Arun

[Steve Steel]

Hi

Its not trusted or su would not work

What message do you see

Check root .profile and /etc/profile for a test


Steve Steel

[OFC_EDM]

It's not a trusted system.

I've checked the /.profile and the /etc/profile for tests and nothing.

Same profiles as on my other systems where they can login as root from the console.

Also I've quadruple checked that I'm using the correct password.

[Robert-Jan Goossens · Accepted solution]

Kevin,

Do you use a special character (#,@ etc) in your root password string ?

Regards,
Robert-Jan

[OFC_EDM]

Yes we do.

The ! symbol is used but would that cause an issue?

[OFC_EDM]

I'm going to test the symbol idea and reset the password to something simple and see if that works.

[OFC_EDM]

Also use the @ symbol in the passwd.

[OFC_EDM]

Took out the special characters and I can login via the console as root.

Is there a fix for this?

I'd like to be able to use the special characters.

[John Dvorchak]

There is no fix,that I am aware of, for the special character in root's password from the console. This is a throw back to the old days of Teletype machines for terminals instead of the nice electronic devices we have today.
Sorry, but this is something that we Admins have been dealing with since the 1970's.
Good luck.

[Jeff_Traigle]

You shouldn't need to abandon all special characters. @ and # are problematic. See the following thread:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=805657

[erics_1]

Kevin,

Also see the reference in the passwd manpage to avoid using @ and #.

Eric

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Kevein:

Have a look at the 'getty(1M)' manpages for the discussion of special characters to avoid during login.

Regards!

...JRF...

[Shal]

Hi,

You can also use backslash (\) before the special characters.. just a workaround though

Rgds,
Shal