CDE ToolTalk error

[Subhas R. Reddy]

Folks,

We have a HP D350/HP UX 11.0 on which I tried to install QPAGE and the installation failed.
Now when I try to login to CDE I get the error message "Unable to initialize or connect to the Desktop messaging system". I ran dr_dt and it doesn't show any errors. Networking is working OK because I can do rlogin from other systems and telnet from Windows work station. Nslookup with hostname and IP address resolve OK. I am giving below the startlog and errorlog.

startlog

--- Mon Mar 19 17:42:26 EST 2001
--- /usr/dt/bin/Xsession starting...
--- Xsession started by dtlogin
--- sourcing //.dtprofile...
--- sourcing /usr/dt/config/Xsession.d/0010.dtpaths...
--- sourcing /usr/dt/config/Xsession.d/0020.dtims...
--- sourcing /usr/dt/config/Xsession.d/0030.dttmpdir...
--- sourcing /usr/dt/config/Xsession.d/0040.xmbind...
--- sourcing /usr/dt/config/Xsession.d/0060.srcsysenv...
Xsession (PATH): bad directory /usr/ucb ignored
--- sourcing /etc/dt/config/Xsession.d/8000.migration...
--- starting /usr/dt/bin/dthello &
--- starting /usr/dt/bin/dtsearchpath -ksh
--- starting /usr/dt/bin/dtappgather &
--- execing /usr/dt/bin/dtsession ...
not sourcing //.profile (see //.dtprofile)
Warning: Cannot convert string ":Alt CtrlInsert" to type VirtualBinding

errorlog

*** ERROR(4): dtsession: PID 1662: Mon Mar 19 17:42:42 2001
The ToolTalk session server (ttsession) could not be started. This
indicates that either ToolTalk is not installed or that it is not
installed correctly on this machine. Please see your System
Administrator.
*** [268]


We don't have HP support on this system, which is a test system, and I would appreciate some help.

Thanks

Subhas

[Kenneth Platz]

Subhas,

There are generally two potential causes to this problem:

1) If the system cannot resolve its own hostname.
2) If the user cannot write to or create the $(HOME)/.TTauthority file.

To correct the first problem, try running the command:
nslookup $(hostname)

This should give you back the correct hostname or IP address information for your system. If this is not correct, you will need to:
1) Verify that the contents of /etc/hosts is correct. If this is NOT correct, please do so.

2) If your system has an /etc/resolv.conf file, then please rename this. This will temporarily disable DNS. If this does resolve the problem, then you will need to consult with your DNS administrator and get the correct hostname and IP address information added to the DNS servers.

If on the other hand, you DO get back correct hostname/address information, check the following:
1) Ensure that the user's home directory is owned by the user, and that he/she has write permissions to his/her home directory.

2) If a .TTauthority file exists in the home directory, please remove it.

I hope this helps.

[Subhas R. Reddy]

Kenneth,

Thanks for the reply.

I used the command nslookup $(hostname) before and I tried it again and every time I get the correct hostname and IP address. I can't login even as root so it is not file access issue.

Any ideas ?

Thanks,

Subhas

[Alex Glennie · Accepted solution]

1) From the CDE login select Options -> Session -> Failsafe Session
and login as root.
2) Run /usr/contrib/bin/X11/dr_dt. The end of the output from this
script says: X ERRORs and X WARNINGs. These errors and warnings
should be resolved before CDE will run properly.
3) Check the error log /var/dt/Xerrors
Check the error log $HOME/.dt/errorlog
4) The output from "nslookup " and "nslookup " should
be the same. This checks for a) duplicate IP addresses or
hostnames or b) problems with name resolution. If nslookup fails
then CDE will fail to start. If the first line returned from nslookup
is: "Name Server" then you are using DNS. Move "/etc/resolv.conf" to
another name, i.e. /etc/resolv.conf.orig and then try logging into CDE again. if it works there's a problem wrt name resolution.
5) Check permissions and ownership of the following files:
-r--r--r-- 1 bin bin 616 Jul 1 16:03 /etc/hosts
-r--r--r-- 1 root sys 1010 Jun 25 18:22 /var/adm/inetd.sec
6) Check the contents of /var/adm/inetd.sec. It should contain
dtspc allow
spc allow
mserve allow
If not add the lines and run "/usr/sbin/inetd -c" to reread the file.
7) /usr/sbin/ping
You should get back 0% packet loss. If you get something different
then check your network configuration.
8) Make sure the $LANG environment variable is set correctly. It should
be set to C or unset for American-English.
9) Exit the failsafe session. From the CDE login select Options ->
Command Line Login. When the screen turns black, press and
you should get a Console Login prompt. Login as root.
10) mv $HOME/.dt $HOME/.dt.orig
mv $HOME/.dtprofile $HOME/.dtprofile.orig
exit (to return to CDE) - try logging in as root.

One last question ... are your users $HOME dirs NFS mounted at all ?

[Subhas R. Reddy]

Alex,

I had tried all the ten steps mentioned in you post before I asked for help in this forum but I tried again and when I moved /etc/resolv.conf CDE worked. Weird. Now root and users can login to CDE. My two other co-workers, who are actually UNIX gurus, also tried to fix it and could not. You seem to have a magic touch.

Thanks,

Subhas