inknown id: root

[Henry Tuason Macasiano]

i need help. our server (running on hp-ux b10.20)crashed and i can no longer log as root.

when i rebooted, ths screen shows somthing like:

/dev/vg02/lvol19 is seriously damaged errno = 6
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WARNING: Insufficient space on dump device failed to save full crash dump
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INIT: WARNING: No password entry for root
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FIX root ENTRY IN /etc/passwd AND REBOOT!!
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su
inknown id: root

Hope to get some inputs from you guys. Thanks

[RAC_1]

Interrupt the boot process and boot into single user mode.

ISL> hpux -is

Then it will take you to root prompt directly. Check /etc/password file.

Post.

[Bill McNAMARA_1]

/dev/vg02/lvol19 is seriously damaged errno = 6

when you eventually get prompt examine your /etc/fstab to determine which filesystem is damaged, we'll come back to this..!

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WARNING: Insufficient space on dump device failed to save full crash dump

So there was a system panic, this is not so serious, just means that you won't be able to debug why the system paniced completely... it's most likely because you're on old software/ ageing hardware! at a guess!
remove /var/adm/crash/ contents unless you want to debug crash dumps. alternatively, if you want you can increase the dump device space to save the full crash next time..

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INIT: WARNING: No password entry for root
really??

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FIX root ENTRY IN /etc/passwd AND REBOOT!!
yikes!!

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su
inknown id: root
ouch!

was that you that typed in the su?
Have you got a prompt here?
I mean it is saying correct the /etc/passwd?(pwck to check passwd file) or is this a keyboard not found, press any key type error?

If you can't get prompt there's not much you can do apart from boot from a rescue/recovery cd, mount the root disk and manually edit the root entry in the passwd file, or copy a backed up one across from tape for example.

Recovery CD rescue is about as complicated as it gets, but if you can't boot and get prompt with the options hpux -lm -is it's more or less your last option.

good luck,
Bill

[Robert-Jan Goossens]

In addition to bill's excellent answer if you have a bootable ignite tape THINK this the time to use it.

Good luck,

Robert-Jan.

[CCIL]

Just boot the system in single user mode , at ISL> prompt use hpux -is to boot the system in single user mode , then check the /etc/passwd file , u can check the password file using the command pwck , it will check the consitency of /etc/passwd file

once u reciverd root password try to run fsck on /dev/vg02/lvol19 , there are some option which will repair the disk , but u may loose some data ...

[Henry Tuason Macasiano]

Thanks to all who gave useful inputs.. more power to all!