Not able to login through any user on the console

[Vaibhav_6]

Hi

I have a HP3000 server on which I am not able to login through the console.The only thing I get here is that when I enter my login id it comes back to the prompt where it asks me the login id again rather than prompting me for password.I have done a number of things ( single user mode ):
1) pwck
2) reset the root login
3) make a new user in root group
4) checking permissions on /usr/bin

But all these have failed.I happen to give the root access to one of my collegues and he is not aware of what he did during that period.
Pls Help
Hunk

[Devesh Pant_1]

Hunk,
if I understand correctly, your root account is locked and you have tried to reset the password in single user mode. That should be it. After that you can log on to the box on the console as root.

I would suggest not giving out root passord to users. If they need anything use sudo to provide them access to superuser commands selectively.

thanks
DP

[Vaibhav_6]

Hi Devesh,

Its not the case.The account is still valid.Only thing is that when I logged in through single user mode and reset the passwd,still i am not able to log in after the server comes up at the login prompt and asks me the userid.When I give the userid it again comes to the part where it asks the login id rather than asking for password.Its like the following :
HP-UX ....
Login :
HP-UX ...
Login :
No prompt for password ....
Thanks

[Mahesh Kumar Malik]

Hi

Please try to login with another user ID on console. If OK, mv existing /etc/passwd file to tmp location and restore it from backup while you are logged in as another user.

Regards
Mahesh

[Marek Smejkal]

Hunk,
looks like not visible character on your /etc/passwd.

Marek

[Bharat Katkar]

Vaibhav,
I think you will have to boot the server in single user mode by stopping it at PDC and then going to ISL and user "hpux -is" to boot.
This will give your hash prompt and then just check your /etc/password file.

Some possiblities i can judge are:
1. Shell not available for root
2. file system full

Check all the fields of root user in /etc/password.

If your are doubtful about password then just try changing the root password.
# passwd
New Password:
Reenter Password:

Hope that helps.
Regards,

[Vaibhav_6]

Bharat/Marek/Mahesh,

All these possiblities have been tried but none of them is working.I even created a new user in gid 0,reset the passwd,ran pwck,nothing is wrong with root id on /etc/passwd.I even erased the encrypted passwd.
Pls come up with more ideas.
Thanks
Hunk

[Doug O'Leary]

Hey;

First, just to confirm, that this is an HPUX box. Your original post said it was an HP3000. If that's the case, its running MPE and it means you're in the wrong forum.

Assuming that was a typo, here's what I would do in your situation:

1. Reboot back into single user mode; then "mount-a" so you have access to all the useful utilities.
2. Check the /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log for any indications of errors.
3. Verify permissions on /usr/bin/login as 4555.
4. Verify permissions on passwd file (444)
4. Verify ownership of all files in /usr/bin
5. Zero out passwd file:
* mv /etc/passwd /etc/passwd.050818
* echo "root::0:3:root:/:/sbin/sh" > /etc/passwd
* echo "bin::2:2:bin:/:/sbin/sh" >> /etc/passwd
* echo "sys::3:3:sys:/:/sbin/sh" >> /etc/passwd
* echo "daemon::1:5:daemon:/:/sbin/sh" >> /etc/passwd
* echo "adm::4:4:/:adm:/:/sbin/sh" >> /etc/passwd
* chmod 444 /etc/passwd
* chown root:sys /etc/passwd
6. Instead of rebooting into multi user mode, do it manually (init 3). Watch the screen for any errors or indications of abnormalities.

7. At this point, you will have a root shell at run lvl3. Do not exit the shell. Temporarily enable direct root login (rm /etc/securetty), then execute telnet localhost, attempt to login as root, and watch for errors.

8. Hopefully, at this point, you're able to login as root or, at least, have some indication of why you can't. If you can login, recopy the other user ids back into the password file. Do not move the old one back in case it's got invalid characters in it.

Once you have everything working again, beat your collegue with a stick.

HTH;

Doug

[Doug O'Leary]

Last point:

Once everything's working, DO NOT forget to relock the admin accounts and reset root's password.

That would be bad...

Doug

[Vaibhav_6]

Hi Doug,

There seems to be a problem with login binary and some of the other binaries.When I do a file login ..i get the output as ELF-32.( format ).For other binaries which are working show : PA_RISC Binaries .Login does not get executed as also other binaries.

I dont have a recovery CD nor another HPUX system to copy in new binaries.Pls tell me what to do next.

Thanking You in Anticipation
Vaibhav