passwd not working ..

[someone_4]

Hello
We are trying to change the password on an HPUX 11.0 box.
when you do in a box that works we get this:
#passwd
Changing password for root
In the box we have trouble with we get this:
#passwd
#
we get the promt right back. We we try to do it though sam. we get this:
Executing passwd(1) command to set password for user root

Press to continue sam...

and we hit return and go back to sam.
Anyone have any ideas?

Richard

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Richard:

You might trying logging out and then back in to resource your $HOME/.profile and correct any terminal settings.

BTW, you have additional information provided in your 'rm' post (if you haven't already seen it.

...JRF...

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Hi Richard:

On the trouble box, since you seem to be logged in as root (judging from the '#' prompt), whatever you do don't logout.

Do a pwck to check the status of the passwd file. It appears to be corrupt or you may have a full filesystem. Do a bdf.

One fairly simple fix is to copy /etc/passwd on the bad box to /etc/passwd.sav and then replace it with a passwd file from another box.


But make sure that you attempt to login as root from another session so that you don't kill your working root session.

Clay

[someone_4]

This is really weird now.
Its more then a password issue.
ll does not work
bdf works
lsf does not work
ls -f works
pwck returns the promt
and we dont have any full file systems.

Richard

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Clay:

Darn good point! I'm so used to keeping two root sessions open (or opening a second whenever I mess with the passwd file) that I forgot to mention that!

...JRF...

[eran maor]

Hi

i had more or less the same problem , the problem was with the primission of the dir. and the files that had the problem .

so my advise is to check the /sbin and /usr with a diff computer but the best thing is to restore from a ignite or to do a new cold install but i solve it but changing the rigth primission .

good luck

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Hi Richard,

You say ls -f works and lsf does not work; that is strange. lsf and ls are the same file with hard links between them - as long as we are talking about the /usr/bin/ versions. However, there is no /sbin/lsf (just /sbin/ls).

I would say that /usr has become unmounted excepted that pwck is normally found in /usr/bin. Make sure the /usr is mounted.

Have you by any chance applied patches that would have replaced any shared libraries?

I somehow feel that we are overlooking the obvious.

Yeah James, I sort of felt I needed to scream the warning before it was too late.



Clay

[someone_4]

get this guys .. this is really strange.
from /var lsf works
but from / it does not work.
But passwd does not work from anywhere.

Richard

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Richard & Clay:

I agree this is strange. "pwck' is in /usr/sbin. But still things don't quite match expectations.

Take a look at your /usr/bin & /usr/sbin directories. Make sure they are 'bin:bin' and "555" (r-xr-xr-x).

Yet another thought is transition links. Make sure (off of /) you see:

lr-xr-xr-t bin -> /usr/bin
lr-xr-xr-t lib -> /usr/lib

...JRF...

[someone_4]

Ok the permissions are right
but how can I check
lr-xr-xr-t bin -> /usr/bin
lr-xr-xr-t lib -> /usr/lib
if I cant do ll from / ?

Richard

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Richard:

Try absolute path :

# /sbin/ls
# /usr/bin/ls

My bet is /sbin/ls will get you there.

...got to run home, hope Clay is still on...good luck; we will solve this, yet!...

...JRF...

[linuxfan]

Hi Richard,

I know the Royalties are trying to help but since the problem is unresolved.

since you said /sbin/ls is working .

try
1. /sbin/ls -ald /
Make sure its permissions are 755(rwxr-xr-x) and owned by root:root
2. /sbin/ls -ald /bin->/usr/bin
should be lr-xr-xr-xt
3. /sbin/ls -ald /lib
should be lr-xr-xr-xt /lib->/usr/lib

-regards
I am RU

[linuxfan]

btw did you check if /usr was mounted?

-I am RU

[linuxfan]

Hi Richard,

forget the last post, /usr must obviously be mounted because you are able to execute files in /usr/sbin and /usr/bin.
sorry my fingers were typing faster than my mind was thinking. :-)

[Mark van Hassel · Accepted solution]

Hi Richard,

What do you mean with 'll does not work' ? Do you mean it hangs ? The reason that it hangs in / could be that there is something wrong with an NFS mount or a mounted CD. In this case ls will work but ll will not. What you can do to find out on which dir or mountpoint it hangs do the following:
for i in `ls`
do
ll $i
done

It will hang at the dir which gives you the trouble. You can then try to umount it.

BTW, are you using NIS ?

[someone_4]

Hey Mark it did have to do with an NFS mount. I opened a call with HP friday night. I will post the notes of that call on monday.

Richard

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Richard:

Well, now this makes a bit more sense. Great call, Mark!!!

A word to the wise, Richard, if your 'pfs_mount' a CD. Always follow the order for starting and stopping the 'pfs_mount' daemons. Failure to follow the prescribed order, or capriciously killing one of the daemons, will lead to a system that progressively uses more and more CPU time and slowly becomes catatonic. One symptom, in this case is a hanging 'ls' and a handing 'bdf'.

Please post the additional details you are offering. Thanks!

Regards!

...JRF...

[someone_4]

Hey everyone.
Here is the call record from HP.
Basicaly they said that I have to reboot my system that has been up for almost a year.
11:53am up 362 days, 18 mins, 2 users, load average: 0.56, 0.61, 0.61

Richard