Problem booting in single user mode

[Steve Sauve]

Hello all,
I'm trying a boot my 11.0 server into single user mode via the ISL (hpux -is). However, though it boots fine normally, when I try and boot to single user mode the following lines repeat:
INIT : SINGLE USER MODE
INIT : ERROR : Couldn't exec any programs for single user mode

Anyone have any thoughts? As I said the box boots fine normally.

Thanks,
Steve

[Sanjay_6]

Hi Steve,

Look for the root shell in /etc/passwd. My guess is the shell is /usr/bin/sh. It should be /sbin/sh. /usr does not get mounted at boot in sigle user mode.

Hope this helps.

Regds

[Steve Sauve]

Good thought, but it is set to /sbin/sh.

Steve

[Anthony deRito]

Try this... when you are up in multiuser mode, execute the shutdown command and go back down into single user mode. Do you get a logon prompt?

Tony

[Steve Sauve]

Shutdown does get me to single user mode. No login prompt, just a prompt (which I think is the way it should be). This will allow me to do most of what I need to, but I also need to change the size of /var and /usr and I believe the only way to do that is to boot to single user mode.

Steve

[Anthony deRito]

Yes, I meant a prompt (not a logon prompt). On your boot disk you have what is called a LIF Area. This LIF area contains the ISL, AUTO file, LABEL file and hpux. When you select hpux -is from the ISL prompt, you are loading the secondary loader which in-turn loads the operating system. I suspect you may have a corrupt LIF area. It would not hurt to rebuild the LIF. Its pretty easy and does not take too much time. You do it from the Support CD and select Run a REcovery Shell -> Recover an unbootable HP-UX system -> Rebuild only the bootlif.

Hope this helps.

Tony

[melvyn burnard]

Check /etc/profile and root's .profile for any changes/modifications from the norm.
If necessary, move into place default .profile for root and test again.
I believe you may have something in root's .profile calling exec to an unavailable shell at single user boot time.

[G. Vrijhoeven]

Hi,

You have two options:

1. install online jfs and you will be able to perform the trick online...

2. boot single user mode :
bo pri is
log in, mount /usr and you should have access to lvm commands.

Hope this will help,

Gideon