root password corrupted

[yider]

This pb happens for trusted systems: The root Password is corrupted and we can\'t log in to the server as root user. The following message is displayed in the Web console : NO PASSWD ENTRY FOR ROUT//FIX ROAD ENTRY AND REBOOT To fixe the pb, it is necessary to start on "single user" mode and mount the partitions after having made a "fsck - y" then remove the file "/tcb/files/auth/r/root-t" Is there any HP patch to avoid this pb which happens many times to our customers ? What is the origine of this problem ?

Thanks a lot

[Peter Godron]

Hi,
and welcome to the forums !

Seems similar to:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=43050

But this was an untrusted system at system start-up.

Are you having any disk problems ? Check in /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log.
After to started the system, do you then change the root password again?

Please also read:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/helptips.do?#33 on how to reward any useful answers given to your questions.

[yider]

Thanks peter,


> Are you having any disk problems ? Check in /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log.
No I havn't any disk problem, all disks seems to be OK

> After to started the system, do you then change the root password again?

Yes, after removing the file root-t I changed the root password


NB: I have a similar problem but with other users, sometimes the file "userName-t" is created under the directory /tcb/files/auth/userName and the login process to the server takes a very long time (using textual access such as ssh or graphical access such as Exceed)

When the file is removed the login is OK

[Peter Godron]

Hi,
sorry to see my earlier post was of not much use.

From another thread( http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=86987):

"The file "root-t" is a lock file created by the various utilities maintaining
the TCB database. If a user record is locked, no other utility (like login) can
use it. The lock file may remain following a system crash or even if SAM
aborts whilst trying to modify the account. The lock file needs to be removed
before the login can be used .
The existence of the "root-t" lock file results in the system booting straight
to single user. This will need to be removed before the system can be booted to
multiuser."

So you are doing all the right things, but something is causing creation of root-t file.

What is happening just before the system needs to be brought down to single-user mode ?

[yider]

Peter,I appreciate your response, it helps me to understand the problem

> What is happening just before the system needs to be brought down to single-user mode ?

Before booting the system to single user mode, we can't login with root password even it's correct
Is there any way to avoid theses applications to create this lock file ?
Thanks again

[Peter Godron]

Hi,
after you have fixed the problem and have rebooted, you change the password.
You are not using any unusual characters in password and length is less than 8?

After this, could you please use the "authck -v" check to verify the db is ok.

Does this happen on any regular basis ( thinking of possible cron job etc.)

[yider]

Hi,

The root password didn't contain unusual characters (The only special character used is the underscrore )but is more than 8 (10 char)
I have use "authck", no error so the db is OK

Is password more than 8 char can cause this pb?