From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Apr 14 14:51:38 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 441C31065675 for ; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:51:38 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jester@panix.com) Received: from l2mail1.panix.com (l2mail1.panix.com [166.84.1.75]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E23908FC2C for ; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:51:37 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jester@panix.com) Received: from mail3.panix.com (mail3.panix.com [166.84.1.74]) by l2mail1.panix.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id CCCE55C22A for ; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:35:04 -0400 (EDT) Received: from panix2.panix.com (panix2.panix.com [166.84.1.2]) by mail3.panix.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4222413A856 for ; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:35:03 -0400 (EDT) Received: (from jester@localhost) by panix2.panix.com (8.11.6p3/8.8.8/PanixN1.1) id m3EEZ3k26118 for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:35:03 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:35:03 -0400 From: Jesse Sheidlower To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Message-ID: <20080414143503.GA8718@panix.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.10i Subject: Can't log in as root on new 7.0 install X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:51:38 -0000 I've recently installed FreeBSD 7.0 on a new server. I seem to be unable to log in as root in any way, and I'm not sure why. Furthermore I'm now physically separate from the machine, and have been relying on a (non-computer-literate) colleague with access to its console server to try and help. After the initial install I (am pretty sure I) was able to log in as root over ssh. However, after a week when the machine was inaccessible for other reasons, I cannot log in as root, only as a normal user. I thought that I had perhaps mis-remembered the root password, so I directed the colleague to log in in single user mode and reset the root password; she was able to do this, and typed "exit" to return the system to multi-user mode and herself at a root prompt. However I was still not able to log in as root, either over ssh, or by logging in as a normal user and then typing "login root" (i.e. it wasn't just something preventing root logins over ssh). I then asked the colleague to add me to the "wheel" group, which she successfully did; I logged out and back in again, determined that I was indeed in this group, and tried to "su -" and got a "su: Sorry" message, with the colleague reporting that a "BAD SU [user] to root on /dev/ttyp0" message had appeared. I'm sort of at a loss for what to do or why this is happening, and am quite eager to control my own machine....Suggestions welcome. Thanks very much. Jesse Sheidlower