From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Apr 14 15:02:46 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 366601065670 for ; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:02:46 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from derek@computinginnovations.com) Received: from betty.computinginnovations.com (mail.computinginnovations.com [64.81.227.250]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E4C738FC20 for ; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:02:45 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from derek@computinginnovations.com) Received: from p28.computinginnovations.com (dhcp-10-20-30-100.computinginnovations.com [10.20.30.100]) (authenticated bits=0) by betty.computinginnovations.com (8.14.2/8.14.2) with ESMTP id m3EF2Wtv070312; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:02:33 -0500 (CDT) (envelope-from derek@computinginnovations.com) Message-Id: <6.0.0.22.2.20080414100243.024f0008@mail.computinginnovations.com> X-Sender: derek@mail.computinginnovations.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 6.0.0.22 Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:04:21 -0500 To: Jesse Sheidlower , freebsd-questions@freebsd.org From: Derek Ragona In-Reply-To: <20080414143503.GA8718@panix.com> References: <20080414143503.GA8718@panix.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 080414-0, 04/14/2008), Outbound message X-Antivirus-Status: Clean X-Virus-Scanned: ClamAV 0.92.1/6757/Mon Apr 14 07:06:56 2008 on betty.computinginnovations.com X-Virus-Status: Clean X-ComputingInnovations-MailScanner-Information: Please contact the ISP for more information X-MailScanner-ID: m3EF2Wtv070312 X-ComputingInnovations-MailScanner: Found to be clean X-ComputingInnovations-MailScanner-From: derek@computinginnovations.com X-Spam-Status: No Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Cc: Subject: Re: 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 15:02:46 -0000 At 09:35 AM 4/14/2008, Jesse Sheidlower wrote: >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 I would have your helper log in as root and reboot the server. This will assure it is in multi-user. You should NOT be able to ssh in as root, unless you've opened up that security hole which is not recommended. -Derek -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.