From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Apr 14 17:18:15 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 57BB6106564A for ; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:18:15 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (gizmo.acns.msu.edu [35.8.1.43]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 01A9D8FC0A for ; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:18:14 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6) with ESMTP id m3EHGjTj032881; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:16:45 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: (from jerrymc@localhost) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6/Submit) id m3EHGjPd032880; Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:16:45 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc) Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:16:45 -0400 From: Jerry McAllister To: Jesse Sheidlower Message-ID: <20080414171645.GJ31602@gizmo.acns.msu.edu> References: <20080414143503.GA8718@panix.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20080414143503.GA8718@panix.com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.2i Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org 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 17:18:15 -0000 On Mon, Apr 14, 2008 at 10:35:03AM -0400, 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. Well, the two things I would guess are: there is a syntax error in adding your regular id to the wheel group and you are typing in the root password incorrectly. I've never had it fail when I remembered to add my id to wheel and got the root password right. Can your colleague log in with her id and then su to root? I have never used su with the '-' on it, but I presume that should be no problem. ////jerry > > Thanks very much. > > Jesse Sheidlower > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"