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Date:      Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:49:24 -0700
From:      "Michael K. Smith - Adhost" <mksmith@adhost.com>
To:        "martinko" <gamato@users.sf.net>, <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject:   RE: cannot log in via console, cannot su(1), only as root
Message-ID:  <17838240D9A5544AAA5FF95F8D520316022AC752@ad-exh01.adhost.lan>
In-Reply-To: <f6p80c$a6g$1@sea.gmane.org>
References:  <f6omnq$tlb$1@sea.gmane.org> <f6p80c$a6g$1@sea.gmane.org>

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Hello Martinko:

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org [mailto:owner-freebsd-
> questions@freebsd.org] On Behalf Of martinko
> Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 4:36 PM
> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: cannot log in via console, cannot su(1), only as root
>=20
> martinko wrote:
> > hello list,
> >
> > i was updating sw configuration of my old computer and towards the
> end i
> > noticed i couldn't log in on local console other than root.  i tried
> > remote ssh using public keys which worked but i found out su(1) to
> any
> > user except root does not work either.  i've no idea how i could
> > possibly manage to "break" my system like this and unfortunately i
> need
> > to fix it by tomorrow.  therefore i would really appreciate your
> prompt
> > hints as what to check etc.
> >
>=20
> some more details follow ...
>=20
> upgrade from 6.0-R to 6.2-R
> everything went ok ..
> i was doing changes in /etc based on my other computer settings
> i was working via ssh(1), therefore i haven't noticed when logging on
> console stopped working.
>=20
> what works:
> log in via ssh(1) using public/private keys
> log in on local console as root
> su(1) to root
>=20
> what doesn't work:
> log in via ssh(1) using password
> log in on local console as a normal user
> su(1) to a normal user (it even doesn't ask for password a throws
> "sorry")
>=20
> besides, as root i'm able to change passwords via passwd(1), but it
> doesn't help and a normal user cannot change their own password (old
> password check would fail).
>=20
> i ran vipw(8) and it doesn't seem to me there's something wrong with
my
> files.
>=20
> any hints pls ??
>=20

The normal user would have to be a member of the "wheel" group to use su
at any point.  If your normal user logs in via ssh/console/whatever,
they should be able to run the passwd command to change their own
password.  You wouldn't want them to su to do so.  If you want to test
this, add your normal user to the wheel group, log in again and see if
it works.

Regards,

Mike Smith
mksmith@adhost.com (work)
mksmith@mac.com (!work)



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