Wireless - tried to automate - now cannot boot

[Bob McClure Jr]

On Fri, Dec 17, 2004 at 10:40:51AM -0800, Mark Knecht wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Dec 2004 12:33:10 -0600, Bob McClure Jr
> <robertmcclure at earthlink.net> wrote:
> > On Fri, Dec 17, 2004 at 10:22:22AM -0800, Mark Knecht wrote:
> > > The machine is hanging at boot time. Not exactly sure where or why.
> > >
> > > WIreless is working, but it's not getting setup correctly at boot
> > > time. To get past this I created a file /root/scripts/wireless witht
> > > he following commands:
> > >
> > > #!/bin/bash
> > > iwconfig wlan0 mode Managed
> > > iwconfig wlan0 ESSID XXXXXX
> > > iwconfig wlan0 key open XXXXX
> > > dhclient
> > >
> > > These commands work at the command line and wireless comes up fine. I
> > > did not try the script file by hand. My mistake.
> > >
> > > I added a call to this file in /etc/rc.local and rebooted. The machine
> > > hangs bringin up the network.
> > >
> > > I tried booting in Knoppix. I see the file but Knoppix is not letting
> > > me edit it.
> > >
> > > All I want to do now is remove the call in rc.local.
> > >
> > > How can I do this, preferably with the FC2 disks.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Mark
> > 
> > You should be able to boot to single-user and edit the file.  At the
> > GRUB screen, with the desired boot line highlighted, hit "a" to append
> > to the boot line, then add a space and "single" and hit <Enter>.
> > 
> > When you've fixed it, run "shutdown -r now".
> > 
> > If you want to use the CD, boot with it, and put "linux rescue" at the
> > prompt.  Let it mount your system on /mnt/sysimage.  Then enter
> > 
> >   chroot /mnt/sysimage
> > 
> > That puts you in your root directory.  Then edit the file.  Then
> > 
> >   exit # the chroot shell
> >   exit # rescue mode
> > 
> > Then pop out the CD and let it reboot.
> > 
> > Cheers,
> 
> Hi Bob,
>    I managed to get it fixed with Knoppix just before your response
> came in. I'm not booting into Gnome again.
> 
>    Now, I've tested the script file and it works, so it's no big deal
> for me to leave it this way for a while. He'll be happy to have
> wireless networking at all, even if it comes with the pain of doing an
> extra command. I can probably do something under sudo to make it so he
> can do it himself.
> 
>    The real question is why did it fail when the script call was in
> /etc/rc.local? Is that not allowed? The header says it's executed
> after all other init scripts. Can I not call a script in this file?
> Maybe I have to put the command themselves in there?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mark

You may need to fully path the commands.  At boot time you have
precious little, if any, PATH set.  Were there any useful messages in
/var/log/messages or /var/log/boot.log or /var/log/dmesg?

Cheers,
-- 
Bob McClure, Jr.             Bobcat Open Systems, Inc.
robertmcclure at earthlink.net  http://www.bobcatos.com
Grace happens.