unknown user: root

[Randy Wyatt]

On 5/9/06, Marian POPESCU <softexpert at libertysurf.fr> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I am struggling here with the most weird thing to date (for me).
> These are the facts:
> I cannot log into my FC5 box.
> While booting I get lots of error messages: "unknown user: root";
> starting rescue mode from CD and chrooting the old system behaves strangely:
> - I start mc and I try to modiy any text file - when i press a key it
> will crash instantly.
> - whoamy responds "cannot find name for user ID 0"
> - passwd responds "Can not identify you!"
>
> My checks:
> - I verified the file system - seems OK;
> - I compared shadow with shadow- = 7 bytes difference
> - I compared groups with groups- = OK
> - I compared passwd with passwd- = OK
>
>
> All this started after rebooting the system ; I was just finished the update
> process - installed kernel kernel-2.6.16-1.2111_FC5, installed the latest
> updates as of 2006-05-09 10:45 AM.
>
> Can someone explain to me what could be wrong with this system?
>
> I would prefer to repair the system instead of completely reinstall it (lots
> of settings to remember).
>
> Thank you in advance!
>
> marian
>
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I have had this happen on HP systems before.
ls -ltr /etc/passwd
and make sure that password is not 0 length

is the root user still listed in the  password file?