Root login fails when using serial dialup modem

[Rick Stevens]

On Thu, 2007-11-29 at 07:34 -0500, Bill Jones wrote:
> Thanks for the reply Rick.
> 
> There wasn't a usertty file and securetty did indeed have /dev/ttyS0 as
> an entry. We got around the issue by creating a user and then su to root
> after successfully logging in via the modem.

Ah, /etc/securetty should NOT have the "/dev/" bit in it...just "ttyS0".
The "/dev/" bit is assumed.

> Again, thanks for taking time to reply.

No problem.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: redhat-install-list-bounces at redhat.com
> [mailto:redhat-install-list-bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Rick
> Stevens
> Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 1:59 PM
> To: Getting started with Red Hat Linux
> Subject: Re: Root login fails when using serial dialup modem
> 
> On Tue, 2007-11-27 at 23:11 -0500, Bill Jones wrote:
> >  I'm trying to help someone configure their filesystems using remote 
> > dialup but the root user login fails when I try to login after the 
> > modem answers and provides the login prompt. I have ttyS0 in the 
> > /etc/securetty file. RHEL 4 is the s/w version in question.  It says 
> > invalid login when I attempt root login. The same login and p/w works 
> > from the system console. Does anyone have ideas what is causing the 
> > login to fail?
> 
> The first things to check are /var/log/messages and /var/log/secure to
> see what's going on.  Specifically, verify that the tty being presented
> to login is, indeed, /dev/ttyS0.  Sometimes the name gets mogrified
> (e.g. shows up as /dev/modem or some such nonsense).
> 
> You should also check to see if you have an /etc/usertty file.  If you
> do, check the content and verify there aren't any extra access
> restrictions set up.
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> - Rick Stevens, Principal Engineer             rstevens at internap.com -
> - CDN Systems, Internap, Inc.                http://www.internap.com -
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- Rick Stevens, Principal Engineer             rstevens at internap.com -
- CDN Systems, Internap, Inc.                http://www.internap.com -
-                                                                    -
- grasshopotomaus: A creature that can leap to tremendous heights... -
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